Statements

As President of the Permanent Commission on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, I believe that we need to use our mandate from the congress to boost public policies that would give a voice to the world’s citizens and would work to the benefit of our peoples. For this reason I commit myself to advance the campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly both at the global level as well as from our region in the Caribbean

Víctor Suárez, President of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic, 2017

The United Nations needs to open its doors to elected representatives. The best way to achieve this is the creation of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly that would complement the General Assembly where the governments come together. I've been supporting this goal for a long time and congratulate the international campaign on its sustained efforts to make this a reality.

Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, India, 2017

The United Nations is the only true extant forum for global governance, but it is currently a forum that represents governments, not people. Democratic global governance is essential that includes opposition and minority opinions. All of humanity needs to be represented on a permanent and formal basis. A citizen-elected UN Parliamentary Assembly is a pragmatic step towards this goal and will help developing a true democratic and open world society.

Smári McCarthy, Member of Parliament and Chair of the European Pirate Party, Iceland, 2017

I support the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. For a better world order we need a World Parliament now!

Toshiki Kaifu, President of the World Federalist Movement-Japan and 76th and 77th Prime Minister of Japan

The United Nations needs to become more representative and inclusive relative to those who are most affected by its work and global challenges. A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly would be a way to achieve this. This new body would have to guarantee that the voices of farmers from around the world are better heard and understood, especially for developing countries particularly in Africa.

Brylyne Chitsunge, Ambassador of the Pan-African Parliament on Food Security in Africa, 2017

Our world is getting smaller, and we’re becoming a more tolerant, and integrated human family. We’re also seeing trends that are resisting these changes, and anxieties about multiculturalism spur the forces of disintegration. Ultimately, unity in our diversity will win over. Love will win over. After all, we are one people, and one planet.Our needs to establish a single social order to celebrate our oneness as a human family are practical as much as they are spiritual. We cannot meet global challenges like climate change, multinational corporate exploitation, nuclear proliferation, and so many more threats to humanity without international regulation. We need a World Parliament elected by the peoples of the world to give them a voice in the process of globalization.Nations should have their own borders, and constitutions, and of course their cultures must be unique, but we need a federal government above nations that ensures peace and prosperity, too.I’d like to add my name to the list of supporters of the proposed UN Parliamentary Assembly because our survival depends on us all realizing we are in this together and, as a Baha’i, I believe in the message of Baha’u’llah: “The Earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens”.

Justin Baldoni, American actor, director and filmmaker, 24 October 2017

My longterm vision is the creation of a World Parliament. Instead of power lying in the hands of a few ministers of government who are to decide about the most pressing challenges of the world behind locked doors, I want more of the influence to be placed in a directly elected Parliamentary Assembly, which could be a complement (like a second chamber) to the UN's General Assembly.

Jens Holm, Member of the Swedish parliament for the left party in his book "Om inte vi, vem?" (If not we, then who), 2017

I firmly believe that a World Parliamentary Assembly would be the best way to allow for citizen input in global governance. Providing the diverse strands of humankind with a meaningful voice in making the decisions that will shape their destiny will do more to legitimize the UN than any other reform that I can envisage.

Joseph E. Schwartzberg, Distinguished International Emeritus Professor, University of Minnesota, author of the book "Transforming the United Nations System" and founder of the Workable World Trust, 2016

Unfortunately, in many cases the authority of the United Nations is insufficient. That's why it needs to be a common aspiration to change this and to make the United Nations more effective, transparent, and democratic through a reform of its structures and decision-making procedures. This is also the starting point of the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly which shows important perspectives on the path towards the creation of a world parliament and which I am delighted to support since 2007.

Sigmar Gabriel, Vice-Chancellor of Germany and chairman of the Social Democratic party, 2016

The United Nations has been the global and crucial voice for peace, human rights, justice and environmental protection since its founding. At the same time, the UN faces limitations when member state governments do not represent the interests of their citizens. This is why the creation of the UN Parliamentary Assembly is so relevant for us – to give voice to every citizen, woman and man, all over the world; to create legitimacy by true representation, and to enhance political responsibility of the states’ leaders.

Cem Özdemir, Chairman of the Green party of Germany and Member of Parliament, 2016