The Parliamentarians for Peace (P4P) compose a transnational and transpartisan network of Members of national parliaments committed to prevent new threats for peace. Created and curated by the Open Diplomacy Institute, this programme is powered by the Normandy World Peace Forum.
The P4P adopted their Peace Policy Platform on October 2nd 2020, at the Forum in Caen. Based on principles of international cooperation agreed upon across national and political boundaries, this Platform refers to solutions addressing the most pressing international challenges discussed by the P4P.
On February 11th, 2021, the P4P met with project leaders and policy-makers carrying out solutions identified to tackle digital disruptions of modern international relations, recalling together that “advancing peace requires embracing boldly the challenges brought by the digital revolution”.
First, they led a hearing of Henri Verdier, French Ambassador for Digital Affairs for the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. They agreed that while cyberspace provides major opportunities for innovation, economic progress, cultural development and access to information, global cooperation is deeply necessary to promote international security online while a new type of warfare is developing. The P4P expressed their support to the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace, a front-running example of international cooperation from both policy makers and industry leaders to implement democratic principles and help create a digital world fit for democracy.
Secondly, the P4P met with Constance Bommelaer de Leusse, Vice-president of the Internet Society, and Dr. Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of the DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform. They agreed that self-regulation of Big Tech companies was not sufficient to meet social, economic and political expectations expressed in democratric societies. They nonetheless acknowledged that no national legislation would be able to address transnational challenges stemming from the digital revolution. Thus, they called for a new global and multi-stakeholder coalition to outline a liberal-value driven and legally binding principles able to reshape the modern developments of on-line services.
“Any agenda for peace must encompass in-depth effects of the digital revolution on socio-economic and political structures”, concluded the Parliamentarians for Peace.