May 28, 2019

The “Asia Europe Peoples Forum (AEPF) conference on Universal Social Protection, Labour, Security and Peace” was inaugurated on the 4th of April 2019. The conference held two-day parallel sessions of the ‘Social Justice Cluster’ and ‘Peace and Security Cluster’. The conference addressed concerns including 1) the major political shifts that are a consequence of the inequality and joblessness on account of the neo liberal agenda; 2) Backlash against progressive agendas, against women, minorities; (3) Anxiety about cultural invasion and disruption of traditional values; and (4) Resistances and challenges to fundamentalism and populisms.

Opening Plenary: The chief guest in the opening plenary was Rt. Honorable Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, former Prime Minister of Nepal, chairman of Nepal Communist Party (NCP). Addressing 130 Nepali delegates and 46 foreign delegates, Hon. Dahal shared his experience of political change, democratic transformation and people’s liberation in Nepal.

Narayankaji Shrestha, the spokesperson of NCP and former Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal highlighted the Maoist struggle against the monarchy and parliamentary government/system to make a sovereign federal secular country and to create social justice in the state. Guest speaker and Member of European Parliament Hon. Julie Ward, Dr. Rajan Bhattarai, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the PM of Nepal, Ms. Dagmar Walter, Prof. Anuradha Chenoy, Professor of Jawaharlal Nehru, Ms. Nimalka Fernando, Human Right Activist, Sri Lanka, and Hon. Daman Nath Dhungana also addressed the opening session.

Working Sessions: The four working sessions were about peace and security. The delegates discussed extensively on topics like “Populisms, Right Wing Populisms (RWP), Impact on Peace and Security”, “Different Fundamentalism and Institutions”, “Linkages and impacts of RWP and Fundamentalisms: Migration on Peace and Security”, “Future Programmes, Advocacy, Communications and Resolution”.

Closing Session: The closing session was chaired by Dr. Dinesh C. Devkota, Hon. Julie Ward. Ms. Meena Menon, Mr. Milan Dharel, Mr. Ronald Kulke, Dr. Sharad Onta and Mr. Amaar Ali Jan. The declarations from both clusters were read out and the conference was officially closed following the speeches by the chairs.