By Prensa Latina,
United Nations : Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced United Nations’ strong support for democratic institutions, noting that democracy is a political system that can neither be exported nor imposed.
In a statement published on the first-ever United Nations International Day of Democracy on Monday, the UN chief referred to the possibilities of development, peace and the defense of human rights under that system.
“This makes it all the more essential that we always explain the rationale of our mission: that experience has taught us, time and again, that democracy is essential to achieving our fundamental goals of peace, human rights and development,” Ban said.
“Although the word democracy does not appear in our Charter, the UN does more than any other single organization to promote and strengthen democratic institutions and practices around the world,” Ban Ki-moon added.
For his part, former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, a guest of honor at the meeting, stressed that the international community plays a key role in helping democracies succeed.
However, he added, that success depends on own their leaders, political parties and the civil society in general.