On 15th, of September each year, the world celebrates the International Day of Democracy, to emphasize the importance of popular participation as a global value based on the will of the people. The Day is an occasion to assess the achievements and reap the progress made in this field, and to review the performance of parliamentary apparatuses and the mechanism of their implementation. It has been customary for the Inter-Parliamentary Union IPU to celebrate this occasion since 2007 under a slogan chosen annually, with the aim of focusing on promotion of popular participation.
What increases our interest in celebrating this occasion is that the State of Qatar took the initiative to promote an international day of democracy, in the backdrop of adhering to the principles of the Doha Declaration. Parliamentary Meeting on the Occasion of the Sixth International Conference on New, Or Restored Democracies held in Doha during the period from 29th, October to the 1st, November 2006 issued Doha Declaration.
Our country held lobbied and consultations with member states of the United Nations on adoption of the Day. It has also drafted the text of the United Nations General Assembly resolution issued on 8 September 2007, considering 15 September as the International Day of Democracy. 15th, of September was decided to mark the International Day of Democracy by the IPU as it was the day in 1997 on which the IPU adopted the Universal Declaration on Democracy. The Declaration affirms the principles of popular participation and the ways to exercise it.
The Basic Rules of government and the Qatari constitution since the issuance of the Provisional Basic Statute in 1970, throughout the Amended Provisional Basic Statute issued in 1972, until the issuance of the Permanent Constitution on 8 June 2004, all emphasized that the system of government in the State of Qatar is a system that enhances popular participation. Our country has gradually implemented popular participation upon the vision and wisdom of our rulers with the view to achieve stability, prosperity and development for our country and our citizens.
Therefore, we have ever reason to celebrate this year the anniversary of this Day under the slogan (Promoting the Universal Declaration of Democracy: twenty-five years in effect since its issuance in 1997).
