Stressing the continuing need to promote democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the United Nations General Assembly at its 62nd session decided to observe 15 September each year as the International Day of Democracy. In a resolution adopted by consensus on 8 November, the United Nations recognizes the crucial role that parliaments are called upon to play in the democratization process, and welcomes the tripartite format (governments-parliaments-civil society) of the International Conference of New or Restored Democracies.

In her address to the General Assembly, the IPU Representative welcomed this decision, and noted "It is meaningful that the International Day of Democracy has been chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Democracy adopted by IPU Member Parliaments ten years ago. The precepts and principles enshrined in this important political document are as valid today as ever before, and we invite the United Nations and its Member States to more systematically integrate these core principles into their efforts to strengthen democracy worldwide".

Indeed, it is worth recalling that, back in 1995, the IPU began an extensive process of consultation which resulted in the formulation of the key principles of democracy and in the Universal Declaration on Democracy, ultimately adopted without a vote by IPU Member Parliaments on the occasion of the 98th Inter-Parliamentary Conference, held in Cairo, Egypt, from 11 to 15 September 1997. The salient points of the Declaration include the following:

• Democracy is a universally recognized ideal, based on values common to people everywhere, irrespective of cultural, political, social and economic differences.
• As an ideal, democracy aims to protect and promote the dignity and fundamental rights of the individual, achieve social justice and foster economic and social development. As a form of government, democracy is the best way of achieving these objectives; it is also the only political system that has the capacity for self-correction.
• Democracy is based on two core principles: participation and accountability. Everyone has the right to participate in the management of public affairs. Likewise, everyone has the right to access information on government activities, to petition government and to seek redress through impartial administrative and judicial mechanisms.
• It therefore requires the existence of representative institutions at all levels and, in particular, a parliament in which all components of society are represented and which has the requisite powers and means to express the will of the people by legislating and overseeing government action.
• Democracy is always a work in progress, a state or condition that is constantly perfectible, and to which all States and stakeholders have a major contribution to make.
• Sustaining democracy means nurturing and reinforcing a democratic culture through all the means that education has at its disposal.

Since then, IPU has been working with parliaments, developing tools and guidelines for the implementation of the concepts and proposals set forth in the Universal Declaration. Recently, IPU issued a handbook on Parliament and Democracy in the 21st Century: A Guide to Good Practice, and intends to pursue a more in-depth approach to standards and good practices that can lead to the shaping of parliaments that are truly representative, open and transparent, accessible, accountable and effective.

In the meantime, IPU will continue to work closely with the United Nations, and indeed with all of its Member Parliaments, in preparation for an International Day of Democracy that will be marked befittingly, as a meaningful and promising global event.

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