The World e-Parliament Conference 2009

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The World e-Parliament
Conference will be convened by the United Nations, the Inter-Parliamentary
Union, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Global Centre for ICT in
Parliament, a joint partnership initiative of the UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs and the IPU.

WHAT: The World e-Parliament Conference 2009

WHEN: 3 - 5 November 2009

WHO: U.S. House of Representatives

WHERE: Capitol Visitors Center, Washington, D.C.

Note: The opening session and plenary sessions on Tuesday and Thursday are
open to the press.

On Tuesday: Credentialed reporters will have access to the auditorium and to
the South Room.

9 a.m. - 12 noon: Broadcasters set-up

1:55 p.m.: Opening session

-- Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
-- Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of
the United Nations
-- Anders B. Johnsson, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
-- Ahmed Fathy Sorour, Speaker of the People's Assembly of Egypt and
co-Chair of the Board of the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament

-- Ildiko Gall Pelcz, Deputy-Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly
and
co-Chair of the Board of the Global Centre for ICT in Parliament

3:30 p.m.: "Connecting Parliaments and Citizens: New Technologies to Foster
Openness, Transparency and Accountability"

5:00 p.m.: "How Information and Communication Technologies Can Strengthen
Parliaments in Young and Emerging Democracies"

6:30 p.m., North Room: Media availability with senior participants TBA

On Thursday: Credentialed reporters will have access to the auditorium for the
plenary and closing sessions.

1 - 2:15 p.m.: Broadcasters set-up

2:30 - 5:30 p.m.: "Promoting Democracy and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation: A
Collaborative Approach to Institutional Building Through a Shared Framework
for e-Parliament"

5:30 p.m.: Closing

The Conference is the annual forum of the community of parliaments addressing,
from both the policy and technical perspectives, how the use of information
and communication technology can help improve representation, transparency,
accountability, openness, and effectiveness in the complex parliamentary
environment.

At the Conference, 110 delegations from parliamentary assemblies will
represent 87 countries from all continents. Confirmed participants include
Speakers and Deputy Speakers, who will head 23 delegations, and 40 Clerks and
Secretaries General.

For more: http://www.ictparliament.org/wepc2009/

SOURCE United Nations Information Center

Deborah DeYoung of the United Nations Information Center, +1-202-276-8670,
ddeyoung@unicwash.org or Drew Hammill of the U.S. House of Representatives
Office of the Speaker of the House, +1-202-226-7616