International Day of Democracy Observed Worldwide on 15 September 2026
The International Day of Democracy is observed worldwide on 15 September, a UN-designated day promoting participation, inclusion, human rights and deliberative democratic processes. The UN General Assembly established it in 2007 through resolution A/RES/62/7, with the first observance in 2008. The date marks the 1997 adoption of the Universal Declaration on Democracy by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The observance is closely tied to SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions, and falls within the UN's September cluster that also includes the International Day for South-South Cooperation (12 September) - both stressing inclusive, participatory development pathways for the Global South.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), founded in 1889, is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland | The UN General Assembly has 193 member states and meets at UN Headquarters in New York | SDG 16 covers Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015