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international day of democracy

Putting institutions above individuals: Ending impunity to save trust in democracy
UN General Assembly

Putting institutions above individuals: Ending impunity to save trust in democracy

Ambassador Paula Narváez Ojeda warns that when powerful actors break norms without consequences, young people lose faith, further pushing societies toward tribalism and away from respectful debate, amplified by toxic social media dynamics. The fix: put institutions above individuals and make accountability real.

Why is public trust low, and how to fix it
UN General Assembly

Why is public trust low, and how to fix it

Why is trust in democracy so low? Iain Walker, executive director of the newDemocracy Foundation, argues that the incentives of modern elections, which reward demonization and five-second public opinion, make it difficult to solve complex problems. The fix: create spaces for public judgment where citizens have time, information, and a mandate to deliberate.

Democracy 2.0: Delivering on people’s needs
UN General Assembly

Democracy 2.0: Delivering on people’s needs

Are there more autocracies than democracies in the world today, and why does it matter? María del Carmen Sacasa (UNDP LAC) argues we’re in a paradigm shift, not a terminal crisis.

Citizens’ assemblies helped Ireland move from conflict to consensus
UN General Assembly

Citizens’ assemblies helped Ireland move from conflict to consensus

Citizens’ assemblies helped Northern Ireland transform a violent past into today’s deliberative politics. Ambassador Fergal Mythen traces the arc from the New Ireland Forum (1983–84) through national roadshows and town halls to today’s independent citizens’ assemblies, processes that fed into parliament, broadened public understanding, and built “losers’ consent.”

Participation = trust: Malawi’s citizens’ juries deliver democracy
UN General Assembly

Participation = trust: Malawi’s citizens’ juries deliver democracy

Public trust isn’t a “nice to have," it’s the foundation of democracy. Ambassador Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande explains how citizens’ juries in Malawi bring people into local budgeting and development decisions, building transparency and trust by design.

UN TV International Democracy Day 2024: Navigating AI for Governance and Citizen Engagement
Announcements

Live on Tuesday: International Democracy Day 2024: Navigating AI for Governance and Citizen Engagement

Tomorrow, GZERO's Chief Content Officer Tony Maciulis will moderate a UN livestream panel in the lead up to the International Day of Democracy: "Navigating AI for Governance and Citizen Engagement". The event, presented by the United Nations Democracy Fund and United Nations Office for Partnerships, will bring together diverse voices from civil society, academia, and the UN to explore the role of artificial intelligence in promoting and defending good governance and active citizen participation. Watch live here on Tuesday, September 10th at 11 am ET