On 15 September, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and parliaments around the world celebrate the International Day of Democracy, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007.
In establishing the International Day of Democracy, the United Nations noted that "while democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy" and that "democracy does not belong to any country or region". The International Day of Democracy is meant both to celebrate democracy and to serve as a reminder that the need to promote and protect democracy is as urgent now as ever.
The choice of 15 September for the International Day of Democracy corresponds to the adoption in September 1997 by the Inter-Parliamentary Union of a Universal Declaration on Democracy. That Declaration affirms the principles of democracy, the elements and exercise of democratic government, and the global scope of democracy.
Since the first International Day of Democracy was celebrated on 15 September 2008, the IPU and parliaments around the world have organized numerous special events, reaffirming parliament as the central institution of democracy. For 2012, the theme for International Day of Democracy is Dialogue and inclusiveness – central to democracy
Read more at the IPU’s website: www.ipu.org/idd