Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung rang the gong this evening kicking off the 132nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU-132) at the National Convention Centre in Ha Noi.

The IPU-132 has great historical and diplomatic significance for Viet Nam, reflecting the Vietnamese National Assembly's willingness to integrate intensively and extensively with the international community as a responsible member of the global parliamentary union.

President Truong Tan Sang says over the past 36 years, Viet Nam has stood shoulder to shoulder with other IPU members in efforts to strive for common goals in different domains.

In his welcome remarks, State President Truong Tan Sang said over the past 36 years, Viet Nam had stood shoulder to shoulder with other IPU members in efforts to strive for common goals in domains such as sustainable development, promotion of democracy, protection of human rights, gender equality, children's rights and other fundamental rights.

Thanks to its 30-year Doi Moi (Renewal) process, Viet Nam had risen from being a low-income country to a development partner with a dynamic economy and an attractive destination to investors, he noted.

As the host of the IPU-132, Viet Nam wished to work together with other IPU members and the United Nations to formulate and implement sustainable development goals (SDGs) for a brighter future of humans.

As an active and responsible member of the IPU and other international organisations, Viet Nam would do its utmost to, together with the international community, build a world of peace, stability, co-operation and prosperity, he said.

The country also intended to address disputes, including those relating to the East Sea, by peaceful means on the basis of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and agreements reached by regional countries, he added.

IPU President Saber Chowdhury spoke highly of Viet Nam's thorough preparations for the large-scale diplomatic event, affirming that people's wellbeing was given a focal position in discussions during the event and pointing to the need to carry out SDGs.

UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser Anina J. Mohammed read UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's message which noted that proposed SDGs must not leave anyone behind and that parliaments could support and facilitate discussions on how each country sees its future sustainable development.

Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung expresses his belief that the IPU-132 will accomplish designed agendas, achieve a high degree of consensus on adopting the Ha Noi IPU Declaration.

When delivering an opening speech, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said the IPU-132's theme, "The Sustainable Development Goals: Turning words into action," is extremely important at a time when the 15-year period, 2000-2015, for implementation of Millennium Development Goals was about to finish and the United Nations was to adopt an agenda for post-2015 development.

"At this assembly, we, therefore, take responsibility for discussing carefully the roles, tasks, and measures of national assemblies and parliaments, to turn ‘words into action', expedite SDGs, and deliver messages carrying strong commitments of world parliament communities in productively implementing SDGs," Hung said.

He emphasised the need to raise awareness and rally social resources, including financial and technical ones, for the implementation and supervision of SDGs' contents.

The Chairman expressed his belief that the IPU-132 would accomplish designed agendas, achieve a high degree of consensus on adopting the Ha Noi IPU Declaration that would present big issues which were discussed and constitute commitments made by the IPU and its member parliaments to push for the development programme after 2015.

He said the document with a clear message on parliaments' role in implementing the post-2015 development programme that would be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly in September, 2015, would be a practical contribution to the next phase of development of the international community.

After the opening ceremony, Hung hosted a banquet in honour of participants in the IPU-132.

The IPU-132 brought together over 160 participating international delegations, including those from IPU member parliaments, associate members, and foreign organisations.

Participants will attend 70 sessions, discussing and adopting several draft resolutions on cyber warfare, water governance, and international law in relation with national sovereignty.

VNS