The World e-Parliament Conference 2009

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The World e-Parliament Conference will be convened by the United Nations, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament, a joint partnership initiative of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the IPU.

WHAT: The World e-Parliament Conference 2009

WHEN: 3 - 5 November 2009

WHO: U.S. House of Representatives

WHERE: Capitol Visitors Center, Washington, D.C.

Note: The opening session and plenary sessions on Tuesday and Thursday are open to the press.

On Tuesday: Credentialed reporters will have access to the auditorium and to the South Room.

9 a.m. - 12 noon: Broadcasters set-up

1:55 p.m.: Opening session

    --  Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
    --  Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of
        the United Nations
    --  Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
    --  Ahmed Fathy Sorour, Speaker of the People's Assembly of Egypt and
        co-Chair of the Board of the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament

    --  Ildiko Gall Pelcz, Deputy-Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly and
        co-Chair of the Board of the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament

3:30 p.m.: "Connecting Parliaments and Citizens: New Technologies to Foster Openness, Transparency and Accountability"

5:00 p.m.: "How Information and Communication Technologies Can Strengthen Parliaments in Young and Emerging Democracies"

6:30 p.m., North Room: Media availability with senior participants TBA

On Thursday: Credentialed reporters will have access to the auditorium for the plenary and closing sessions.

1 - 2:15 p.m.: Broadcasters set-up

2:30 - 5:30 p.m.: "Promoting Democracy and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation: A Collaborative Approach to Institutional Building Through a Shared Framework for e-Parliament"

5:30 p.m.: Closing

The Conference is the annual forum of the community of parliaments addressing, from both the policy and technical perspectives, how the use of information and communication technology can help improve representation, transparency, accountability, openness, and effectiveness in the complex parliamentary environment.

At the Conference, 110 delegations from parliamentary assemblies will represent 87 countries from all continents. Confirmed participants include Speakers and Deputy Speakers, who will head 23 delegations, and 40 Clerks and Secretaries General.

For more: http://www.ictparliament.org/wepc2009/

SOURCE United Nations Information Center