Lecture Series

The CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture Series

The CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Lecture Series is an annual programmes of lectures based around the theme of ‘Commonwealth Political Values’.

The Lectures explore and address the impact of Contemporary Political Issues on Parliamentary Democracy and promote the ideals of Commonwealth democracy. They are a global programme that offer Members of Parliament, the parliamentary community and the wider public, a unique opportunity to hear from distinguished former and current Parliamentarians and Policy Makers who have made an outstanding contribution to their nation’s democracy and to the institution of Parliament.

The Commonwealth occupies a special place in the world and stands for the enduring Commonwealth political values, which are universal and timeless. The Lecture Series therefore discusses key thematic areas on the implementation of Commonwealth political values such as just and honest government; the alleviation of poverty; fundamental human rights; international peace and order; global economic development; the rule of law; equal rights and representation for all citizens; the separation of powers between the three arms of government; and the right to participate in free and fair elections.

The CPA Lecture Series will focus on a current global theme. The theme of the present lecture series is ‘The Promotion and Implementation of the Commonwealth’s enduring political values - Challenges and Opportunities’.

Collectively, this series of lectures will contribute both to the CPA’s continuing dialogue within its membership and to reach out beyond to other stakeholders such as members of the international community, the diplomatic corps, civil society and the wider public with the lectures being available online through the CPA website and CPA YouTube channel. Distillation of the issues raised in the lectures will be fed back into CPA programmes to strengthen their relevance.

For further information about the CPA Lecture Series please contact the CPA Headquarters Secretariat at hq.sec@cpahq.org.

Follow the CPA Secretariat on social media Twitter @CPA_Secretariat and Facebook.com/CPAHQ for the latest information and updates.

CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lectures - to date ...

Significance of the Commonwealth in 21st century highlighted at first Asia Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture
Professor Dr Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh has highlighted the significant role that the Commonwealth has played in international affairs at the first Asia Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture which took place in the margins of the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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First CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Lecture for Africa Region takes place in Imo State, Nigeria

The first Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture for the CPA Africa Region by Dr Benjamin Bewa-Nyog Kunbuor, former Minister for Defence, Justice, Interior, Health and Attorney-General of Ghana on the topic of ‘Parliaments of CPA countries in the Africa Region: Their Role in Human Rights Thought and Action’ was delivered in the margins of the 48th CPA Africa Regional Conference, hosted by the CPA Imo State Branch and the House of Assembly of Imo State from 23 to 25 October 2017 in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.

CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Lecture for the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region

The CPA Trinidad and Tobago Branch hosted the first CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Lecture for the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region with a Lecture by Climate Change Expert Kishan Kumarsingh on the topic of "The Geo-Political response to Climate Change".

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To view the CPA Lecture on ‘The Geo-political response to Climate Change’, please click here.

New CPA Teachers’ Resource Pack on the Commonwealth, Parliament and Democracy launched for Commonwealth Schools

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has launched a new Teachers’ Resource Pack on the Commonwealth, Parliament and Democracy in collaboration with the British Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat. The resource has been designed for teachers across the Commonwealth and accompanies the Schools Online resources under ‘Commonwealth Class’, a dynamic and exciting online programme of activities, learning resources and events for schools. The CPA Teachers’ Resource Pack has been launched to provide teachers with materials to assist their students in learning and thinking critically about the Commonwealth, parliaments and democracy more broadly.

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Former Commonwealth Secretary-General warns of pressures on global democracy at first Pacific Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General and New Zealand Parliamentarian, Sir Don McKinnon ONZ GCVO has delivered the first Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture in the CPA Pacific Region speaking about the challenges democracies face globally and how to overcome them on 2 May, 2017 at the Houses of Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand. Sir Don McKinnon spoke on the subject of ‘Dark clouds over democracy’ and said that democracy was facing big challenges across the Pacific Region as well as across the Commonwealth but that it still offered a system everyone could participate in.

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To view the first Pacific Region Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture online please click here.

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Regional Conference held at Welsh Assembly to discuss Women and Economic Empowerment

The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference has taken place with women Members of Parliament from across the region at the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff.

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Commonwealth’s enduring political values bring challenges and opportunities for Commonwealth Parliamentarians says former Lord Speaker as the inaugural speaker for new Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture Series

Former Lord Speaker of the UK Parliament’s House of Lords, Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza CMG PC has spoken of the Commonwealth’s enduring political values that bring challenges and opportunities for Commonwealth Parliamentarians as she launched the new Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Lecture Series.

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To view the full version of the inaugural CPA Parliamentary Lecture please click here to view on the CPA YouTube channel.
You can also view highlights of the Lecture by clicking here.