SPEAKER OF THE LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT TO ATTEND THE PARLIAMENTARY FORUM MEETING IN WASHINGTON
On the occasion of the International Day of Democracy, the newly organized Parliamentary Forum for Democracy (PFD), a diverse coalition of like-minded parliamentarians organized to strengthen democracy and human rights around the world will convene on September 15 on Capitol Hill to explore current challenges and how the PFD can develop an agenda to address them. The parliamentarians form different countries will explore how the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy can provide critical assistance to those actors seeking to bring about democratic transitions and strengthen democratic institutions and how it can provide political support to threatened democracy activists and advance international norms to defend civil society and human rights. The conference is being organized by the Embassy of Lithuania (where the Forum’s Secretariat has been established), with assistance from the National Endowment for Democracy, the International Republican Institute, and the National Democratic Institute. Speaker of U.S. House of Representatives John A. Boehner, Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament Irena Degutiene, Speaker of the Parliament of Albania Jozefina Topalli, Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan Asiia Sasykbaeva, former President of the Senate of Nigeria Ken Nnamani, Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Georgia Giorgi Baramidze and many other Members of Parliaments of different regions will attend the event.
Strengthening Freedom and Democratic Governance:
The Role of the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy
September 15, 2011
9:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Cannon Caucus Room,
345 Cannon House Office Building,
Washington, DC
(Southeast of the Capitol on a site bounded by Independence Avenue,
First Street, New Jersey Avenue, and C Street, S.E.)
8:45 - 9:00 AM Registration
9:00 - 9:30 AM Parliaments and Democracy: The Challenges Ahead
Moderator: Hon. Emanuelis Zingeris, Prseident,Parliamentary Forum for Democracy
Opening Remarks
Hon. Emanuelis Zingeris
President, Parliamentary Forum for Democracy
Hon. John A. BoehnerSpeaker, U.S. House of Representatives
Hon. Irena Degutiene
Speaker, Lithuanian Parliament
Hon. Chimed Saikhanbileg
Head of the Democratic Party Fraction of the Mongolian Parliament and Chairman, Mongolia-US Parliamentary Group
Hon. Howard Berman
U.S. House of Representatives (invited)
9:30-10:30 AM Helping Democracy Succeed: The Role of Parliaments in Assisting Democratic Transitions and Governance
During this time of upheaval and change in many parts of the world, how can the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy provide critical assistance to those actors seeking to bring about democratic transitions and strengthen democratic institutions?
Moderator:
Les Campbell, Senior Associate and Director for the Middle East and North Africa, National Democratic Institute (NDI)
Panelists:
Hon. Jozefina Topalli
Speaker, Parliament of Albania
Hon. Dan Burton
U.S. House of Representatives
Hon. Asiia Sasykbaeva
Vice-Speaker, Parliament of Kyrgyzstan
Hon. Ken Nnamaniformer President, Senate of Nigeria
Hon. Vytautas Landsbergis
Member, European Parliament
Hon. Giorgi Baramidze
Vice Prime Minister, Republic of Georgia
Hon. Mihai Ghimpu
Member, Parliament of Moldova
Hon. Ted Deutsch
U.S. House of Representatives (invited)
Hon. Mark Kirk
U.S. Senate (invited)
Aly Abuzaakouk
Executive Director, Libya Human and Political Development Forum
Hon. Mbarka Bouaida
Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs, National Defense and Religious Affairs, Parliament of Morocco
Hon. Laura Alonso
National House of Representatives, Argentina
Hon. Adriana Gonzalez Carillo
Senate of Mexico (invited)
10:30-11:30 AM Defending Freedom and Human Rights: The Role of Parliamentarians in Supporting Democracy in Repressive Countries
As the struggle for freedom in repressive countries continues and even intensifies, how can the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy provide political support to threatened democracy activists and advance international norms to defend civil society and human rights?
Moderator:
Carl Gershman, President, National Endowment for Democracy
Panelists:
Hon. Jim McGovern
Co-Chairman, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
U.S. Congress
Hon. Frank Wolf
Co-Chairman, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
U.S. Congress (invited)
Radwan Ziadeh
Founder and Director, Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies
Hon. Irwin Cotler
former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Hon. Ana Gomes
Member, European Parliament
Mr. Anatoly Lebedko
Chairman, United Civic Party, Belarus
Mr. Boris Nemtsov
Co-Chairman, People’s Freedom Party, Russia
Hon. Mario Diaz-Balart
U.S. House of Representatives
Hon. Christopher Smith
U.S. House of Representatives (invited)
Hon. Lincoln Diaz-Balart
former U.S. Representative
11:30 -12:00 PM Conclusion/Next Steps
What are the immediate challenges ahead in building a worldwide network of parliamentarians to advance democracy?
Moderator:
Lorne Craner, President, International Republican Institute
Panelists:
Hon. David Dreier
Chairman, House Democratic Partnership,
U.S. Congress
Hon. David Price
Ranking Member, House Democratic Partnership
U.S. Congress (invited)
Hon. Rinchinnyam Amarjargalformer Prime Minister, Mongolia
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Closing Remarks:
Hon. Emanuelis Zingeris
President, Parliamentary Forum for Democracy
