The Ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians will take place eight years after the adoption of the Hanoi Declaration on The Sustainable Development Goals: Turning Words into Action by IPU Member Parliaments in 2015 from 15- 17 September 2023 at Hanoi (Vietnam).
According to a Press Release of IPU “As we pass the mid-way point to achieving the SDGs by 2030, the Conference will take stock of progress, and highlight the rising importance of technology and innovation to accelerate action towards these global goals.”
The Conference is open to the participation of young members of national parliaments. National parliaments are invited to send a delegation of up to four young parliamentarians (age limit 45) to participate in the Conference. Delegations should be composed of representatives of both sexes and parliaments are encouraged to include their youngest members.
Concept note
The IPU’s annual Global Conferences of Young Parliamentarians are unique platforms for young members of parliaments to get together, exchange, learn and define common and innovative strategies to advance empowerment for young parliamentarians and the youth. The 2023 Conference will focus on accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through digital transformation and innovation.
In 2015, during the 132nd IPU Assembly in Viet Nam, the Hanoi Declaration was adopted on The Sustainable Development Goals: Turning Words into Action. As we pass the mid-way point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda), and with less than seven years remaining to achieve the SDGs, progress has been much too slow. According to the United Nations, only 12% of SDG targets are on track, while 50% are moderately or severely off track.1 This situation requires the international community to make a breakthrough and stronger efforts to achieve the SDGs by 2030, including digital transformation, taking advantage of technologies, innovation, and accelerated efforts to find out new approaches and solutions while protecting and promoting cultural and human values. Young parliamentarians, as political leaders closest to the youngest generations, are digital natives and have much to offer in harnessing the voice and talents of young people to contribute solutions.
The Ninth IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians is the opportunity for young MPs from around the world to discuss parliamentary actions to promote the role of young people in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs through digital transformation, innovation, as well as cultural and human values. The Conference will focus on three main topics:
- Digital transformation: Under this topic participants will look at institutions, policies, experiences of national parliaments and the role of young parliamentarians in promoting the digital transformation process to enhance opportunities for sustainable economic development in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Delegates will also share achieved progress in digitizing parliamentary activities for sustainable development; propose policies and solutions, especially on improving institutions for innovation, deploying new models, digital platforms, universalizing digital connectivity, raising digital awareness, digital culture, and digital skills for the people, closing the digital gap, and ensuring fair access to technology towards the goal of leaving no one behind in the digital environment.
- Innovation and start-ups: The focus of this topic will be on institutions, policies, experiences of national parliaments and the role of young parliamentarians in promoting innovation and startups (including youth start-ups) as the driving force for inclusive and sustainable development, including food technology (foodtech). Delegates will also discuss the development of artificial intelligence and its contribution to the achievement of the SDGs and make recommendations to parliaments on how to build institutions and policies to mitigate artificial intelligence related risks.
- Promoting respect for cultural diversity in support of sustainable development: The role of parliaments and young parliamentarians in promoting respect for cultural diversity during a time of technological transition and globalization will also be examined. This includes: (i) digital cooperation founded on ethics and mitigating unwanted implications of digital transformation for privacy, security, and well-being; (ii) promoting the role of culture in development policies at national, regional and international levels; (iii) commitment to protecting and promoting cultural diversity, and creating a favourable environment and ecosystem for culture and cultural diversity; and (iv) the role of culture and cultural diversity in sustainable development.
The Conference discussions will be based primarily on the sharing of laws, policies, and creative practices to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs through digital transformation and innovation. It will feature a mix of case studies, inspirational speakers, and technical briefings, all aimed to position young parliamentarians to take leadership roles on this topic in their countries. Delegations are encouraged to come prepared with examples of good practices from their home countries to share with their colleagues.
The third day of the Conference is reserved for a cultural programme organized by the host Parliament.
BACKGROUND
In 2010, the IPU Member Parliaments adopted a landmark resolution entitled Youth participation in the democratic process at the 122nd IPU General Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand. The resolution stated that achieving meaningful democracy required the full and active participation of youth and youth organizations in democratic processes at the local, national, regional, and international levels. In that spirit, in 2013, the IPU established the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, a formal and permanent body dedicated to enhancing the quantitative and qualitative participation of young people in parliaments and in the IPU.
In 2014, the IPU established the annual Global Conference mechanism to contribute to: (i) strengthening the role of young parliamentarians and youth participation in parliamentary activities; (ii) making recommendations from the perspective of young people’s views on the activities and agenda of the IPU; and (iii) networking, solidarity and capacity building, broadening young people’s approaches to issues of mutual concern.
Eight Global Conferences have taken place on various topics, including: youth participation in politics and democracy (Switzerland, 2014); democracy, peace and prosperity (Japan, 2015); the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Zambia, 2016); economic, social and political inclusion (Canada, 2017); the promotion of sustainability and the protection of the interests of future generations (Azerbaijan, 2018); achieving the SDGs and empowering youth through social welfare (Paraguay, 2019); postCOVID-19 youth approach (2021, online conference format); and responding to climate change (Egypt, 2022).
Following the success of the previous Conferences, the Ninth IPU Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians (the Conference) will be held in Viet Nam under the theme The role of youth in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs through digital transformation and innovation.
