Luisa Morgantini, Chief Observer (Italy) 

Luisa Morgantini has been a Member of the European Parliament, as independent with the European United Left – Nordic Green Left Group. She was elected the first time in 1999 and again in 2004. During her first term, she was Chairwoman of the Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council and member of the Committee on Development and Cooperation as well as of the Delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia and the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation.

She was the first woman elected in the leadership of the Italian trade union mechanical engineering worker from 1971 to 1998 as well as being a member of the FEM European trade union executive committee (1977-1988). Very involved in the non violent movement she has been the spokesperson of the Italian Peace Association and active on the Anti-apartheid movement.

Actually, she is Vice President of the European Parliament after having chaired, on the first part of the term, the Development Committee an co-chaired  the election coordination group. She is also member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, of the Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council and of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly.
 
As Member of the European Parliament she keeps on working for the solution of the Middle East conflict, for a just peace, for the right of the two peoples to live in peace and safety, within recognized borders. As part of this activism, she has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Price for 2005, as part of the project “1000 peace women for Nobel prize for peace 2005”.