Events
The full advance programme of meetings being convened globally by the Inter-Parliamentary Union can be accessed here and BGIPU will call for nominations of interested MPs/Peers to form UK delegations for such events through the All Party Whip Notice and regular all member e-mails. UK participation in IPU activities without formal approval and selection by the BGIPU Executive Committee is not permitted.
In addition, the BGIPU regularly hosts lectures and meetings within the Palace of Westminster when Parliament is sitting on current topical issues in international affairs. Details of upcoming BGIPU events will be listed below and members’ nominations for participating in delegations will be sought through the All Party Notice circulated by the Government Whips Office during sitting times.
As a fully-funded parliamentary body, we can only reply to queries on how to participate in official BGIPU activities from MPs and Peers or parliamentary staff using internal parliamentary e-mail addresses. More general enquiries about our work can be directed to bgipu@parliament.uk
MEETING WITH A DELEGATION FROM THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA | 16 OCTOBER 10:30-11:30 | ROOM TBC
BGIPU will be hosting a meeting with a delegation led by the Secretary General of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, Kim Min-ki, on Wednesday 16 October at 10:30-11:30 in a Committee Room TBC. Members wishing to join the meeting are asked to contact Joe Perry at joe.perry@parliament.uk.
GENDER APARTHEID IN AFGHANISTAN MEETING 22 OCTOBER | IPU ROOM
The International Bar Association Human Rights Institute and BGIPU will be hosting a meeting on Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan with Afghan Women on 22nd October 1400-1500 in the IPU Room. Prior to this will be a light lunch 1330-1400. Members wishing to attend should contact Rhiannon Edwards at edwardsrl@parliament.uk.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR BGIPU EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE | CLOSING 29 OCTOBER
In advance of the 2024 Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 13 November, Members wishing to be nominated for the position of Chair (a Government post), one of the three Vice-Chairs (Government, Opposition and House of Lords), Treasurer (Opposition) or ordinary Member of the BGIPU Executive Committee are requested to fill in and physically submit the Executive Committee nomination form via internal mail to: Henry Collison, Room 605, Millbank House.
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION FROM UKRAINE | W/C 11 NOVEMBER
BGIPU plans to host a delegation of Ukrainian Parliamentarians the week of the 11th November. Members wishing to meet this delegation are asked to contact Rhiannon Edwards at edwardsrl@parliament.uk.
BGIPU ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING | 13 NOVEMBER | IPU ROOM
The BGIPU AGM will take place from 4pm on Wednesday 13 November in the IPU Room, off Westminster Hall chaired by the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP. The 2024 Annual Report will be launched at the meeting and a new Executive Committee for 2024/25 will be elected by ballot from any nominations received. Voting will take place from 12 noon in the IPU Room with further advice on voting arrangements to be circulated in due course.
As a result of the general election, all 5 Officer posts, including Chair (Party of Government), three Vice-Chairs (Party of Government, an Opposition Party and one Peer) and Treasurer (Opposition Party) are vacant along with the 21 other Executive Committee positions (comprising 11 Government MPs and four Opposition MPs and six Peers). Party balance will be indicated on the ballot paper and guided by the proportion of members in the House of Commons following the 2024 general election as set out in the BGIPU Rules. All members of the House of Commons and House of Lords are eligible to vote in this ballot. Members wishing for further information on voting arrangements or to confirm attendance at the AGM should contact Henry Collison at collisonh@parliament.uk
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION FROM MOLDOVA | 18-20 NOVEMBER
BGIPU plans to host a delegation of Moldovan Parliamentarians on 18-20 November. Members wishing to meet this delegation are asked to contact Joe Perry at joe.perry@parliament.uk by 28 October.
BBC WS/BGIPU EVENT ON MEDIA FREEDOM | 20 NOVEMBER 2024 | 1730 | IPU ROOM
BGIPU together with the BBC World Service, is hosting an event addressing the situation regarding media freedom in the world. The event will be chaired by Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale MP, full details and speakers are still to be confirmed but Members wishing to attend are asked to contact Henry Collison at collisonh@parliament.uk.
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO QATAR | W/C 25 NOVEMBER
BGIPU hopes to send a delegation to Doha for a short visit during the week of 25 November (exact dates to be confirmed). Members wishing to express an interest in this visit are asked to message Mathilde ollivom@parliament.uk, noting that the deadline is Monday 7th October.
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO HUNGARY | 24-27 NOVEMBER
BGIPU plans to send a delegation to Budapest for a short visit on 24-27 November. Members wishing to express an interest in this visit are asked to message Joe Perry at joe.perry@parliament.uk, noting that the deadline is Monday 7 October.
VISIT BY JOHN SMITH TRUST EXILED RUSSIAN FELLOWS | 4 DECEMBER
BGIPU will be hosting a visit by Fellows on the John Smith Trust’s Leaders in Exile: ‘Future of Russia’ Programme on 4 December. Members wishing to meet with the Fellows are asked to contact Joe Perry at joe.perry@parliament.uk.
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO COTE D’IVOIRE | W/C 17 FEBRUARY
BGIPU hopes to send a delegation to Abidjan for a visit during the week starting 17 February (exact dates to be confirmed). Members wishing to express an interest in this visit are asked to message Mathilde ollivom@parliament.uk.
CALLING ALL MEMBERS AND STAFF WITH FOREIGN LANGUAGES – AND THOSE KEEN TO LEARN!
To help us welcome our visiting delegations it would be incredibly useful to know if Members and staff have any foreign languages – please contact Dominique Rees at reesd@parliament.uk to register any language skills. For those who are keen to practice their language skills we also offer informal lunchtime foreign language conversation sessions. We invite Members and staff to meet in the IPU room and divide into groups depending on level of fluency for a very non-intimidating, relaxed and fun language practice! We are currently holding French sessions. If you wish to join these, please contact Mathilde Ollivo at ollivom@parliament.uk.
149th IPU ASSEMBLY | GENEVA, SWITZERLAND | 13-17 OCTOBER 2024
The 149th Assembly of the IPU will take place in Geneva, 13-17 October. Whilst the overall theme of the general debate for the Assembly is still to be confirmed, the Standing Committee for Democracy and Human Rights will adopt a resolution on the topic “The impact of artificial intelligence on democracy, human rights and the rule of law”. As well as this, the Standing Committee on Peace and Security will debate a resolution on “The role of parliaments in advancing a two-State solution in Palestine”, and the Committee for Sustainable Development will debate a resolution on “The role of parliaments in preventing corporate tax avoidance and achieving sustainable development”. The United Nations Affairs and other IPU bodies will also convene for discussions on a wide range of issues and BGIPU will undertake a busy programme of bilateral meetings. Members wanting any additional information should contact Rhiannon Edwards at edwardsrl@parliament.uk
PARLIAMENTARY MEETING ON THE OCCASION OF C0P29 | BAKU, AZERBAIJAN | 17 NOVEMBER 2024
BGIPU is sending a small delegation to attend the parliamentary meeting held in cooperation with the IPU on the occasion of COP29 in Baku. This meeting will be on Sunday 17 November and BGIPU is arranging a programme at COP for around 3 days including this parliamentary meeting. Further details on this activity can be obtained from Mathilde Ollivo at ollivom@parliament.uk
