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E. Dhakal: Address to World Summit 2017
Written by Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal, Member of Parliament and Minister of Peace and Reconstruction (2015), Nepal
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Address to World Summit 2017, Seoul, Korea, February 1 to 5, 2017
First of all, I would like to congratulate the Universal Peace Federation for convening this Global Assembly of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP) here in Korea. This Global Assembly represents the heart and commitment of parliamentarians who love and care for peace, harmony and the welfare of the 7 billion people of the world.
The Nepali delegation consists of 21 members representing six different political parties, both democrats and communists, led by our former vice president, His Excellency Parmanand Jha. They are honored to be a part of this historic gathering.
I would like to applaud Dr. Sun Jin Moon and Dr. Thomas G. Walsh for successfully convening IAPP conferences in all the regions of the world with the theme, “Addressing Critical Challenges of Our Time: The Role of Governments, Civil Society and Faith-Based Organizations.” The Asia-Pacific conference was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from July 28 to 31, 2016. Over 300 lawmakers from 29 nations joined 200 Nepali parliamentarians in attending the conference. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli wholeheartedly welcomed the IAPP and expressed the solidarity of his government. I personally felt that the IAPP gathering in Kathmandu not only provided a platform for policymakers to share their experiences and best practices but also productively promoted regional cooperation among Asia- Pacific nations.
IAPP has been speedily advancing in Asian countries thanks to UPF-Asia Chairman Dr. Chung Sik Yong guiding it effectively. Over the past few months, we have had significant meetings at the national level in many countries. Indian lawmakers from both the ruling BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and the opposition Indian National Congress party gathered in New Delhi and wholeheartedly supported this new initiative. Similarly, in Islamabad, parliamentarians and senators from Pakistan showed their solidarity with the mission of IAPP. The chairman of the Pakistani Senate and the foreign affairs minister of the government of Pakistan extended their support to collaborate with IAPP. Likewise, the speaker and 17 lawmakers from the Bangladesh Parliament personally welcomed the IAPP in Dhaka.
The Sri Lankan Parliament co-hosted the IAPP launching which was held inside the Sri Lankan Parliament in Colombo under the chairmanship of the current speaker. Five government ministers and 57 members of parliament attended this event. The president of Sri Lanka, H.E. Maithripala Sirisenaalso, extended his support to IAPP. In addition, government ministers and lawmakers from Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand have been actively participating in IAPP regional events and lending their full support. I am sure that similar IAPP launchings at the national level will spread like wildfire in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and Oceania. In this way IAPP is paving the way to peace in the world.
To support this and provide deeper insights into UPF’s Principles of Peace, a series of Asian Leadership Conferences were held in Bangkok, Thailand. They brought together nearly 200 lawmakers from Asian countries where they discussed the unique role of IAPP to create lasting peace and harmony. UPF-Asia has open invitations from our fellow parliamentarians to launch IAPP chapters in Bhutan, the Maldives, Afghanistan and other nations in Asia. In fact, the Philippines and Malaysia have already scheduled IAPP conferences for next month.
Fellow parliamentarians, let’s continue to develop IAPP initiatives so that it can reach each and every country of Asia and the world. We must not forget to reach out and bring the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of China onboard too. In this way IAPP will emerge as an instrument of peace, empowering the U.N., governments and leaders of civil society to secure a good future for us. This is truly good news for all of us.
Legislators who write and enact laws have a unique and vital role to play. I am of the opinion that:
- IAPP must be politically neutral.
- It needs to embrace lawmakers from all parties, East and West, North and South.
- It should emphasize dialogue as an essential first step to resolving conflicts and building trust.
- It must respect and honor all religious faith traditions.
- It should highlight the importance of the family as the cornerstone of peace, prosperity and patriotism.
We would like to see IAPP focus on the areas of peace-building, interreligious and inter-ideological reconciliation, character education, curbing corruption, promoting the mutual welfare of people globally and strengthening democracy and good governance.
IAPP could establish bi-partisan peace-building committees or caucuses in parliaments. It could be an instrument to bridge the unique role of the world’s great faiths and traditions with esteemed governments and parliaments to address critical social problems.
As a neutral institution, IAPP could promote peaceful dialogue, condemn terrorism and violent extremism of all kinds, strengthen the institution of marriage and family and foster a culture of peace. With the worldwide foundation of and support from the Universal Peace Federation and its network of Ambassadors for Peace, IAPP can make a unique and substantial contribution towards world peace.
We extend our support and solidarity to the founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon; the IAPP; and its founding ideals. Let’s join hands to actualize these ideals.
In closing, I call on the delegates of this February gathering representing over 100 parliaments and over 200 political parties of the world to nurture this new institution, the IAPP, and develop it for the sake of our collective future.
Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal, Member of Parliament and Minister of Peace and Reconstruction (2015), Nepal
Hon. Ek Nath Dhakal is a member of parliament in the Nepalese Constituent Assembly and former minister of peace and reconstruction. A Parliamentarian since 2008, he has served on various committees including International Relations, Human Rights, Constitutional Committee, and Security Special Committee. Honorable Dhakal currently serves in the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. He is founder and chairman of the Parliamentarians Peace Council, an initiative by incumbent Parliamentarians, and has served as a Convener for UPF’s South Asia Peace Initiative.
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