The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on September 15 every year. The day is marked to promote and uphold the principles of democracy and to also create awareness. A resolution was made by the United Nations General Assembly on November 8, 2007, that September 15 would be observed as International Democracy Day. This was to mark the 20th anniversary of the First International Conference of the New or Restored Democracies.
The first International Democracy Day was celebrated in 2008, with 46 national parliaments participating. The International Day of Democracy promoted global democracy and was aimed to encourage the strengthening and consolidation of democracy by governments.
Importance of International Day of Democracy
On this day, the state of democracy is reviewed throughout the world. Democracy is a form of government in which any country’s people have the authority to choose their government. So, for a democracy to real for everyone to enjoy, there is a need for awareness. So, the international community, national governing bodies, civil society, and individuals support and participate in this process.
On this day, individuals, institutions and organisations around the world hold events to spread awareness about democracy through conferences, discussions, debates, and press conferences. Multiple leaflets, posters, flyers with UN logos, etc, are also distributed.
International Day of Democracy Themes
The UN headquarters creates a new theme for the day every year. Various events are organised based on this theme. Some of the themes on which the International Day of Democracy has been celebrated are “Inclusion and Participation as Foundation of Democracy,” “Strengthening Voices for Democracy,” and “Engaging Youth on Democracy.” While the 2019 theme was “Participation”, this year, with the day being observed against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, the theme was “Covid-19: A spotlight on democracy”.