Meira Kumar leaves for New York

New Delhi, Nov 13 : A parliamentary delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar Friday left for New York to attend the second meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the Third World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.

Lok Sabha Secretary General P.D.T. Achary is also attending the meeting to be held Nov 16 and 17, said a release issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

The speaker was nominated as a member of the Preparatory Committee set up by Theo-Ben Gurirab, president of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), for the third World Conference of speakers that will take place in Geneva from July 19 to 21 next year.

The IPU is an international organisation of parliaments, established in 1889.

The union is the focal point for world-wide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and cooperation among people and for the firm establishment of representative democracy.

Besides deliberating on the political and practical preparations for the conference, the meeting would also discuss priorities for the United Nations, status of UN reform; global economic and financial crisis and democratic accountability, parliaments and democracy in the 21st century; and strengthening the relationship between parliaments, IPU and UN.