International Day of Democracy

About International Day of Democracy:

• It is an annual celebration observed on September 15. 
• The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) established this day in 2007 to emphasise the global significance of democracy.
• It serves as a reminder that democracy is not merely a fixed condition, but an ongoing pursuit. 
• It calls for active engagement from international organizations, nation-states, civil society, and people to pursue the democratic idea.
• History:
  • The International Day of Democracy was accredited by the UNGA on November 8, 2007, by passing a resolution entitled “Support by United Nations system of efforts of governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies.”
  • September 15 was chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Universal Declaration on Democracy, which was adopted in Geneva on September 15, 1997.
  • This declaration outlines the tenets of democracy, proclaiming that democracy is “a system of government based on the freely expressed will of the people to determine their own political, economic, social, and cultural systems and their full participation, through free and fair periodic elections, in the composition of their representative government.”
  • After the Universal Declaration on Democracy, Qatar spearheaded the campaign to observe an International Day of Democracy at the United Nations.
  • The first-ever International Day of Democracy was held in 2008.

Key Facts about Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU):

• IPU is the international organization of Parliaments.
• It was established in 1889in Paris to promote representative democracy and world peace.
• The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy, and sustainable development around the world. 
• It was the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. 
• Slogan: “For democracy. For everyone”
• Today, the IPU comprises 179 member parliaments and 13 associate members. 

Q1: What is the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)?

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the Organization. Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations. Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.

Source: Karnataka forms 2,500-km-long human chain to mark 'International Day of Democracy'