Democracy Key to furthering Peace, Rights & Development by UN News / The Carter Center & agencies 9:59am 16th Sep, 2008   15 September 2008 (UN News)    Marking the first-ever United Nations International Day of Democracy, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed today how crucial that form of government is to bettering the lives of people worldwide.    In an address to a General Assembly event marking the inaugural Day, Mr. Ban noted that democracy has its detractors, who believe that it has failed to help people or that it is propelled by interfering foreign influences.    “This makes it all the more essential that we always explain the rationale of our mission: that experience has taught us, time and again, that democracy is essential to achieving our fundamental goals of peace, human rights and development,” he said.    Acknowledging that these targets cannot be imposed from outside, the Secretary-General said that countries, backed by the people, must take ownership.    “Although the word democracy does not appear in our Charter, the United Nations does more than any other single organization to promote and strengthen democratic institutions and practices around the world,” he told the Assembly meeting.    Also speaking at the gathering was the body’s UN President Srgjan Kerim, who spoke of his own experiences living under non-democratic and democratic systems.    “I have experienced the difference between being able to realize one’s individual initiative, and in circumstances that limit rights and opportunities,” said Mr. Kerim, who characterized democracy as a “universal” value.    He called for a new culture of international relations that empowers the individual and boosts cooperation among Member States and civil society. That new system “should also embed democracy as an international principle, and stand up for the equal and fair representation of all States, as well as promoting their compliance with international law.”    Several events were held to honour the Day, including a day-long celebration sponsored by the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF), featuring speeches, presentations and a question-and-answer session.    In a speech to that body, the Secretary-General said that his home country of the Republic of Korea, a nascent democracy, underwent a difficult transition period that witnessed years of emergency laws, censorship and political imprisonments.    “With our transition to a pluralist State came greater transparency and accountability, a more effective government machinery, and a thriving business sector able to compete with the rest of the world,” he said, voicing his appreciation to the world and the UN for their roles in bringing about the change.    The General Assembly declared the Day to commemorate the 1997 adoption by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) of the Universal Declaration on Democracy.    “It is deeply significant that this Day was brought into being by countries which are themselves working hard every day to nurture and consolidate their young democratic foundations,” Mr. Ban said in a message to mark the event.    15 September 2008    Statement on the First Annual International Day of Democracy. (The Carter Center)    Organizations acknowledge importance of Integration of Democracy and Human Rights, affirm impartial assessment of Electoral Process.    We are pleased to commemorate the first annual International Day of Democracy, established by U.N. General Assembly resolution as a unique opportunity for inter-governmental and nongovernmental organizations "to focus attention on the promotion and consolidation of democracy at all levels and to reinforce international cooperation in this regard."    It is widely recognized that the consolidation of democracy and human rights are critical to support peace and security and that genuine democratic elections are the means through which the will of the people is expressed and the legitimate authority of the government established.    The presence of professional international election observation groups enhances the integrity of elections by providing an impartial assessment of the electoral process and expressing the commitment of the international community to supporting democracy.    In 2005, we came together at the United Nations to endorse The Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observation. The Declaration, a set of guidelines for professional observation that has now been endorsed by 32 international election observation organizations from across the globe, marks a critical milestone in the development of election observation and is symbolic of increased international cooperation in the field of democracy and human rights promotion.    The Declaration also underscores that genuine democratic elections are a prerequisite for democratic governance. As endorsers, we hope that our cooperation and support for democracy and democratic elections will continue to flourish through the annual observance of the International Day of Democracy.    * The Carter Center; Democracy Reporting International (DRI); Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA); International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA); National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI); Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE-ODIHR); Southern African Development Community, Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF). Visit the related web page
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