We are very pleased to announce the upcoming Conference of the Progressive Alliance, “Together for Progress and Justice – facing new developments, supporting democracy and fostering renewal in times of change”, co-hosted by the Nepali Congress and in co-operation with the Network of Social Democracy in Asia (SocDem Asia) which will take place in Kathmandu, Nepal, on 29 – 30 June 2018.
We are particularly happy that we are able to hold our conference in Nepal co- hosted by Nepali Congress – a party with a great legacy of international cooperation, a strong international commitment and who plays a pivotal role in the search for new solutions for progress and social justice.
The conference will be an ideal opportunity for bringing together progressive actors from all over the world, ranging from political parties to civil society. The conference and the working groups will provide an excellent platform for political discussions, networking with fellow progressives and the exchange of experiences.
In this spirit, we will be discussing the topic of our conference from a variety of angles and receive inputs from different regions of the world. In the first debate we will put an emphasis on supporting democracy and fostering renewal in times of change. These changes,
which also promote new uncertainties, require our commitment to democracy and justice to answer the question of how to position ourselves programmatically and organizationally as a progressive and socialist party family. This is a debate that we want to advance together and in dialogue.
The second main focus of the conference – and in connection with the first topic – will be on how to empower the people in order to achieve a democratic, progressive and social just society. Redistribution, market regulation, the creation of public goods, the democratisation of economic life and the cushioning of risks in welfare states undisputedly improved the living and working conditions of many people. However, in our rapidly evolving times this key question of our movement has to be addressed again and again. We need to think about new measures to transform capitalism in a progressive and social just way. This transformation will not succeed unless we stand together and come up with new initiatives to create inclusive, democratic and social just societies, which put people at the centre.
In a working group we will learn about recent developments in Asian Countries. Furthermore, we will conduct a field visit to get a hands-on insight into projects and initiatives for progress and social justice in Nepal.
Another important part of the conference will be the meeting of Progressive Alliance Working Group on Gender, which will be hold for the third time. And, as it has become good practice, we will start our conference with a meeting of the Steering Committee to discuss all important political and organisational aspects of our party network.
Draft of the progam
Friday, 29 June 2018
Venue: Hotel Himalaya
Sahid Sukra Marg
Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal 44700
08.00 hrs Registration
09.00 hrs Meeting of the Steering Committee
All parties and associated organizations of the Progressive Alliance are entitled to send delegates to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee prepares the convention, discusses resolutions and the upcoming activities of the Progressive Alliance.
Chaired by Konstantin Woinoff, Coordinator, Progressive Alliance
Welcome
Prakash Sharan Mahat, Joint-General Secretary, Nepali Congress Party (NC), Nepal
Introduction into the program
Machris Cabreros, Co-ordinator of the Network for Social Democracy in Asia (SocDem Asia), President of Akbayan
Introduction into the input paper
Reports on current developments
10.00 hrs Coffee Break
10.30 hrs Working Group on Gender
Chaired by Marja Bijl, Vice-president of PES Women and Bahia Amra, Palestinian National Initiative
Welcome and Prospects of Gender Equality in Nepal
Dina Upadhaya, Member of the Central Working Committee, Nepali Congress Party (NC), Nepal
Prospects of Gender Equality in Indonesia
S.S. Suryaningsih, National Democratic Party, (Nasdem Women), Indonesia
Prospects of Gender Equality in Costa Rica
Margarita Bolaños Arquín, Member of the Board of the Progressive Alliance, Citizens’ Action Party (PAC), Costa Rica
11.15 hrs Working Group on Recent Developments in Asia
Chaired by Machris Cabreros, Co-ordinator of the Network for Social Democracy in Asia (SocDem Asia), President of Akbayan
Report about the current situation in Nepal
- P. Saud, Member of the Central Working Committee, Nepali Congress Party (NC), Nepal
Report on the elections in Malaysia
Yap Kok Weng, Democratic Action Party (DAP), Malaysia
Current situation in the Philippines
Garry Lazaro, Vice-President, Citizens’ Action Party (Akbayan), Philippines
12.00 hrs Lunch
14.00 hrs Plenary Session
Welcome and Keynote “Supporting democracy and fostering renewal in times of change”
Sher Bahadur Deuba, President, Nepali Congress Party (NC), Nepal (tbc)
14.20 hrs Speech
Herta Däubler-Gmelin, Former Minister of Justice, Chair of the Human Rights Commission of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), Germany
14.35 hrs Speech
Tserenjamts Munkhtseteg, Mongolian People’s Party (MPP), Mongolia
14.50 hrs Video
15.00 hrs Key Debate: “Supporting democracy and fostering renewal in times of change”
Åsa Eriksson, Member of Parliament, Swedish Social Democratic Party (SAP), Sweden
Norbert Neuser, Member of the European Parliament, Group of Socialists & Democrats (S&D Group)
Minendra Rijal, Member of the Central Working Committee, Nepali Congress Party (NC), Nepal
Uri Zaki, Member of Executive Committee, Meretz Party, Israel
Moderator: Giacomo Filibeck, Deputy Secretary General, Party of European Socialists (PES)
16.10 hrs Video
16.15 hrs Introduction into the topic: “Together for progress and social justice”
Kent Härstedt, Member of Parliament, Swedish Social Democratic Party (SAP), Sweden
16.30 hrs Speech
José Teixeira, Fretilin, Timor Leste
16.45 hrs Leaders’ Debate: “Together for progress and social justice”
Margarita Bolaños Arquín, Member of the Board of the Progressive Alliance, Citizens’ Action Party (PAC), Costa Rica
Doru Frunzulica, Member of the European Parliament, Group of Socialists & Democrats (S&D Group)
Jeong Hyeyeon, Deputy Party Leader, Justice Party, Republic of Korea
Ram Sharan Mahat, Former Finance Minister and senior member, Nepali Congress Party (NC), Nepal
Moderator: Anna Sundström, Secretary General, Olof Palme International Center (OPIC)
17.55 hrs Video
18.00 hrs Family Photo and Closure
19.00 hrs Reception
Venue: Hotel Himalaya
Kathmandu
Saturday, 30 June 2018
10.00 hrs Field Visits: Opportunities of Nepalese hydropower – potential for social just and sustainable development
The Nepali Congress invites participants of the Progressive Alliance conference to visit Nepal’s first Hydropower Plant in Pharping which opened in 1911 and is now a living museum. The mayor of the municipality as well as other experts will share first-hand information on the plant as well as the role of water resources for the socio-economic development of Nepal nationally as well as locally. Pharping is a village situated 20 km south of Kathmandu in the rural part of Kathmandu valley.
14.00 hrs End of the Conference
