MESSAGE FROM H.M. QUEEN ELIZABETH II, PATRON OF THE CPA
As Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I am pleased to send you and all the delegates of the Fifty-Eighth Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, my best wishes for your meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
from approximately 170 Parliaments and Legislatures will be attending the meeting. I was also pleased to leam that this year’s theme for discussion will be “Ensuring a Relevant Commonwealth for the Future”.
kind message andhope that the Conference is a successful and enioyable event for all concemed.
ELIZABETH R. Balmoral Castle
As your Patron, I much appreciate your I note with interest that representatives
history, its people and its tradition of constitutional democracy. While in Sri Lanka, may I humbly
invite you to savour the natural beauty and the splendour of our motherland and to engage with her people, among the most hospitable people you will find anywhere in the world. Ensuring a Relevant Commonwealth for the Future is the theme of this meeting and during these few days you will discuss topics relating to health and education, democracy, rule of law and human rights, the role of Parliaments, conflict resolution and peace building, gender responsive governance, terrorism, youth unemployment and the role of social media. All these topics are of great
relevance to democracies around the world and no doubt your deliberations will strengthen constitutional democracy and good governance in the CPA’s member states. The CPA is currently engaged in
a study to look at how the Association could provide better support to Parliaments from member states. Our Branch has expressed its views
through our Regional Representative and we are concerned to ensure that the CPA remains vibrant and relevant in the years to come. Before I conclude, I would like to
express my profound gratitude to His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka for the support, guidance and encouragement extended to us in organizing this event and your presence this morning has encouraged all of us. I must also acknowledge
the support we have received from the Rt. Honourable Sir Alan Haselhurst, Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Dr William F. Shija, Secretary-General of the CPA, and the staff of the CPA Headquarters. May you have a rewarding
meeting, may you forge stronger bonds among your fellow Parliamentarians, and may your deliberations contribute to strengthening democracy in all parts of the Commonwealth. I do hope that you will carry warm memories of Sri Lanka to your home country. May the Noble Triple Gem Bless
you.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Hon. Chamal Rajapaksa, MP, (left) receiving a plaque commemorating his presidency of the CPA from the Chairperson of the CPA Execu- tive Committee, Rt Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst, MP.