Date: Friday, 15th September 2023. 16th Anniversary.
Sponsor: United Nations
Objective:
The International Day of Democracy is annually celebrated to review the state of democracy around the world and to promote democracy and its principles regionally or internationally.
Background:
Democracy is a state where people have rights to participate in the decision-making process of their nation, rather than being controlled by a government. It is closely linked with human rights. Democracy is only achievable when everyone has the right to vote or participate in election regardless of race, gender, or other factors related to inclusion and equality.
Democracy is a fundamental element for a safe and peaceful society. When democracy is absent, life may face unimaginable challenges that are often incomprehensible. In a free society, people may take their freedoms for granted. In many places around the world, however, democracy is still a dream for the people there.
Inception:
International Day of Democracy was held for the first time on 15 September 2008 – the 20th anniversary of the First International Conference of the New or Restored Democracies.
The Universal Declaration on Democracy, which affirms the fundamental principles and values as well as the international scope of democracy, was originally adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union in September 1997 and reaffirmed at the sixth conference of International Conferences on New and Restored Democracies (ICNRD-6) in 2006.
On 8 November 2007, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution (A/RES/62/7) which officially proclaimed 15 September of each year as the International Day of Democracy. The United Nations invited all member states and organizations to commemorate annually the International Day of Democracy in an appropriate manner that contributes to raising public awareness.
How to observe the International Day of Democracy:
On the day, individuals and organizations may work together for reviewing democracy status and hold events to raise awareness of democracy. The events may include conferences, discussions, and social media campaigns, as well as distribution of leaflets, posters and flyers. Each year, the International Day of Democracy commemoration focuses on a specific theme identified and suggested by the United Nations.
Annual theme in recent years:
2023 theme: “Empowering the Next Generation”.
2022 theme: “Protecting Press Freedom for Democracy”.
2021 theme: “Strengthening Democratic Resilience in the Face of Future Crises”.
2020 theme: “COVID-19: A Spotlight on Democracy”
2019 theme: “Participation”.
2018 theme: “Democracy under Strain: Solutions for a Changing World”.
2017 theme: “Democracy and Conflict Prevention”.
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