5TH CYP
ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE
The Fifth Commonwealth Youth Parliament held by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association brought to the United Kingdom a diverse group of politically aware and articulate young people who demonstrated that political apathy is not a characteristic of everyone under age 30.
Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza of Wychwood, in London. Baroness D’Souza has been the Lord Speaker, the Presiding Officer of the House of Lords at Westminster, since 2011. She is a Joint President of the CPA United Kingdom Branch. A Peer since 2004, she was the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers from 2007 until she was elected as the Lord Speaker.
business sessions such as a Committee of the Whole House and several more interactive workshops, the Commonwealth Youth Parliamentarians (CYPs) were given an introduction to the intricacies of parliamentary democracy. The programme culminated in a
Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza
From 4 to 7 December 2012, the United Kingdom Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the CPA Secretariat hosted the 5th Commonwealth Youth Parliament, which saw some 60 young people come to Westminster from the furthest reaches of the Commonwealth. The four-day programme
explored the principles of governance at a local, national and international level, exposing the delegates to the ancient system of the Westminster Parliament. Experiencing plenary addresses, model parliamentary
34 | The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue One
final parliamentary-style debate on access to education in the House of Lords Robing Room – once used as the Chamber of the Upper House after the Commons Chamber was bombed during the “Blitz” of the Second World War – discussing whether there should be free schooling for all. Having formed party caucuses
over the course of the week, the CYPs had the opportunity to develop party structures, to elect party leaders and front bench teams, and to formulate policies to present to the House. I was delighted to preside at this
debate, the second one in which I have played a part during my tenure as Lord Speaker thus far. Once again, I was struck by the proficiency of the arguments, the coherence of each party’s policies, and the impressive
degree of political agility displayed by all participants. On a personal level, I have found both experiences highly rewarding, and am very pleased that the U.K. was once again able to host. The Commonwealth includes one
third of the world’s population, and 50 per cent of its population is aged 25 or under. The Commonwealth Youth
Parliament therefore represents a remarkable opportunity to engage with this key demographic, a group representative of the future leaders, legislators and activists of the Commonwealth. In a year that has seen us celebrate the 60th anniversary of the succession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Head of the Commonwealth, it seems a particularly fitting moment to turn our eyes forward, and to seek to engage this next generation in the political process. A key priority in planning the
5th CYP has been the use of social media to ensure a legacy of ongoing relationships between the Commonwealth Youth Parliamentarians is established, by creating alumni communities
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92