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 Stressing the continuing need to promote democratization,
development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the General
Assembly of the United States agreed on September 8, 2007 to observe 15
September each year as the International Day of Democracy.
In adopting by consensus a resolution on the issue, the 192-member body
reaffirmed that “while democracies share common features, there is no single
model of democracy and that democracy does not belong to any country or region.”
In addition, the Assembly reaffirmed that democracy is “a universal value based
on the freely-expressed will of people to determine their own political,
economic, social and cultural systems, and their full participation in all
aspects of life.”
The Assembly also invited all Member States, organizations of the UN system,
regional and intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and individuals to commemorate the Day “in an appropriate manner that
contributes to raising public awareness.”
In taking the action on September 8, the Assembly recognized that 2008 marked
the twentieth anniversary of the first International Conference of New or
Restored Democracies, which offers a special opportunity to focus attention on
the promotion and consolidation of democracy at all levels. -UN News Centre (8.9.2007)
Inter-Parliamentary Union's Press Release: Parliaments and
the Challenges to democracy
Last year, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 September
International Day of Democracy. This decision holds special significance for the
IPU as the international organization of parliaments. To mark this event, the
IPU will examine current challenges to democracy at a panel-discussion at The
House of Parliaments on Monday 15 September 2008. Guest speakers at the event
include Mr. Danilo Türk, the President of the Republic of Slovenia; Ms. Marta
Lagos, Executive Director of the LatinoBarómetro polling organization (Chile);
and Mr. Benjamin Barber, a US-based political analyst and writer. The
Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Mr. Sergei
Ordzhonikidze, will also be in attendance. Mr. Jimmy Carter, former President of
the United States of America, 2002 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and President of
The Carter Center will send a video message.
The IPU promotes democracy on the basis of the Universal Declaration on
Democracy, which its Members adopted ten years earlier. Major advances have been
made across the world in the field of democracy. However, it continues to face
considerable difficulties and even disillusionment in both established and
emerging democracies. Failure to identify and address these challenges may
undermine the foundations of democracy.
Democracy requires strong parliaments that function according to a set of core
values - representativeness, transparency, accessibility, accountability and
effectiveness both nationally and in international affairs. Parliaments – like
democracy – are always perfectible, and the extent to which they put these
values into practice is perhaps the best indicator of the future health of
democracy.
The panel will be moderated by Ms. Muriel Siki (Swiss Television-TSR
journalist). It will stimulate debate on democracy, the challenges it faces and
how to overcome them. It will aim to shed light on a number of issues,
including:
• How democracy is affected by globalization and today’s consumer society, the
new information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the increasingly
virtual world in which we live.
• How parliaments and other political actors perform in this environment. Are
they adapting successfully to today’s world? What can and should they do to meet
the challenges facing democracy?
The IPU is also putting on an exhibition of satirical drawings depicting, among
other things, the challenges facing freedom of expression, which is another
indicator of the health of democracy. The exhibition is to be launched at IPU
Headquarters during the panel-discussion.
The IPU has also urged parliaments to commemorate the International Day of
Democracy through some form of special activity. A dedicated section on the IPU
web site provides detailed information on the various activities being organized
by the IPU and Parliaments.
9 September 2008
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