Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday 18 October 2018: South African National Assembly Speaker Ms Baleka Mbete says the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)’s celebration of the centenary of Tat’uNelson Mandela, is an inspiration to South Africans and all citizens of the world to live by his values and help create a better world.
The 130 year-old Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) with 178 member Parliaments of the world made reference to South Africa’s founding father of freedom and democracy, uTat’uNelson Mandela for special acknowledgement during its 70th anniversary celebrations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The programme started with a video message of Speaker Baleka Mbete, followed by messages from the IPU member Parliaments and concluded with short video on the life, times and the value added to humanity by South Africa’s iconic leaders – Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu.
The IPU says: “As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Declaration, we also remember and honour Nelson Mandela, who would have turned 100 years old this year. He personified the ideals of the Declaration and, in his own words, strived to uphold "the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities". Over the course of his lifetime, the rights enshrined in the Declaration have been universally recognized, with States now bound in law to ensure their citizens benefit from them and can access appropriate remedies and redress when they are violated.”
The IPU General Assembly registered its concern about the limited progress made in making these commitments a reality for many citizens of the world particularly those still suffering from ravages of “growing authoritarianism, internal conflict, war, poverty and large-scale migration” The general Assembly urged parliamentarians to ensure that domestic legislations are appropriately aligned and executed in an inclusive manner where the rule of law reigns and civil society is effectively participating.
The declaration further says: “We will do everything in our power to support human rights defenders, the often "invisible Mandelas", risking their freedom and lives to uphold the rights of others, who merit the recognition and support of parliaments, especially in light of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.”
The Parliament of South Africa also set up and managed a “must visit” exhibition on both Mama Albertina Sisulu and Tat’uNelson Mandela throughout the IPU assembly week. The exhibition stall attracted the Who’s Who of world Parliaments who appreciated the revival of their commitments to the values cherished by Nelson Mandela, a world icon, who touched millions of freedom, peace and democracy loving people of the world and was recognised by the United Nations through a declaration of his birthday as an International Nelson Mandela Day.
Speaker Mbete said, the unveiling of a Statue of Tat’uNelson Mandela at the United Nations headquarters on the 24 September (her birthdate) as well as the IPU declarations and recognition of him, filled her with pride and a great sense of the privilege of being born a South African.
Sound-bite:
In-words: It has been great …..
Out-words: …..been born South Africans
Duration: 67 seconds
Speaker Baleka Mbete
https://we.tl/t-7lDEci0qU8
The General Assembly of the IPU also endorsed and or noted a number submissions and declarations covering, among others:
- A series of reports on countries visited by the President and Secretary General of the IPU for purposes of assisting to resolve stalemates that threaten efforts to build strong and democratic Parliaments;
- A call to Parliamentarians to encourage governments to continue striving to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy targets, while enhancing transparency, accountability and reporting of climate change; and
- A Global Compact for Safe and Orderly migration with a time table for execution of the agreements, including the ratification of international protocols on migration, eliminating xenophobia and racism, and convening every four years to track progress made, particularly in respect of vulnerable sectors such as women and children.
The 140th Assembly of the IPU will be in Doha – Qatar in 2019, following the withdrawal of Argentina that was earlier scheduled to host this biggest global gathering of world Parliaments.
For arranging interviews with the Speaker and members of the South African delegation at the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva – Switzerland, kindly contact Manelisi Wolela on +41 (0) 76 630 7027 /mwolela@parliament.gov.za
Issued by Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
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