Left: The Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Smt. Meira Kumar, MP, delivering the welcome address; This page: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, MP, delivering his inaugural address in the Central Hall of the Parliament of India.
culture of solving their problems themselves. The scourge of terrorism had taken a huge toll on the societies of the region and if not checked, would consume all of them. The Parliamentarians were uniquely placed to help inculcate the sense of a common South Asian destiny in their respective countries. Stating that India remained firmly committed to principles and ideals of SAARC, the Prime Minister asserted that India would go the extra mile to make SAARC an effective organization that benefitted all citizens of South Asia. Smt. Kumar said that while
SAARC was a dialogue between governments, it was important to recognize the role that Parliaments
and Parliamentarians played in giving another vital dimension to bilateral and multilateral partnerships. Since its inception, the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians had powerfully resonated the spirit of solidarity that was the cornerstone of SAARC. The Indian Speaker said that in a region that comprised some of the most densely populated countries in the world and characterized by an overwhelming diversity of religions, languages and cultural identities, democracy alone could lay the foundation of harmonious co- existence. The use of technology, especially IT, to connect with people and obtain their feedback, was essential for effective dialogue
between Parliaments and the people. She emphasized that SAARC member states must remember that it was only through sustainable development that they could achieve inclusive growth and ensure stability in the region. In the first session of the
conference Smt. Kumar specially welcomed the President of National Assembly of Afghanistan as the new member of the Association. Dr Mirza became the Vice-President of the conference as Pakistan proposed to host the next event in 2012. Smt Kumar then informed the gathering about the decision taken at the meeting of the Speakers Council held on 9 July 2011 regarding amendment in the rules of the Association
providing for one-fifth representation of women MPs in the delegation from each member country. She also encouraged the Speakers Council’s decision that the women delegates attending the conference might form a group of women Parliamentarians who would work for the promotion of women’s causes and hold a meeting of women Parliamentarians of SAARC countries under the overall umbrella of the association.
The discussions The first three sessions of the conference were devoted to the subject Consolidating Democracy: Strengthening Trust between Parliament and the People.