Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference: Multifaceted perspectives on sustainable development

On the morning of September 15, the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference opened at the National Convention Center (My Dinh, Hanoi) with the first two discussion sessions being "Digital Transformation" and "Innovation and Entrepreneurship".

International delegates expressed their sympathy for the host country Vietnam and hoped that many solutions would be proposed to implement the Sustainable Development Goals.

Facing global challenges together

President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Duarte Pacheco expressed his hope that through the conference with the participation of a large number of young delegates, Parliamentary activities will take the digital agenda to a new level, bringing greater efficiency, enhancing transparency in political activities, so that all citizens can know and participate in proposing opinions.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and we had to move a lot of our work online, young parliamentarians in many countries were the first to adapt and guide everyone to adapt. In the new context, we were forced to change,” said Mr. Duarte Pacheco.

Mr. Duarte Pacheco said that when he was elected as IPU President, the union members conducted online voting for the first time in IPU history. This is an example of innovation, applying modern technology to life.

The IPU President said that parliaments need to promote inclusiveness, intercultural dialogue and respect for diversity as drivers of sustainable development and peace. He affirmed that this conference will help the IPU and parliaments have the opportunity to look beyond problems and seek new solutions.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dan Carden, Chairman of the IPU Young Parliamentarians Forum and Member of the UK House of Commons, expressed his gratitude to the host country for its hospitality and generosity in welcoming the delegations to Hanoi.

“The brutal image of the Vietnam War has been deeply imprinted in the minds of many people, the history of thousands of years of national development was wrapped up in a period of war, but from the ashes, the Vietnamese people found the motivation to develop the country. You are a typical example, warning everyone not to be swept away by the narrow-minded geopolitical competition mindset,” Mr. Dan Carden shared.

He expressed his belief that the Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians will be a forum with diverse perspectives on the world and history.

“Today, we are facing unprecedented problems in human history, crises that threaten our existence. There can be no solution to climate change without the cooperation and solidarity of the international community. Here, we will overcome our differences and find medium- and long-term solutions to global problems and challenges,” said Mr. Dan Carden.

Vietnam: Close and friendly

Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong, a Nigerian Senator, had never been to Vietnam before, but he learned that this is a country rich in cultural identity with a history of 4,000 years. Nigeria is also a multicultural, multi-ethnic country, with many similarities with Vietnam. Therefore, he felt close and open.

“When I arrived here, I was really impressed. Your country is more developed and beautiful than I imagined. Although this is my first time in Vietnam, I have felt your strength, modernity and dynamic development,” Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong shared.

The Nigerian delegate said that the country’s economy is growing with the emergence of many “technology unicorns” worth billions of US dollars. Therefore, he said that the theme of the conference is very practical and inspiring for the Nigerian delegation.

“I am honored to be here at the conference. I hope to hear about effective Digital Transformation models in other countries that can be applied in Nigeria,” said Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong.

Coming from the Middle Eastern country of Syria, delegate Majd Abu Zidan expressed his excitement when coming to Vietnam for the first time.

“Vietnam makes me feel as close as home. Of course the traffic is different, we don’t have many motorbikes on the road, but the affection, openness and hospitality of the Vietnamese and Syrian people are the same,” said Majd Abu Zidan.

Referring to the conference theme of “Digital Transformation” and “Innovation”, Ms. Majd Abu Zidan said that the complex socio-political context in Syria makes it difficult for people to access modern technology. That is why she wanted to take this opportunity to learn from the experience of improving Digital Capacity for people and at the same time explore innovative models in the legislative process.

“This conference is a useful bridge for young parliamentarians to exchange experiences on Digital Transformation, find flexible adaptation solutions after the pandemic and market fluctuations, thereby proposing strategies to create an environment to mobilize resources for investment development, production and business, environment, and infrastructure for people and businesses,” she said./.

The Young Parliamentarians Forum was established within the framework of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in 2013. Since 2014, the Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference has been organized annually by the IPU, and is considered an important platform for empowering young leaders. The purpose of the conference is to strengthen the role of young parliamentarians and youth participation in parliamentary activities and to make recommendations from the youth perspective on the activities and agenda of the IPU; to build networks, unite and enhance capacity, and broaden the youth's approach to issues of common concern. The 9th Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference, hosted by the National Assembly of Vietnam, is a very important multilateral diplomatic event and a highlight of 2023. The conference is scheduled to take place from September 14-17, 2023 in Hanoi with the theme: "The role of youth in promoting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals through Digital Transformation and Innovation" including 3 topics: Digital Transformation; Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Promoting respect for cultural diversity for sustainable development. On April 13, the Organizing Committee of the 9th Global Young Parliamentarians' Conference, consisting of 23 members, headed by Politburo member and Permanent Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man, was established under Resolution No. 766/NQ-UBTVQH15 dated April 12, 2023 of the National Assembly Standing Committee.