2008 IPU Assembly Stamp issue date: 13 April 2008 118th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly South Africa To commemorate the 118th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Cape Town, the South African Post Office issued a stamp featuring the logo designed for the event by Lazola Zantsi, the internal artist at the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. The logo symbolises the gathering of people from all the Parliaments of the world in order to push back the frontiers of poverty. It consists of the following elements: the sun which is a symbol for a better quality of life, the protea leaves which symbolise the people gathering, the shape of Table Mountain where the 118th IPU assembly takes place and the olive branch on the right is from the IPU logo and is the symbol of peace. The Inter-Parliamentary Union is an international organisation of Parliament that was established in 1889. The 118th IPU conference will be held at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa from 13 to 18 April 2008. The conference will be hosted by the South African Parliament. In commemoration of this event, the South African Post Office will issue a stamp and a commemorative envelope on 13 April 2008. Designed by Thea Clemons, the stamp features the IPU logo. The IPU was initiated by two parliamentarians, William Randal Cremer of the United Kingdom and Frederic Passy of France. The aim was for the Union to work for peace and cooperation amongst peoples and for the firm establishment of representative institutions. The following are activities that the IPU is engaged in world wide: Democracy: The IPU plays a key role in promoting democracy world-wide. It is the central institution through which the will of the people is expressed, laws are passed and government is held to account. International Peace and Security: The IPU was amongst the first institutions to call for international regulations of the conventional weapons trade. It held an Inter-Parliamentary Symposium on disarmament relating to conventional weapons in Mexico City in 1985 and in 1990 it organised a conference in Bonn which evaluated the impact of rapidly changing international relations on disarmaments and security. Sustainable Development: For the IPU sustainable development goes beyond linking environment considerations to economic growth. Sustainable development encompasses vital issues such as human development, social and economic justice and advancement of democracy. Human Rights and Humanitarian Law: The protection and promotion of human rights are among the main goals of the IPU. Parliament is the state institution representing the people and through which it participates in the management of public affairs. It therefore bears a special responsibility in promoting and ensuring respect for human rights. The IPU helps parliament and their members to live up to this responsibility. Women in Politics: The IPU has traditionally reflected the low proportion and visibility of women in national politics in its ranks. Disgruntled that they were unable to have an impact on its programmes and policy and this resulted in a small group of women taking the initiative to set up a Women’s caucus in the IPU in 1978. Source: http://www.ipu.org/conf-e/118.htm
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