Istanbul on Wednesday will host a four-day meeting of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul. The event is expected to bring together 2,500 people from around the world. So far, more than 800 lawmakers and 77 parliamentary speakers signed up for this 152nd meeting of the Union.
The IPU, based in Geneva, holds semiannual assemblies in the spring and the fall, either in Geneva or elsewhere. The assembly will be an occasion where strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and multilateral cooperation will be discussed. The lawmakers will also discuss the genocide in Gaza, developments in the Middle East, and a number of regional and global issues.
The theme of the summit will be “nurturing hope, securing peace and ensuring justice for future generations” and it will host several events, including permanent committee meetings, the fora and several side events. The IPU will also elect its next secretary-general as incumbent Martin Chungong’s tenure will expire.
Founded in 1889 by parliamentary representatives to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and dialogue, the IPU now stands out as the umbrella organization of the world’s parliaments, with 183 member countries.
Türkiye, which hosted General Assembly meetings in 1934 and 1951 and most recently 30 years ago, is set to once again demonstrate its experience and expertise in parliamentary diplomacy, as well as the importance it places on multilateral relations and international dialogue.
Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş will chair the general assembly of IPU. He will also hold bilateral talks with visiting parliamentary speakers, before they attend a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday.
Kurtulmuş on Monday attended executive committee meeting of IPU in Istanbul. Speaking there, he said it was great pleasure to host parliamentarians in the city which bridged continents, cultures and civilizations.
Commenting on meeting’s theme, he said “nurturing hope and safeguarding the peace” was “a responsibility for the parliaments.”
“In this context, your role is particularly important. The guidance you provide and the decisions you make here will directly influence not only the success of the Union but also the broader impact of parliamentary diplomacy. At a time when the international system is facing increasing uncertainty and complex challenges, the responsibility of parliaments to act with vision and determination has never been greater. Increasing our dialogue, raising our voices against injustice and conflicts, and developing new ideas for a better world are our responsibilities toward future generations. Therefore, I hope that our Union will serve as an opportunity to convey strong messages supporting the defense and strengthening of peace, democracy, and multilateralism. With this understanding, I wish the Executive Committee success in its meetings. I am confident that your deliberations will lead to concrete and constructive outcomes for our countries and our cooperation,” he said.
