From:        media at kdun.org
   Subject:     Green World Congress calls for elected UN body.
Date:     May 6, 2008 3:14:10 AM EDT

Committee for a Democratic United Nations.

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday 6 May 2008

Green World Congress calls for elected UN body - Parliamentary Assembly proposed to overcome “international democratic deficit.”

Sao Paulo/Berlin. The outcome statement of the second Global Greens Congress adopted on
4th May in Sao Paulo has called for “the establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly” as
one step to overcome the “international democratic deficit.” “In the face of global
challenges such as climate change it is pretty clear that we need much more effective
international decision-making. This requires that the world’s citizens are better included
in international institutions. Hence the proposal for a body composed of elected
representatives,” said Senator Isabelle Durant, Secretary-General of the Belgian party
Ecolo, in Brasil. The congress assembled representatives of green parties and movements
from over 80 countries.

The leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May, commented in Sao Paulo that
“governments mainly care about advancing their national interests. By contrast, a UN
Parliamentary Assembly could help to promote the global common interest.” “The resolution
adopted by the congress underlines that the green movement is convinced that a dialogue is
needed on the notion of a bi-cameral system at the UN,” May added.

The Committee for a Democratic U.N., an NGO specialized on the topic based in Berlin,
Germany, strongly welcomed the resolution. The Committee noted that the Global Greens are
the third major international party network to endorse the proposal of a UN Parliamentary
Assembly, following the Liberal International and the Socialist International.

The support of the Global Greens adds momentum to an international campaign for the
establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly which was launched in April 2007. The
campaign is backed by more than 450 members of parliament and over 100 non-governmental
organizations from around the world. The Committee for a Democratic U.N. acts as its
international secretariat.

CONTACTS:

Senator Isabelle Durant, Secretary-General, Ecolo,
Phone +32 81 22 78 71, Email  isabelle.durant at ecolo.be

Didier Couernelle, Ecolo delegate at the congress,
Phone +32 2 410 59 56, Email  didier.coeurnelle at gmail.com

Elizabeth May, Party leader, Canadian Greens,
Phone +1 613.240.8921, Email  debra at greenparty.ca

Andreas Bummel, Executive Chairman, Committee for a Democratic U.N.,
Phone +27 827 610 979, Email  bummel at kdun.org

MORE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET:

2nd Global Greens Congress: http://www.globalgreens.org.br/
Committee for a Democratic UN: http://www.kdun.org/
Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly: http://www.unpacampaign.org/