149th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union to begin today in Geneva

 Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will lead a parliamentary delegation to the 149th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) scheduled to be held in Geneva from today till the 17th of this month. Mr Birla will address the assembly on the theme ‘Harnessing science, technology, and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future.’ He will participate in the meetings of the IPU’s governing council and will meet the Indian Diaspora in Geneva tomorrow. Besides this, he will also meet his counterparts from other Parliaments on the sidelines of the Assembly. The delegation comprises Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Singh, the Secretary General of both houses and various other Members of Parliament. The IPU has 180 member parliaments and 15 associate members. Members include parliaments from large countries like China, India, and Indonesia, as well as smaller countries like Cabo Verde, San Marino, and Palau.