On this International Day of Democracy, we, the Governing Council Member States of the Community of Democracies (Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Estonia, Finland, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Sweden, United Kingdom and Uruguay), reaffirm our unwavering commitment to strengthening democracy globally, as established in the Warsaw Declaration and reaffirmed in the Panama Declaration, “Democracy, Development and Collective Action for a Resilient Future”, adopted at our 11th Ministerial Conference. We recognize that the universality of democratic values, human rights, fundamental freedoms, equality, and the rule of law form the indispensable foundation of just, inclusive, and peaceful societies.
In these challenging times for democracies worldwide, we remain convinced that lasting peace and prosperity depend on strong, transparent, and accountable institutions. Democracy, the rule of law, development, and respect for human rights are inherently interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Furthermore, we stress that democracy is strengthened by the full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation and leadership of women at all levels of decision-making. Through collective action rooted in shared values, we commit to safeguarding and fostering the resilience of democratic institutions and upholding a rules-based global order.
