REPORT OF THE 12TH PLENARY SESSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARLIAMENT FOR TOLERANCE AND PEACE
By: ADEDEJI STANLEY DHIKRULLAHI OLAJIDE
Geneva, Switzerland
3-4 March 2024
The International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace held its 12th plenary session on 3-4 March at the International Conference Center in Geneva, Switzerland.
The session was opened by keynote speeches from:
H.E. Mahmadtoir Zokirzoda, Speaker of the Parliament of Tajikistan
H.E. Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
H.E. Ahmed Aljarwan, President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (GCTP)
Members of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace (IPTP) include representatives from over 100 national and regional parliaments worldwide.
The plenary session was chaired by H.E. Djangarang Epainete, Member of Parliament of the Republic of Chad.
Session Deliberations
The IPTP convened for a two-day session to discuss strategies for enhancing and coordinating international efforts to foster a global culture of tolerance and peace.
During the discussions, members expressed profound concern over crises and conflicts affecting various regions worldwide. They emphasized that dialogue and tolerance play fundamental roles in resolving these challenges and advocated for peaceful solutions through:
Negotiation
Preventive Diplomacy
Regional and International mediation efforts.
The Parliament reaffirmed its commitment to rejecting violence as a means of conflict resolution and called for measures to promote:
Reconciliation
Social Cohesion
Sustainable Development
Additionally, members highlighted the need to integrate the principles of tolerance and peaceful coexistence into:
Educational Systems
Media Narratives
National and International Policies
This session built upon the Universal Peace Charter, originally adopted at the 11th session of the IPTP at the Cambodian Parliament on 24 November 2024.
The resolution urged:
Governments
Parliaments
International and Regional Organizations
Civil society, to actively disseminate and implement the provisions of the Charter.
The session culminated in the unanimous adoption of a resolution re-affirming support for the Universal Peace Charter: For People and the Planet.
The resolution also called for:
Close cooperation with the United Nations and relevant international bodies
Strengthening joint parliamentary action at national and regional levels
Advancing sustainable and peaceful conflict resolution
Fostering social justice and sustainable development
Encouraging states to endorse the Charter as a framework for enhancing international cooperation in the pursuit of global peace and security
The Sudan Crisis
Regarding the crisis in Sudan, the Parliament conveyed deep alarm over:
Escalating violence
Civilian casualties
Displacement and ethnic cleansing
Attacks on humanitarian aid convoys
The IPTP strongly condemned the use of internationally prohibited weapons and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
It urged the international community to:
Ensure unimpeded access to humanitarian assistance, particularly medical and basic aid
Establish a transitional government inclusive of Sudanese political and civil forces
Restore Sudan’s democratic trajectory toward an elected government
Reaffirm the principle of civilian governance, free from military interference
Conclusion
In its closing remarks, the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace reiterated its commitment to advancing tolerance and peace through diplomatic and parliamentary initiatives.
The Parliament emphasized the importance of strengthening global partnerships to:
Foster security and stability
Promote equitable development among nations.
Dignitaries and Parliamentarians Present
H.E. Ahmed Aljarwan – President of the GCTP
H.E. Duarte Pacheco – Member of the IPTP (Portugal), former President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
H.E. Mohamed Sabbari – First Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Morocco
H.E. Adedeji Stanley Olajide – Member of the Federal House of Representatives of Nigeria
H.E. Gustavo Pacheco – President of the Andean Parliament, Member of the Parliament of Peru
H.E. Monserrat Ruiz Guevara – Member of the Parliament of Costa Rica
H.E. Carlos Alberto Nunez Salinas – Alternate President of PARLATINO, Member of the Parliament of Paraguay
H.E. Ek Nath Dhakal – Member of the Parliament of Nepal
H.E. Hayda Nourdine – Vice-President of the Parliament of Comoros
H.E. Rolando Miguel González Patricio – President of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament, Member of the Parliament of Cuba
H.E. Mussa Zungu – Member of the Parliament of Tanzania
H.E. Iulius Marian Firczak – Member of the Parliament of Romania
H.E. Ngangoube Aminatou – Member of the Parliament of Cameroon
H.E. Dioumy Moubassango – Member of the Parliament of Gabon
H.E. Mareme Mbacke – Member of the Parliament of Senegal
H.E. Abel Xavier Nzuzi Lubota – Member of the Parliament of Angola
H.E. Faizullo Barotzoda – Member of the Parliament of Tajikistan
H.E. Glenn Bedingfield – Member of the Parliament of Malta
H.E. Ivanka Vasilevska – Member of the Parliament of North Macedonia
H.E. Crispin Engono Nguema – Member of the Parliament of Equatorial Guinea
H.E. Dastan Bekeshev – Member of the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan
H.E. Arsen Bauk – Member of the Parliament of Croatia
H.E. Könül Nurullayeva – Member of the Parliament of Azerbaijan
H.E. Mushahid Hussain Sayed – Member of the Parliament of Pakistan
H.E. Francisco Chahuán – Member of the Senate of Chile
H.E. Dave Laksono – Member of the Parliament of Indonesia
H.E. Duay Antoni Martinez Salazar – Member of the Parliament of Guatemala
H.E. Anda Filip – Director for Member Parliaments and External Relations, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
H.E. María del Carmen Alva – Congressperson of the Republic of Peru
H.E. Papa Sanya Mbaye – Former Member of the Parliament of Senegal, Former Government Minister
H.E. Saša Magazinović – Member of the House of Representatives, Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Regional Representatives and GCTP Secretariat Members
H.E. Serge Ndong – Former Member of Parliament of Gabon, West African Regional Office
H.E. Gustavo Acosta – Former Member of Parliament of El Salvador, Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
Prof. Dr. Zoran Ilievski – South-East European Regional Office
