Set in the city of temples Bhubaneshwar, the capital of the coastal Indian state of Odisha, the Garry Davis Model World Parliament was a conference like no other. Taking place on the 11th and 18th of June, 2023, this was an opportunity for students to step into the shoes of a planetary lawmaker to address contemporary global problems, specifically climate and environmental issues.
Named after and inspired by the beloved world federalist activist, Garry Davis, this conference was driven by the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning “the world is a family”, and, Atmanamokshartham Jaga Hitaya Cha, meaning “salvation of the individual and welfare of the world”.
Pursuing the goal of both YWF and the GFL to localise the message of world federalism, this was the first conference of it's kind to feature committees in Odia, the language of the Odisha state.
The conference was organised by the Associate Chapter of the Young World Federalists in India, the Global Federal League, and featured around eighty participants who simulated a future world parliament. Participants took on the roles of parliamentarians, executive board members, and organising committee members. Given that the conference was sandwiched between two major local festivals, Raja Parba and Rath Yatra, the organisers are more than pleased with the turnout and enthusiasm of participants. With support from the Young World Federalists and A Better World: Centre for Environment and Poverty Alleviation, the conference was broken into two parts. Firstly, an online portion on June 11th, where participants deliberated methods to address the increasingly extreme weather events as a result of climate change. This topic was carried forward into the second, in-person portion of the conference on June 18th.
Located at the ODM Global School in Odisha, the in-person portion of the conference was the first of its kind in India. Setting a great example for future events and breaking down the barrier to entry into world federalist theory, this portion of the conference was held in both English and Odia, the local language of the Odisha state. Students participating in Odisha also deliberated on how to address institutional loopholes in the adaptation of sustainable technologies. With the goodwill of Democracia Global, who has organised similar events in the past, and the World Citizen Government, the organisation founded by Garry Davis, the high school and university student organisers guided the discussions and successfully passed resolutions on these critical global issues. The Young World Federalists are proud to have supported this event and are looking forward to more groundbreaking work from these determined and talented young students.