Myanmar parliamentarians and international officials led observations of this year’s International Day of Democracy at the Assembly of the Union, the Parliament of Myanmar (Pyithu Hluttaw in Burmese) on Sunday (15 September 2013) at a conference in the nation’s capital of Naypyitaw.
More than 600 high level officials were gathered at the Parliament, otherwise called the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (the two-house legislature or Parliament of Myanmar) for the event. This was only the third time that Myanmar observed the International Day of Democracy under the leadership of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw which was reconstituted in 2011 as part of the transition to multi-party democracy and in accordance with the 2008 constitution.
Janet Jackson, UNFPA’s Myanmar Representative delivered the United Nations Secretary General’s message, who emphasized the importance of global leaders to “hear, respect and respond appropriately to the voices of the people, whether expressed directly or through elected representatives.” The Secretary General also called for the world’s citizens to “think about how they can use their voices to not only take control of their destiny, but to translate their desires and the desires of others into a better future for all.”
The event was opened by H.E. Thura U Shwe Mann, the Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw (Parliament) and the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (The Lower house, also known as The House of Representatives). He said that among the sovereign nations in the world, 162 countries have adopted democracy. He also stressed the “need for concerted efforts to enhance the people’s capacity for independent thinking and foster democratic practices.”
Other key speakers included H.E. U Khin Aung Myint, Speaker of the Amyotha Hluttaw (The Upper House or the House of Nationalities) and representatives from each of the 19 political parties. A written statement from H.E. U Thein Sein, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar was read out to the participants. In the statement he said that “As our political transition is from a centralized system to democracy governance the responsibility of shaping our own democracy culture in our own way falls on every one of us...I would like you all to respect different voices, to participate in revealing discussions, persuasive talks and negotiations and to strengthen public voices for flourishing of democracy.”
In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly adopted during its 62nd session a resolution to designate 15thSeptember as the International Day of Democracy. The International Day of Democracy is meant to honour the widespread adoption of democracy, ensuring that States are able to promote democratic practices and cultivate the spirit of democracy among the people to serve as a reminder to continue democratic practices not only at present, but also in the future. Hailing the date on which the Inter- Parliamentary Union (IPU) adopted the Universal Declaration on Democracy in 1997, 15 September was designated as the International Day of Democracy.
The theme of the International Day of Democracy 2013 as designated by the International Parliamentary Union was “Strengthening Voices for Democracy.
