The Socialist International held its XXIII Congress in Athens, Greece from 30 June to 2 July with close to 700 participants from 150 parties and organisations from 120 countries attending. (List of participants)
With the theme Global Solidarity: The courage to make a difference, the Congress, the highest decision-making body of the organisation, adopted statements on each of the four key issues under discussion: climate change, peace and the resolution of conflicts, the world economy, including the current food crisis and the question of migration.
The morning session continued with discussions on the first main theme ACTING NOW ON CLIMATE CHANGE: To achieve a sustainable world society introduced by Co-Chairs of the Socialist International Commission for a Sustainable World Society, Ricardo Lagos, former President of Chile and a Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General on climate change and Goran Persson, former Prime Minister of Sweden. They were followed by wide-ranging contributions from members of the Commission, leaders and party representatives from different regions of the world, including the Chancellor of Austria, Alfred Gusenbauer. (Speakers on climate change)
The climate change debate also included two panel discussions, the first How to arrive successfully at a post-2012 regime? and the second How do we strengthen the multilateral architecture for a sustainable future? featuring speakers from the Spain, India, the United States, Russia and China.
Continuing its efforts to provide a platform to advance peace, the International brought together key actors from the Middle East, Lebanon, Asia and the Balkans for the discussions on the second day of the Congress - WORKING FOR A WORLD IN PEACE: To resolve conflicts and overcome instability.
SETTING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY ON A NEW PATH: To bring growth and development with opportunities for all, was the third theme of the Congress with keynote speeches from the Prime Minister of Hungary, Ferenc Gyurcszany, and leader of the Hungarian Socialist Party, MSzP; the Chair of the SI Committee on the Economy, Social Cohesion and the Environment, Christoph Zopel, Social Democratic Party, SPD, Germany; Chantal Kambiwa of the Social Democratic Front of Cameroon; the President of the DS, Italy, Massimo D’Alema; the leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party, CSSD, Jiri Paroubek; the President of the Labour Party, Ireland, Michael Higgins; and, the President of the Dominican Revolutionary Party, PRD, Dominican Republic, Ramon Alburquerque.
A debate followed on the issue of food shortages and hike in prices, under the title Dealing with the food crisis: the long-term view, with panellists from Haiti, India, Australia and Senegal.
Lastly, the Congress tackled the impact of migration globally, with the theme GIVING MIGRATION A HUMAN FACE: To build a new migration agenda placing people first, introduced by the Chair of the SI Committee on Migrations, Amalia Garcia, Governor of the State of Zacatecas, Party of Democratic Revolution, PRD, Mexico, on the Committee’s work dealing with the issues arising due to this phenomenon in all regions around the world. Also taking part in this debate were Nouzha Chekrouni, Socialist Union of Popular Forces, USFP, Morocco, former Minister for Moroccans Abroad, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, former minister of Justice, PSOE, Spain; and Sigfrido Reyes, Member of Parliament, FMLN, El Salvador, amongst others.
Source: Socialist International
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