Happy International Day of Democracy. Each year on Sept. 15, the United Nations and its partners around the globe encourage us all to reflect upon the state of democracy in the world:
Democracy is as much a process as a goal, and only with the full participation of and support by the international community, national governing bodies, civil society and individuals, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.
In the United States, Democracy Day has coalesced into a national effort involving hundreds of U.S. news and information outlets to draw attention to the threat of democratic backsliding. The coordinated national effort also is providing the public with important context on where American democracy stands and what Americans can do to defend it.
Follow coverage from around the country here.
Here at home, student journalists at the University of Nebraska’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications have assembled an impressive array of stories about the challenges we all face, the organizations and institutions that have stepped up to defend democracy, and Nebraskans who are working to ensure – as the UN put it – democracy is a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. See all of their work at Nebraska News Service (Civic Nebraska figures into the coverage, including a profile of our organization and why we do what we do). All of it is great, but if you have limited time, we’d suggest these articles as must-reads:
›› Voter fraud: How the myth persists in the face of facts
›› A state senator wants to make Election Day a holiday in Nebraska
›› From capitols to classrooms: How Civic Nebraska is empowering communities
Our sincere thanks go out to everyone at Nebraska News Service for shining a bright light on the state of our state and our Union – and for calling us all to sustain, protect, and defend it.
