Inter-Parliamentary Union President Duarte Pacheco will address members in the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday

President of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Geneva Duarte Pacheco attended the Lok Sabha proceedings on Monday. He will address Members in the Central Hall of Parliament On Tuesday.

Pacheco, who is in India on a seven-day visit from March 14 to March 20 on the invitation of the Parliament of India, was welcomed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

During his visit, he will attend a felicitation ceremony and address members under the auspices of the Indian Parliamentary Group (IPG) in the Central Hall of Parliament on March 16. Later in the day, he will have an interaction with the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs.

The IPU President will also visit Rajghat and pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. The dignitary will also visit Goa and Agra during his stay in India.

“It is important to interact with all parliaments of old and big countries. Thus we had to visit the largest democracy in the world. If there are possibilities, we will find a way to strengthen collaboration between India and the Inter Parliamentary Union,” Pacheo was quoted as saying by a news agency.

Formed in 1889, the IPU is one of the oldest and largest international Parliamentary bodies consisting of more than 179 members.

The IPU espouses the cause of promoting democracy across the world and takes up issues of international importance such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Climate Change and Gender Equality.

India, since its independence, has always been an active Member of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). In the past, G.S. Dhilon, the then Speaker of Lok Sabha and Dr Najma Heptulla, the then Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha had served as the Presidents of IPU.

India has been contributing to the deliberations and outcomes of IPU by being on various Standing Committees, Forums and Advisory Groups of IPU.