Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India
Set in the city of temples Bhubaneshwar, the capital of the Coastal Indian state of Odisha (often referred to as Incredible India’s soul and its best-kept secret) the Garry Davis Model World Parliament was an assembly of its own kind. Organized by the Global Federal League, powered by Young World Federalists in association with A Better World: Centre for Environment and Poverty Alleviation; the initiative was supported by ODM Global School as the official Venue Partner and enjoyed the goodwill of Democracia Global and World Citizen Government/World Services Authority.
The conference is named after and is a tribute to an indomitable crusader for world peace and unity, Sol Gareth “Garry” Davis whose struggles continue to inspire and will keep inspiring world federalists for ages. The conference was inspired by the ideals of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” literally translating into “The world is a family” and “Atmanamokshartham Jaga Hitaya Cha” translating into “Salvation of the individual and welfare of the world”.
A conference of around seventy-eighty minds associated in the capacity of Parliamentarians, Executive Board members, and Organising Committee executives; the symposium had a rather impressive turnout; considering the sandwiching of the event between two of Odisha’s biggest festivities- Raja Parba and Rath Yatra. This was an opportunity for students to step into the shoes of a lawmaker for the planet, and mitigate contemporary global problems, specifically pertaining to the environment in reference to this edition.
Organized in both online and offline formats, on the 11th and 18th of June, 2023; the event scripted history on multiple counts:
- First ever conference deliberating on international affairs deliberating and functioning solely in the language of the soil: Odia. This was an attempt to pursue the GFL’s quest of vernacularizing the idea of world federalism and convincing people at the grassroots about it being indispensable.
- First ever such conference to be pulled off solely by High school students,l pass-outs, and college students. This event was pulled off without the assistance of any professional event management agency, solely driven by the determination and enterprise of passionate amateurs.
- First ever offline model world parliament conference and the second in the online format (the first being the UNPA Simulation in 2021).
The online conference and offline Odia committee deliberated on the agenda “Evaluating the impact of climate change on the intensification of natural calamities and proposing solutions for the same”, while the offline English committee dealt with “Addressing the institutional loopholes in the enactment of sustainable technologies”. Both the English committees passed extremely qualitative resolutions, while the Odia committee had a highly enlightening deliberation and laid a framework for similar meetings in the future.
The online event had speakers of the distinction of Keshav Malpani, an alumnus of National Law University, Jodhpur, and a prominent face in the field of law entrance coaching in India; Alphaeus Hanson, a graduate of the University of Delaware and the 2023 U.S. G7 youth (Y7) Economy and Peace and Security delegate and Elizabeth Gamarra, a former two-time TEDx speaker, Fulbrighter at IE University, Rotary Peace Fellow, McNair Fellow, and upcoming USA Peacebuilding & Reconciliation Delegate to the G20 Youth Summit.
The offline event witnessed the presence of Dr. Padma Mahanti (Deputy Inspector General Integrated Regional Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government Of India) as the Chief Guest; Dr. Suchismita Pattanaik (President of A Better World: CEPA and member of WFM-IGP and South Asian Federalists as well Mr. Gourav Mohanty (Distinguished alumnus of Symbiosis Law College, Pune and the Author of Sons of Darkness and a prominent literary face in the campaign to rediscover the wonders of ancient India and Hindu mythology) and Dr. Pritiman Mishra (A student of Medicine at Shri Ramchandra Bhanj Deo College, Cuttack, a renowned face in Odisha Quizzing and MUN circuit and the 2022 Youth Representative of Odisha in the Parliament of India).
The event demonstrated the immense latent possibilities in the youth of the world and how the same can be channelized towards the betterment of humanity as a whole. What started as a figment of my wishful thinking, ended up being adopted as a dream by all those people out there, endowed with generosity of funds, goodwill, and efforts…
The reform has begun, let’s catalyze it…let’s not limit it to a time and target bound movement, let the campaign be dynamic and eternal
May the centuries of war and pillage come to an end!
May the world unite into a resplendent tapestry of harmonious and prosperous cultures!
May the World unite!O