W

orld leaders, ministers and high-level officials from 54 countries across the Asia-Pacific region will participate in the fifth Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) to discuss aspects to better promote democratic principles and values on Nov. 8-9 in Nusa Dua, Bali.

This year the BDF, an annual event for government representatives to share their respective countries’ latest democratic developments, will be co-chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

The Foreign Ministry’s director general for information and public diplomacy, Abdurrahman M. Fachir, said that the BDF would seek to discuss approaches to integrating democratic principles into global governance, especially in managing collective efforts to promote peace, security, economic development and the enjoyment of human rights.

He said that from the beginning, the BDF aimed to be a venue for sharing experiences, ideas and best practices, adding that it was not a forum to issue concrete solutions to specific problems.

“Since democratic values are essential for a country’s social stability and development, the forum provides a unique opportunity for countries to discuss key issues. Through the Bali Democracy Forum, we aim to form a democratic architecture in the region,” he added, noting that through this forum, democracy and human rights were no longer taboo subjects of discussion.

Fachir noted that the forum had accommodated further cooperation for participants.

Indonesia and Egypt have seen benefits from the BDF, with both countries having conducted workshops to share experiences and ideas on constitutions, military relations, democratic principles and religious tolerance issues.

Aside from bilateral cooperation, the Institute for Peace and Democracy, established at the first BDF, has conducted training on democracy and politics for participant countries since 2011.

More than 50 countries have registered for the BDF so far and more are expected to follow. The first day will be a general debate followed by interactive sessions on the second day.

Leaders planning to attend the BDF include Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Brunei Darussalam Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basendwah, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha Prakash, while President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barosso will attend the event as an observer.

The chairman of the Jakarta-based rights advocacy group the Setara Institute, Hendardi, said he appreciated the BDF and other kinds of forums as they gave public and state apparatuses learning opportunities about democracy principles and values.

However, he stressed the need for the Indonesian government to balance between discourse and action in terms of the realization of democracy and human rights principles.

“It is ironic. We have conducted prestigious forums to produce a good image but intolerance, violence and human rights abuses are rampant in this country and are without proper settlement,” he said.

Launched in 2008, the BDF has gained increasing support and recognition from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond as a premier regional forum to promote practical political cooperation and to share views and experiences, with the aim of advancing democratic principles.

The forum has explored and identified common principles on various aspects relevant to the promotion of democracy at the national level in the region.