Young Asian politicians convene in Mongolia to discuss global challenges

The 7th Meeting of the ICAPP Youth Wing was successfully held at the State Palace, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on February 24, 2023. The Meeting brought together young, aspiring politicians from 17 parties of 12 countries. They discussed challenges and issues facing their home countries and regions, promoting peace and prosperity, Montsame reports.

In his remarks, Chairman of the State Great Khural of Mongolia Zandanshatar Gombojav noted, "The Mongolian People's Party has been actively participating in activities of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) since 2004 and has served on the Standing Committee since 2013. We remain committed to contributing to the formation and reform of political parties through our continued participation.” Chairman Zandanshatar presented Mongolia’s goal to increase the number of young parliamentarians and establish a parliament that represents every spectrum of society through the upcoming 2024 Mongolian Parliamentary Elections and the initiatives of opening opportunities and empowering young people to actively participate in politics, policymaking, and decision-making processes.

“Besides traditional methods of voting in elections and being elected, young people can actively participate in politics through various means. One noteworthy avenue is digital transformation. In line with its aim of creating a "3D (digital, democratic, deliberative) parliament," Mongolia recently launched the "D-parliament" system to foster citizens' participation in legislative activities. Additionally, the "D-petition" system has been implemented to enable citizens and young people to voice their opinions and concerns electronically,” the Chairman continued.

Also, Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament Zandanshatar highlighted the current challenges facing Mongolia, including the impact of climate change on the lives of nomadic herders, particularly the worsening dzud conditions.

Concluding the remarks, the Chairman noted, “I want to thank you all for expanding your knowledge about Mongolia, collaborating, and exchanging valuable experiences. These interactions will undoubtedly lay the groundwork for many important initiatives and solutions to strengthen youth participation and leadership in parliament,” and wished success to the 7th Meeting of the ICAPP Youth Wing.