英语课程计划-The International Day（在线收听）

The International Day of Democracy started in 2007. The United Nations General Assembly decided to have a special day to raise awareness of living in a democracy. They chose September 15th as that day and invited every country and member organization to focus on the benefits of democracy. The U.N. declared there was no single model of democracy. A resolution said all democracies share common features “and that democracy does not belong to any country or region”. The U.N. said: “Democracy is a universal value based on the freely-expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems, and their full participation in all aspects of life.”

The International Day of Democracy website claims democracies can have many advantages for their citizens. The main one is to ensure people’s basic freedoms. “In a democracy, people are able to think, say and do what they wish within the law and with respect for others, to practice their beliefs and to live the kinds of life they choose.” Another advantage is that a democracy meets popular needs. The more influence ordinary people have over their government, the more likely government will meet their basic needs. The website says democracies treat people equally and are free from discrimination. It does say many of the world’s democracies fall short of achieving this. There is perhaps no country that has true equality.