International Day of Parliamentarism marked today for the first time
June 30th is celebrated as the International Day of Parliamentarism for the first time this year. Un press office reports it is also the date, in 1889, on which the Inter-Parliamentary Union — the global organization of parliaments — was established.
According to the release, the Day celebrates parliaments and the ways in which parliamentary systems of government improve the day-to-day lives of people the world over. It is also an opportunity for parliaments to take stock, identify challenges, and ways to address them effectively.
"Parliaments can be pillars of democracy, important defenders of human rights and can link local and global issues. Through laws and spending decisions, they can contribute significantly to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – our blueprint for peaceful, resilient societies on a healthy planet," UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said on the occasion of the Day.