The 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians concludes on Saturday in Hà Nội. — VNS Photo Nhật Hồng

HÀ NỘI — Youth must be engaged in politics and digital technology to simulate progress, said the Inter-Parlimentary Union (IPU) President Duarte Pacheco as the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians concludes on Saturday.

“We must promote science and innovation for sustainable development and to achieve digital literacy for young people,” the IPU President said at the conference’s closing ceremony, affirming the union’s support for the process. 

Noting how the conference recorded hundreds of requests for presentations, Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vương Đình Huệ said that the discussions have led the way to a common understanding and promoting international integration, multilateralism in regard to the SDGs, based on the fundamental principles of the United Nations (UN) and international laws.

Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ delivers a speech at the conference's closing session. — VNS Photo Trọng Kiên

He added: “The conference also emphasised the pioneering role of young parliamentarians in bringing the youth’s voice to politics, as well as in applying innovation and creativity in SDG implementation, which has affirmed how youth’s engagement can accelerate and find new paths to achieve the SDGs.”

The Vietnamese NA will continue its active contributions to IPU activities and is ready to host other events within the framework of the union, said Huệ. 

A conference statement was also adopted, summarising the delegates' discussions on enhancing digital capacity for the youth, digital transformation, innovation and startups, as well as promoting respect for cultural diversity in support of sustainable development.

Presenting the document at the closing ceremony, Vietnamese National Assembly member Hà Ánh Phượng and IPU Board President of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians Dan Carden said that digital transformation can empower citizens, particularly youth, to actively engage in the political process and contribute to shaping policy decisions. 

Delegates at the conference's closing session on Saturday in Hà Nội. — VNS Photo Nhật Hồng

Emphasising that only 12 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are meeting the targets and over 50 per cent of them are still lagging behind, the statement also proposed a series of actions that came out of discussions in the past two days. 

These include updating parliamentary rules to enable greater virtual participation of legislators, utilising interactive platforms for communication between constituents and representatives, and engaging specific demographic groups, particularly youth, in parliamentary committees. 

Recommendations also include ensuring knowledge and technical support for all parliamentarians, which ranges from the use of virtual assistance and AI tools to enhance legislative work to the development of a digital library for legal documents.

The conference also advocates improvement of digital accessibility and infrastructure to bridge the digital gap. 

In regard to innovation and start-ups, parliaments are urged to strengthen the ecosystem by creating legal frameworks and increasing budgets for youth-led enterprises. 

Education curricula should be adapted to equip the younger generation, with a focus on digital skills and encourage women to enter STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields, per the statement. 

Connecting scientific and parliamentary communities, particularly involving youth, is also recommended.

Aiming towards promoting cultural diversity for sustainable development, it is also recommended that a parliamentary approach is established, rooted in principles and values related to science and technology ethics. 

This involves ensuring responsible, ethical, and sustainable science and technology development and application, as well as preventing online violence, especially against women and girls, as well as increasing data protection for a safe and healthy network environment. 

Emphasising the importance of culture as a driver of sustainable development, the statement also calls for inclusivity, intercultural dialogues, and mutual respect among people of different cultures.

Taking place from September 14-18, the 9th Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians gathers nearly 500 delegates, including 300 international delegates from 70 IPU member parliaments and international organisations, making it the biggest one since the conception of the event. — VNS