Two iconic parts of the Parliament complex—the Central Hall and the Library Hall (formerly the Chamber of Princes)—are being decked up to host the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum next week, officials said. The event will discuss key issues such as ethical digital transformation, global governance reform and parliamentary diplomacy and feature cultural snapshots from different states and local cuisine.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has planned various programmes and a Culture Bazar in the Parliament complex. Craftsmen and artisans from different states, including Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, will display their works for the BRICS’ guests, according to an official. “Banquets would be hosted by Birla and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, and guests will be given guided tours of the Parliament complex, New Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur,” a senior official told HT.
The Central Hall will be the venue of the forum on October 26 and 27. The Library Hall of the Chamber of Princes, which was used as a reading room for MPs, would be used for an international event for the first time.
“After Parliament shifted to the new building, the Library Hall lost its purpose. Now it is being refurbished for the BRICS Speakers’ Summit,” said a second official.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will attend the event for an interaction with delegates.
Eleven countries, including India, China, Russia and Brazil, are members of the BRICS. Another 10 countries, including Belarus, Malaysia and Uzbekistan, are partners of this global alliance. A senior official said that all 21 countries are expected to attend the event.
Speaker Birla will chair the inaugural session and also deliver the valedictory speech. His office has also lined up bilateral meetings between Birla and his counterparts. Union ministers, MPs, state-level presiding officers and global parliamentary leaders are also set to attend the programme.
The themes centre around “Fostering Parliaments for People-Centric Development, featuring high-level sessions on institutional resilience, ethical AI/digital transformation, global governance reform, sustainability, parliamentary diplomacy, and capacity-building.
The forum is expected to adopt a joint declaration covering all these issues.