MPU, Alm.del - 2010-11 (1. samling) - Bilag 436: Invitation til 7th Global and European Forum on HABITAT den 18.

The Global Parliamentarians on Habitat (GPH)is an international organizationof parliamentarians who are dedicated to the sustainable development of humansettlements. The GPH was founded in 1987 in Yokohama, Japan, with the support ofthe United Nations agency UN HABITAT. Its Rules of Procedure were officiallyadopted in 1992 in Vancouver, Canada.The primary objectiveof the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat is to promote theimplementation of the Habitat Agenda adopted by UN-HABITAT and its memberstates in 1996 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Habitat Agenda is a global plan of actionsetting out strategies for adequate, sustainable development in the area of shelterand human settlements.The parliamentariansof the GPH have set themselves thegoalof ensuring thatgovernments increasingly address sustainability issues. In addition, they intend tobring their influence to bear on decision-making processes in order to fostercoordinated action by governments, communities, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. Through the international network of parliamentarians,the goals of the Habitat Agenda are advocated in the individual national parliamentsand efforts to achieve these goals are actively encouraged.The work of the GPH worldwideis coordinated and organized by the Board ofDirectors of the Global Parliamentarians on Habitat. The President of the GPH – Hon.Peter Götz of Germany - is also the President of the Board of Directors. He issupported in the discharge of his functions by Vice Presidents, who aresimultaneously presidents of the regional GPH councils by continents. There areregional GPH groups for the continents of Africa, America, Asia and Europe.The Global Parliamentarians on Habitat meet regularly atregional and globalforumsthat are organized jointly with the parliaments of the respective hostcountries. There they address issues associated with the sustainable development ofhuman settlements. Since holding their first Global Forum in Istanbul in 1996, GlobalForums of the GPH have been held in the following countries:1998 in Cancún, Mexico2000 in Manila, Philippines2003 in Berlin, Germany2005 in Rabat, Morocco2010 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil1

Following the decision of the GPH Board of Directors of March 2010 in Rio de Janeiroreaffirmed by the Board’s decision of October 2010 in Beijing,the host of the nextGlobal Forum will be the town of Zadar in Croatia.The Forum will take placeMay 18-20/2011.Parallel with the global meeting of parliamentarians, EuropeanGPH Forum will take place in Zadar as well. Regional branch organizations of GlobalParliamentarians will also have the opportunity to organize their own meetings underthe auspices of the Global Forum. The expected outcome of the Conference will be,among other things, the Zadar Declaration.7thGlobal Forum of Habitat Parliamentarianswill take place in the premises ofthe Zadar University, situated in the historic part of this culturally rich Mediterraneantown. Main conference will be followed by side-events: workshops dedicated to thetheme of how to balance the environmental, economic and social domains ofdevelopment.We hope to have fruitful parliamentarian and expert sessions in Zadar next year andwish to further enlarge the circle of the UN-HABITAT. We are therefore kindly askingyou to join us in 2011 in Zadar, under the slogan “Good Laws for a Better Habitat”.