By Janet Ekstract
WASHINGTON (TURKISH JOURNAL)- It is common knowledge that two of the world’s largest nations – China and Russia scoff at democracy, democratic values and openly abhor America’s democratic system. Prior to U.S. President Joe Biden’s Summits for Democracy, the two nations openly criticized the Summit in the press, touting authoritarianism as a greater success than democratic rule which proves that the Biden administration is up against a slovenly behemoth whose sole aim is eliminate democracy.
According to a statement from the State Department, the Biden-Harris administration emphasized that “renewing democracy in the United States and around the world is essential to meeting the unprecedented challenges of our time.” To that end, on December 9-10, U.S. President Joe Biden addressed high-level representatives from 110 nations who came together to outline commitments and processes for maintaining and furthering democracy and democratic values worldwide. Biden held the first of two Summits on Democracy designed to gather leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector in a joint effort to create an affirmative action plan and agenda for democratic renewal as well as dealing with the greatest threats currently faced by democracies today by carrying out collective action.
The goal after the Summit is see a year of action by participants that will create democracies that are more “responsive and resilient” as well as establishing “a broader community of partners, committed to global democratic renewal.” The purpose is to demonstrate how democracies can deliver on issues that matter most to people – strengthening accountable governance, expanding economic opportunities, protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms while enabling lives of dignity. The Biden administration explained that another aim of the Summit is to show how open, rights-respecting societies can work together to effectively tackle the multitude of challenges in the 21st century like the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis and increasing inequality.
The U.S. government will announce commitments in areas such as bolstering free and independent media, fighting corruption, defending free and fair elections, strengthening civic capacity, advancing the civic and political leadership of women, girls and marginalized community members while also harnessing technology for democratic renewal. U.S. Secretary of State said that the U.S. will hold itself accountable to keep these same commitments on a global, public stage. After assessing consultations, coordination, action and results delivery in ongoing months, President Biden plans to host an in-person Summit, approximately one year later to report on progress made and “forge a common path ahead.” As President Biden stressed: “American democracy is an ongoing struggle to live up to our highest ideals and to heal our divisions, to recommit ourselves to the founding idea of our nation, captured in our Declaration of Independence, not unlike many of your documents.” In February 2021, Biden stated: “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it.”
