Join the Week for World Parliament in October

Join this year’s Week for World Parliament from October 21-28 2021 and support the call for the establishment of a world parliament that will give representation and political power to all world citizens.

The world is facing global challenges that are threatening the wellbeing of millions of people and future generations. Pandemics, climate change, weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism and growing socio-economic inequalities are some examples that require effective global action. 

We, the peoples, should be put at the centre of the United Nations

UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently called for an upgraded United Nations – with the people at centre – in order to succeed with the common agenda of leaving no one behind and protecting our planet. But for this to be more than lofty words, concrete institutional reforms need to take place within the system of global governance as we have pointed out. 

While we advocate for a directly elected world parliament that will have decision-making powers in matters of global concern, we also support a pragmatic first step that can be taken right now if the political will exists: the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA).

A UNPA could be set up as a UN body by a vote of the General Assembly without the veto powers in the Security Council being able to intervene. The assembly could initially serve as an advisory body and later be vested with rights of information, participation and oversight. Once a UN Charter review can be achieved, we want it to develop into a real world parliament. There is an international appeal for a UNPA that by now has been endorsed, across party lines, by more than 1,700 current and former members of parliament from over 100 countries (you can sign here). Last year we published a study on how exactly a UNPA can be implemented. 

In an open letter that has been announced ahead of the Week for World Parliament, and that is to be officially launched on October 21, the UN General-Secretary, the President of the UN General Assembly, and all UN Member States are called on to support the establishment of a world parliament. The letter says that the “Summit of the Future” suggested by Guterres to be held in 2023 should be devoted to this cause and other global governance reforms, among other things.

With a UN parliament, we, the peoples, will be put at the centre of the United Nations for the first time. It is our right as world citizens to be included in global governance and be able to participate in the decisions that affect everyone. It is also an urgent necessity if the common agenda is to succeed.

We call on individuals, organizations, groups and movements everywhere to join the Week for World Parliament, taking place from 21-28 October 2021.

Check out here what you can do to participate.