The Knesset will host its largest ever conference next week, to be attended by 50 secretaries general and directors general of parliaments from around the world.
Among the conference participants will be representatives of the parliaments of Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the European Union, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, and Latvia. Directors general and secretaries general from Lithuania, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Nepal, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Rwanda, Sweden, Switzerland, Uganda, and Ukraine are also set to attend.
Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein noted the fact that the Knesset is among the few parliaments to hold such a conference "is indicative of the great appreciation parliaments around the world have for us. They are coming from all ends of the earth to hear about the work of the Knesset and discuss the development of the world's parliaments."
Conference attendees will take part in panels led by Knesset Director General Albert Sakharovich, Knesset Secretary Yardena Meller-Horowitz and other senior Knesset members to discuss a series of issues, among them parliamentary oversight, parliamentary transparency, media, spokespersons, the "Green Knesset" initiative and the activities of the Knesset Visitors Center.
Participants will tour numerous sites in Jerusalem, such as the Old City, the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and the City of David archaeological site. They will also meet with Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage and Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin.
Members of the Knesset International Affairs Division, which organized the conference, were said to have been surprised by the number of countries whose representatives expressed interest in attending.
The Foreign Ministry had asked the Knesset to consider rescinding its invitation to the director general of the Polish Parliament, following recent tensions between Poland and Israel as a result of that country moving to ban kosher slaughter one week after passing legislation criminalizing the attribution of Holocaust crimes to the Poles. Following consultations on the matter, however, it was decided to leave the invitation in place.
