about the Provisional World Parliament (PWP)
The Provisional World Parliament (PWP) was formed in 1982 under the authority of Article 19 of the Constitution for the Federation of Earth. The World Constitution and Parliament Association (WCPA) and the Earth Constitution Institute (ECI) are the custodians of the Provisional World Parliament, organizing for future sessions and preserving the record of its past accomplishments.
Information about the upcoming Session is provided below.
the historic first session
The PWP held its first session at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, England with some 125 participants from countries around the globe. This historic event was presided over by Sir Chaudhry Mohammad Zefrullah Khan, the former foreign minister of Pakistan who also served as president of the UN General Assembly and later as president of the International Court of Justice.
Locations and Dates of Past Sessions
A total of 15 sessions have been convened on four continents:
- Brighton, England, 1982
- New Delhi, India, 1985
- Miami Beach, Florida, 1987
- Barcelona, Spain, 1996
- Republic of Malta, 2000
- Bangkok, Thailand, March 2003
- Chennai, India, December 2003
- Lucknow, India, 2004
- Tripoli, Libya, 2006
- Kara, Togo, 2007
- Nainital, India, 2009
- Kolkata, India, 2010
- Lucknow, India, 2013
- Kolkata, India, 2015
- New Delhi, India, December 2021
- Pondicherry, India, December 2025
Main Activities of the Parliaments
The Provisional World Parliament is the main institution developed to date under the authority of Article 19, which also directs the people of Earth to initiate Provisional World Government.
Writing provisional legislation. PWP delegates have approved some 92 World Legislative Acts (WLAs) that elaborate the spirit and letter of the Earth Constitution. New WLA’s must conform to the spirit and letter of the Earth Constitution and express our vision of a grand coalition of persons and groups working for democratic world federation. (A complete list of WLAs is found here on this website.) These proposals must be written in the style and format suitable for legislative drafting as recommended by the Committee for Legislative Review.
Creating new world institutions. Other aspects of the Provisional World Government are now being activated, such as the World Electoral Districts, the Presidium, and the Permanent Secretariat. All of these institutions are constitutive of what is known as Provisional World Government (PWG). The Earth Constitution allows the people of Earth to begin the PWG even before the Constitution is fully ratified. We must begin our work now, not wait for the failed UN or the militarized nation-states to take unlikely steps to create a thriving future for humanity.
Building toward the future. Over time, the Provisional World Parliament will elaborate the infrastructure of a fully democratic world system under the Earth Constitution. Learn about the formal sequence of these activities in Our Plan of Action.
Ways To Participate in Parliaments
As an organization. A wide variety of aligned organization are welcome to affiliate with the Provisional World Parliament by becoming formal members of our consortium known as the World Democracy Coalition.
As a delegate. Those eligible to be delegates to the Provisional World Parliament must be either signatories of the Constitution for the Federation of Earth or must in other ways recognize the Constitution has an appropriate model for a future Earth Federation. They are certified as voting delegates if they fall into any of the seven Types listed here. In most cases, delegates will represent some group, NGO, or educational institution that supports our general goals; or, they will be chosen by their World Electoral District (WED). In addition, any nation can also register a delegate as their representative.
As an observer. Those wishing to simply observe the proceedings are also welcome at sessions of the PWP, but may not vote on proposed legislation or resolutions. They may sign up under Type 8 at this link.
Plans for the Seventeenth session
The 17th session of the Parliament has been announced for May 17th, 2026 online. It will also be accessible worldwide. Details for registration and participation are discussed just above.
Article 19 provides guidelines about what can and should be done at a PWP. As noted above, one compelling feature of the Earth Constitution is that it allows the people of Earth to initiate features of Provisional World Government now, and that will be the main task of PWP16.
The Seventeenth Session will not consider world legislation but will focus on the activation of the PWP as a permanent body taking continuous action for planetary peace, equality, and sustainability. It will include reports by the committees, commissions, and agencies activated at the 16th session in Pondicherry. Please join with us in creating a just world system under the rule of global law. Become a member of WCPA, sign the Earth Constitution, contribute your volunteer work or a donation to the cause, and/or become a delegate to or an observer of the 17th Session of the PWP.
For further information and questions, please contact us.