Swiss politicians back call for UN parliament

At a media conference in the Swiss capital, Bern, the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly was presented by parliamentarians Remo Gysin and Joseph Lang as well as Andreas Bummel, representing the Committee for a Democratic U.N., and Christoph Wiedmer with the Society for Threatened Peoples International. Remo Gysin stressed that the UNPA proposal has support by a majority of Swiss parliamentarians. In 2005 a majority of the Swiss National Council signed an open letter to then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in this regard. 48 individual MPs now have additionally signed the Campaign’s international appeal. The Campaign launch received broad media coverage in Switzerland.

Campaign launched in Argentina

On 8 May 2007 the Campaign for the Establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations (UNPA) has been launched in the hall „Jose Luis Cabezas“ of the National Congress of Argentina in Buenos Aires. The event was hosted by Democracia Global, an NGO advocating a South American Union and the establishment of a World Parliament. Isay Klasse, Juan Jose Sebreli and Fernando Iglesias stressed that a UNPA is a first step towards this goal. Further participants of the event were the Members of Parliament Fernando Sanchez, Elsa Quiroz and Fabiana Ríos. Political figures like the former Vice-Governor of Buenos Aires, Elva Roulet, and former MP and Minister of Work, Patricia Bullrich, attended. The Campaign’s Appeal for a UNPA has been signed, among others, by 17 Argentine MPs from 7 different parties.

Support for UNPA Campaign in Italy

At a press conference in the Italian National Assembly, the Camera dei Deputati, on 3 May, parliamentarians and representatives of non-governmental organizations presented the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly. The event was hosted by parliamentarian Tana de Zulueta who stressed that so far another 21 Italian MPs across all party lines endorse the Campaign’s appeal for a UNPA. Further speakers at the presentation were Senator Valerio Zanone, Prof. Lucio Levi (World Federalist Movement), Raffaella Bolini (Associazione di Promozione Sociale) and Giacinto Bisogni (Magistratura Democratica). Further parliamentarians attended.

European Parliament joins launch of UNPA Campaign

On 3 May Members of the European Parliament joined the worldwide call for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA). The proposal was presented to media representatives by MEPs Jo Leinen from the Socialist group and Chairperson of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Gérard Onesta from the Green group and Vice-President of the European Parliament and Graham Watson, leader of the liberal group ALDE. The most recent resolution of the European Parliament calling for the establishment of a UNPA was adopted in June 2005. A first resolution was passed in 1993. The Campaign’s appeal for a UNPA was signed by 49 individual MEPs.

Clare Short hosts U.K. launch of Campaign

The UK Launch of the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly took place in the House of Commons, London, on Wednesday 2 May 2007. The event was hosted and chaired by Rt Hon Clare Short MP, former Cabinet Minister for International Development, who spoke of the importance of the proposal for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. Gordon Glass, Director of 2020*Vision Ltd and its representative on the international Campaign Committee, and Carrie Haslett, Associate, spoke of their own personal motivation and involvement in the Campaign. The presentations were followed by a lively question and answer session which raised, and addressed, a number of public concerns about the proposal and future strategies.

Public conference in Dar Es Salaam on UNPA Campaign

At a public conference convened at the Courtyard Protea Hotel in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, the Campaign for the Establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) was presented by Dr. Azaveli Lwaitama from the University of Dar Es Salaam and Generali Ulimwengu, Chairman of Habari Corporation. The event was organized by the Tanzanian Group of the Committee for a Democratic U.N. Among the participants was Teddy Louise Kasella-Bantu, Member of the National Assembly and supporter of the Campaign’s appeal for a UNPA.

Campaign launch: MPs, NGOs meet in Madrid

On 27 April the Campaign for the UNPA was launched in Madrid, hosted by the Secretariat of UBUNTU – World Forum of Civil Society Networks and of the World Campaign for In-Depth Reform of the System of International Institutions. The UBUNTU Forum understands that the UNPA is a first step, of a series, towards a democratic and coherent structure of global governance. Following an intense and fruitful meeting with Spanish MPs Fátima Aburto, Carles Campuzano, Laia Cañigueral, Toni Comin, Josep Antoni Duran i Lleida, Aitor Esteban, Gaspar Llamazares, Josep Maldonado, Georgina Oliva, Jordi Pedret, Dolors Puig, Raül Romeva and Elena Valenciano as well as representatives of civil society groups such as Federico Mayor Zaragoza (Culture of Peace Foundation and UBUNTU Foundation), Ricardo Díez-Hochleitner (Club of Rome), Diego Hidalgo (Club de Madrid), Mario Esteban (Consejo de la Juventud de España), José Moisés Martín (ACSUR-Las Segovias), the group attended journalists in a press conference.

UNPA Campaign launched in Berlin

On 27 April the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) was presented to the German public at the "Federal Press Conference" venue in Berlin. The panelists included Andreas Bummel, Committee for a Democratic U.N., Detlef Dzembritzki, MP and Chair of the Sub-Committee on United Nations Affairs in the German Bundestag, Harald Leibrecht, MP, and Christoph Zimmermann, Society for Threatened Peoples.

Campaign launch in Vancouver

The World Federalist Movement Canada Vancouver Branch and the United Nations Association Canada–Vancouver hosted the launch of the movement for the creation of a UNPA on April 24 2007. This was at the main branch of the Vancouver Public Library. Panelists were Ian Waddell (former MP, NDP), Simma Holt (former MP Liberal), Adriane Carr (Green Party, Deputy Leader), and Leonard Angel (Professor). The hosts were Blake McLeod for the WFMC-VB, and Patsy George for the UNAC. There was a lively panel for about forty minutes, and vigorous questions and answers afterwards for about the same time period. A variety of media were present, with film, audio, and print coverage. After the panel and question period there was a reception, with lots of active conversation.

Campaign launch: Political leaders and civil society activists call for UNPA

Several hundred political leaders, among them 378 MPs from 70 countries, have joined to call for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations (UNPA). The joint appeal states that, in an age of globalization, citizens need to be vested with a stronger voice in global affairs. The call is the core of an international campaign which is being launched through a series of events in more than ten countries.