VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (middle), delivers a statement during a press conference at Bali International Convention Center, Nusa Dua, Bali province, on Saturday (March 19, 2022). (ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi/uyu) - 

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is scheduled to open the 144th Session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at Bali International Convention Center (BICC), Nusa Dua, Bali Province, on March 20, 2022.

He will greet around 1,000 delegates from 115 countries joining the conference in person.

"The event will end on March 24, 2022," Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives Puan Maharani informed during a press conference at BICC, Nusa Dua, Bali Province, on Saturday.

A number of security personnel have been readied to secure the arrival of the President.

In addition, health protocols will be strictly implemented to curb the transmission of COVID-19 during the meeting. Thus, all participants attending the 144th Session of the IPU will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test, wear masks, and maintain physical distance.

Hand washing and sanitizing units have also been prepared all around the meeting venue.

The Indonesian House Speaker will chair all the assembly meetings of the 144th Session of the IPU, which is being held for the first time in the country.

The IPU is a cross-border inter-parliamentary collaboration. It is the second-largest democratic forum after the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

Maharani said that the theme of the conference is “Getting to Zero: Mobilizing Parliament to Act on Climate Change.”

On Saturday, Maharani, along with IPU president Duarte Pacheco and IPU secretary general Martin Chungong planted longan trees (Dimocarpus longan) in the courtyard of the BICC to demonstrate IPU's commitment to mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Meanwhile, the president of IPU said that the activity was an embodiment of the values all IPU delegates believe in.

However, the assembly meeting will not only discuss climate-related issues.

The delegates will also discuss a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as well as gender equality, and the role of young people in politics, Pacheco said//ANT