Living in a Better System: The First Celebration of the International Day of Democracy in Iraq
- 14-09-2025
Al-Rasheed Development Center organized a conference in Baghdad on the occasion of the International Day of Democracy—the first event of its kind in Iraq since 2003. The conference served as a platform for an in-depth review of Iraq’s democratic experience and opened a forward-looking dialogue on its challenges and future prospects.
The first day of the conference was held at Al-Rashid Hotel and witnessed broad international participation, including representatives from the embassies of the United Kingdom, Australia, Finland, France, and the European Union, alongside Iraqi officials, international diplomats, experts, academics, and journalists. More than 550 participants attended, including approximately 60 international academics, journalists, and diplomats from around the world.
The day began with a reception ceremony, followed by the official opening and the screening of a documentary film tracing the trajectory of Iraq’s democratic experience and its transformations since 2003. The program featured four main sessions addressing key issues related to democracy, media, the digital sphere, and the constitutional framework.
The first session, moderated by Mr. Mohi Al-Ansari, President of Al-Rasheed Development Center, was titled “Democracy in Iraq – A Review of Two Decades of Political Life.” It featured Dr. Salim Al-Jubouri, Mr. Mala Bakhtiar, and Mr. Izzat Al-Shabandar, who discussed political transformations, institutional-building challenges, and the limits of Iraq’s democratic experiment after 2003.
The second session, titled “Guardians of the Fifth Estate – Confronting the Tide of Authoritarianism,” was moderated by journalist Shelly Kittleson and focused on the role of media in safeguarding democracy. Participants included Members of Parliament, representatives of diplomatic missions, human rights organizations, and research centers.
The third session, dedicated to “The Right to Access Information and the Nationalization of the Digital Space,” highlighted challenges related to freedom of information, regulation of the digital sphere, and the role of media and international institutions in protecting the public’s right to knowledge.
The first day concluded with a fourth session titled “The Parallel Constitution and the Legacy of Authoritarian Legislation,” which examined the impact of unconstitutional laws and authoritarian-era legislation on political life, with contributions from government officials, parliamentarians, and academics.
The opening day of the conference provided a critical space for revisiting fundamental questions about democracy in Iraq and linking local discussions to regional and international contexts—aimed at diagnosing structural imbalances and exploring pathways for reform.
