On 24 February 2012, the President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Gianfranco Fini welcomed a delegation of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) led by Executive Committee Member Dr. Felipe Michelini, MP (Uruguay), Convenor of the International Law and Human Rights Program.

Dr. Michelini introduced the work and vision of PGA, to promote universal human rights through the creation of a “rules-based international order”, and expressed the most sincere appreciation of its global parliamentary network for the generous hospitality that the Presidente della Camera dei Deputati will give to the 7th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Rule of Law and the 34th Annual Parliamentary Forum of PGA in 2012.

President Fini underscored that it is not only a duty for the Italian Parliament to host this event on the 10th Anniversary of the Entry into force of the Rome Statute of the ICC, but that it is politically relevant to affirm that the “spirit of Rome”, which led to the creation of the new system of international criminal justice, should revive on International Human Rights Day – 10-11 December 2012 – and mark a “clear distinction between civilization and barbarism”, between the respect of human rights under the Rule of Law and impunity for the most serious international crimes. The Italian Speaker and the PGA Convenor agreed that the universality of the Rome Statute is a priority-objective to be pursued at least in all democratic societies of the world.

Senator Marco Perduca, coordinator of the PGA Italy group, introduced some main features of the programme of the 7th Consultative Assembly, including the role that Parliamentarians shall play in the process of ratification of the amendments adopted at the Kampala Review Conference on the crime of aggression and war crimes. President Fini agreed with Senator Perduca that it would be appropriate for Italy to host this event at a time in which the legislation on cooperation with the ICC will have been enacted by the Senate, after that the Chamber of Deputies adopted it in 2011.

On behalf of the PGA International Secretariat, Dr. David Donat Cattin expressed the profound gratitude of PGA to the Deputy Secretary General of the Chamber, Dr. Francesco Posteraro, the Diplomatic Advisor to the Speaker, Min. Alessandro Cortese, and to all the Chamber’s officials who are collaborating in a steadfast and professional way with the PGA’s Organizing Committee, chaired by Mr. Lapo Pistelli, MP.

The Speaker described the features of the venue in which the Consultative Assembly will take place, highlighting its characteristics that make it an ideal space for international conferences. The PGA delegation was invited by the Deputy Secretary General of the Chamber to pay a visit to the “Auletta dei Gruppi Parlamentari” immediately after the meeting.

President Fini closed the meeting reiterating his commitment to ensure that the 7th Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court and the Rule of Law will be a success and announced that he will send a letter of invitation to all Speakers of Parliaments from which PGA may welcome the membership of individual legislators.