All you need to Know about International Day of Parliamentarism 2023

International Day of Parliamentarism 2023: International Day of Parliamentarism is celebrated every year on June 30 to mark the anniversary celebration of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), formed in 1889. In 2018, a United Nations General Assembly Resolution decided on establishing a day to review the progress that parliaments might have made in achieving pre-determined key goals. These goals include carrying out self-assessment, inclining towards the participation of women and young MPs, adapting to new technologies, being more representative, and moving ahead with the times.

Parliaments act as a cornerstone for functioning democracies. It has to be strong, transparent, fair, just, representative, and adaptive in nature, at all times. In this era, when people are constantly losing their trust in parliamentary procedures and the democracies of the world, the celebration of the International Day of Parliament is significant.

This year, the world is celebrating the 134th Anniversary of IPU on International Day of Parliamentarism 2023. Let’s learn all about it in detail below.

International Day of Parliamentarism 2023 Theme

Every year, the UN releases its theme and list of events, based on which the day is celebrated. For 2023, the UN has laid out the theme of ‘Parliaments for the Planet." It simply sends out the message that 'Climate Action begins at home’. It aims to 

• Promote the reduction of carbon footprints
• Adopting greener policies
• Adapting to a sustainable future

If parliaments and parliamentarians address the climate crisis and pave the way for climate action, climate change can be controlled.

Parliaments for the Planet

It is an IPU-launched campaign designed to make parliaments and parliamentarians act on the climate emergency. It is laid out with the motive that parliaments must act as leaders, not preachers, in climate emergencies. The campaign is made up of two parts:

• My parliament! This empowers parliaments and the people working there to reduce their carbon footprints and adopt greener policies.
• My planet! This helps parliaments step up the game by enhancing legislative actions, budgets, and, most importantly, government measures, to implement the Paris Agreement on climate.

 What can you do to celebrate the day?

• Look at what your parliament is doing for the planet, and which of the ‘10 actions for greener parliaments’ have they put up.
• Use posters and social media assets and link them to the hashtag #Parliament4theplanet
• Conduct a debate programme in your schools to celebrate the day, linking climate action and the campaign.

The first-ever UN International Day of Parliamentarism is celebrated on which date?

The First ever UN International Day of Parliamentarism was celebrated in 1899 when the Inter-Parliamentary Union was formed. The day was later established in 2018 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution.