Speaker of Shura Council : Qatar Strengthened Popular Participation in Accordance with a Vision and Wisdom to Achieve Stability and Development

Doha, September 15 (QNA) - HE Speaker of the Shura Council Hassan bin Abdullah Al Ghanim, affirmed that the State of Qatar has strengthened popular participation in accordance with a vision and wisdom, to achieve stability, development and prosperity for the country.
His Excellency said in a statement on the occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Democracy, which falls on September 15 of each year, that since the issuance of the provisional statute of the State of Qatar in 1970, through the amended provisional statute issued in 1972, and until the issuance of the permanent constitution on June 8, 2004, the emphasis was on strengthening popular participation, and our country gradually implemented it according to the vision and wisdom of our leaders in order to achieve stability, prosperity, and development for our country and our citizens.
His Excellency added, "What increases our interest in celebrating this occasion is that the State of Qatar took the initiative to promote an international democracy day, within the framework of implementing the principles of the Doha Declaration issued by the 6th World Conference on New or Restored Democracies, which was hosted by Doha from October 29 to November,1, 2006.
His Excellency explained that the State of Qatar held consultations with the member states of the United Nations in this regard, and also drafted the text of the United Nations General Assembly resolution issued on September 8, 2007, considering September 15 as the International Day of Democracy.
His Excellency pointed out that the selection of September 15 came at the suggestion of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, because it coincides with the day the Union adopted, in 1997, the Universal Declaration of Democracy, a declaration that affirms the principles of popular participation and ways to exercise it.
His Excellency pointed out that the celebration is an affirmation of the importance of popular participation as a global value based on the will of the people, and as an occasion to monitor the achievements and harvest the development achieved in this field, and to review the performance of parliamentary councils and the mechanism of their application.
His Excellency stated that the Inter-Parliamentary Union has been celebrating this occasion since 2007, under a slogan chosen annually with the aim of focusing on promoting popular participation.
His Excellency concluded his statement by saying, "We have the right to celebrate this year the anniversary of this day under the slogan "Promoting the Universal Declaration of Democracy" on the occasion of the twenty-five years since its issuance in 1997." (QNA)