It continues to give expression to an ancient democratic tradition that has renewed itself through the vicissitudes of history, assimilating the best of the many traditions that joined our national mainstream. One of the great achievements of the 20 th century lies in the spread and acceptance of democracy almost universally. And where it is not attained, or attained only partially, the idea that beckons most powerfully is the goal of democracy. Even as we celebrate the global march of democracy, all of us are acutely aware of the shortcomings and problems that still bedevil it. Democracy, which rests on the axiom that all men are equal, cannot deliver on its promise in a system plagued by glaring social and economic inequalities.
Poverty is a threat to democracy.
Therefore, one of the greatest challenges before mankind in the 21 st century is the advancement of the agenda of economic democracy for all citizens, for all races and communities, and for all nations on earth. This has become all the more urgent in the era of globalization, when the gulf between the rich and the poor is widening. India has been persistently advocating the cause of democracy globally. I express my confidence that your deliberations will deepen the global debate on how to realize the dream of democracy for all the denizens of the world in the early part of the next century.