15 September is International Day of Democracy and to celebrate a new exhibition has opened at Parliament House.

The ‘Democracy has its day’ exhibition examines developments in democracy over the centuries as well as Australian contributions to parliamentary democracy.

Champions of democracy are honoured in the exhibition, including Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Lech Walesa, Nelson Mandela, Aung San Suu Kyi and Tawakel Karman, the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Visitors to Parliament House are also encouraged to give their views on a special democracy wall that asks “What does democracy mean to you?”

The exhibition runs until 21 October in the Presiding Officers Exhibition Area at Parliament House (first floor, near the post office).