The Parliament of India will host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on October 26 and 27 in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to grace the event and meet leaders of visiting delegations.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced the above while addressing a press conference at Parliament House on Thursday, describing the Forum as a new chapter in the history of India’s parliamentary diplomacy. The conference will bring together Presiding Officers and parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner countries, Union Ministers, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Presiding Officers of State Legislatures, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries. The conference will be inaugurated on October 26.
Bilateral Meetings and Parliamentary Exchanges
Birla said the Forum would feature bilateral and multilateral interactions with leaders of visiting delegations and parliamentary friendship groups. A meeting of the Secretaries of the delegations will be held on October 25 to finalise the Joint Statement of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum.
Four Sessions to Focus on People-Centric Development
Highlighting the central theme, “Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development,” Birla said the Forum would build on the legacy of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum and facilitate consensus-based dialogue through four high-level sessions. These will focus on Resilience, examining the critical role of parliaments in strengthening institutions for a better future; Innovation, exploring ways to promote human-centred innovation in artificial intelligence and digital technologies through parliaments; Cooperation, addressing the need for a more representative system of global governance through parliamentary cooperation; and Sustainability, discussing the role of parliaments in ensuring a sustainable and inclusive future for their countries.
Special Meeting on Parliamentary Diplomacy
A special meeting of the Chairpersons of the International Affairs Committees of the parliaments of BRICS member and partner countries will also be held to deliberate on parliamentary diplomacy, capacity building and the exchange of best practices. Birla said the programme would include high-level plenary sessions, parallel meetings, bilateral exchanges and a cultural programme. The Vice-President of India will host a banquet in honour of the distinguished guests.
Members of the delegations will visit the Parliament of India and participate in cultural visits in Delhi. The Forum will conclude on October 27.
-PIB inputs
