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The International Day of Democracy is annually observed on 15th September to promote and uphold the principles of democracy. It was in 2008 when the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) invited all the member nations to come together and organise this day in an appropriate manner to raise awareness among the masses.
According to the officials of the UNGA, the theme for this year’s International Day of Democracy is ‘Empowering the next generation’ where more focus will be given to the role of young ones in developing and advancing democracy and ensuring that everyone’s decisions are respected. Let’s discuss more about this day and its objectives.
| Event | International Day of Democracy |
| Organised By | UNGA |
| Observed On | 15th September |
| Theme | Empowering the next generation |
| Objective | Promoting Advance and Developing Democracy |
Table of Contents
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International Day of Democracy History
On 15th September 2008, the International Parliament of Parliaments or the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conducted a special event at the House of Parliaments located in Geneva, Switzerland. With this, the IPU invited all the National Parliaments from the member nations to organise their own democracy-related activities and highlight the importance of democracy in their country’s decision-making.
It’s been 15 years since the first International Day of Democracy was observed. The IPU every year urges member nations to hold special activities to promote democracy on 15th September.
The UNGA recognises the importance of global issues that might come in the way of achieving sustainable development goals, a just society, and a clean environment.
International Day of Democracy Theme 2023
The theme for this year’s International Day of Democracy is ‘Empowering the next generation.’ Through this day, the UNGA wants the young generation to take initiates in decision-making and raise awareness of how democracy can lead to sustainable development. The UGNA wants the young generation’s participation in making decisions for a developed and secure democracy. The table below highlights the themes of all the International Day of Democracy since 2008.
| Year | Theme |
| 2009 | Democracy and Political Tolerance |
| 2010 | Democracy and Millennium Development Goals |
| 2011 | Peace and Democracy: Make Your Voice Heard |
| 2012 | Democracy Education |
| 2013 | Strengthening Voices for Democracy |
| 2014 | Engaging Young People in Democracy |
| 2015 | Space for Civil Society |
| 2016 | Democracy and Sustainable Development: The 2030 Agenda |
| 2017 | In Defence of Democracy |
| 2018 | Athens Democracy Forum |
| 2019 | Inclusion and Participation: Foundation of Democracy |
| 2020 | Democracy Day Amidst the Pandemic |
| 2021 | Strengthening democratic resilience in the face of future crises |
| 2022 | The importance of media freedom to democracy, peace, and delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals |
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International Day of Democracy Objectives
International Day of Democracy has multi-dimensional objectives, which are:
- Emphasizing the importance of democracy and its related aspects.
- Challenges that come in the way of developing a just society.
- The key responsibilities of National Parliaments are to establish institutions of democracy.
- Examining and discussing the proper functioning of national parliaments.
- Identifying the initiatives taken by them to strengthen the effectiveness of democracy.
The UN and its bodies recognize how important it is to empower the younger generation to take leadership roles on global issues. All the activities of the International Day of Democracy are funded by the UN Democracy Fund to empower civil society, promote human rights and encourage the participation of people from all age groups and backgrounds.
FAQs
A. The International Day of Democracy is observed on 15th September every year. The UNGA is the organising body for this day where the idea of an advanced democracy is spread among people.
A. The International Day of Democracy is organised by the United Nations General Assembly. It is funded by the UN Democracy Fund (NDEF) to empower civil society, prompt human rights and encourage the participation of everyone in decision-making.
A. The theme for this year’s International Day of Democracy is ‘Empowering the Next Generation’ and to shift the focus on the young generation and their essential role in advancing democracy and decision-making.
This was all about the International Day of Democracy and its objectives. For more informative articles, make sure to visit Important Days page of Leverage Edu.