PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – On Wednesday, May 28, and Thursday, May 29, 2025 the ParlAmericas Plenary Assembly and Open Parliament Network continued at the Legislative Palace of Uruguay in Montevideo.
During the third session, participants explored aspects of the AI and Big Tech Era, which is currently shaping the future tech-empowered world.
In this context, participants also looked at the complex risks that demand ethical and rights-based governance frameworks.
The fourth session discussed and explored how parliaments can prepare for the most extreme impacts of climate change by embracing foresight as a powerful lens to imagine alternative futures, uncovering overlooked risks, and informing urgent legislative action.
Other sessions focused on Open Parliament advances in the Region, with representatives presenting their progress on Open Parliament commitments and actions, as well as anticipated gender-differentiated impacts of the demographic transition. Delegates also participated in working sessions using a foresight tool to explore the social, economic, and institutional implications of demographic changes and to consider future-oriented parliamentary actions.
Before the Plenary Assembly Session, which included presentations such as the Annual Reports of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Networks, participants engaged in discussions about renewing the social contract and exploring how parliaments can function as platforms for dialogue and civic engagement.
Immediately following the presentations of the various reports, the Plenary Assembly moved on to elect the members of the ParlAmericas Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network.
During this election, Mr. Ivan Flores, a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, was elected as the President of ParlAmericas. Thereafter, Ms. Alvina Reynolds, the President of the Senate of Saint Lucia, was elected as the Vice-President of ParlAmericas.
The Sint Maarten delegation, led by the Vice-President of Parliament MP Ms. Sjamira D.M. Roseburg, actively participated in all sessions and will present a delegation report upon return to Sint Maarten.
