Year in Highlights 2014 ENG | Page 32

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Following the official inauguration, Mr. Hoback opened the first session of the Plenary Assembly. He turned the floor to Mr. Urrutia, who chaired some procedural business before introducing the delegates to the keynote speaker, a leader in transparency legislation in Chile, Senator Hernán Larraín.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY SENATOR HERNÁN LARRAÍN OF CHILE: "BUILDING A CULTURE OF OPEN PARLIAMENT TOGETHER"

Senator Larraín's address was a reflection on the institutional commitments and leadership shown by the hemisphere’s legislatures to promote parliamentary openness. With the consolidation of representative democracy, a widespread aspiration for open parliament has emerged. He noted, however, that citizen distrust of the political class remains strong in the region, evidenced by the fragile legitimacy of legislatures and governments alike. This may be particularly acute in the context of the strong executive powers in the region and the slow nature of many parliamentary processes that have traditionally failed to include citizen voices – especially minority voices.

Modern democracies require participatory spaces for citizens to contribute to the development and oversight of public affairs. Parliaments must not rely on structures and work styles reminiscent of the 19th century, Senator Larraín said, in the midst of the explosion of knowledge-based societies driven by advanced technologies. In fact, citizens should be granted social control and they should be considered the rightful owners of information; only under exceptional situations should authorities withhold it. He further asserted that providing access to information is not enough: "It must be put in clear language that is accessible to citizens, that anyone can understand."

Senator Larraín described an international seminar hosted by the Chilean congress in 2012 to respond to this "democratic deficit," which resulted in the Santiago Declaration on Transparency and Integrity in Parliaments and Political Parties (in Spanish), an important framework for the development of work plans based on dialogue and consultations with civil society. The