President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened on Thursday the fifth Bali
Democracy Forum, saying that the forum had produced not only documents but also
real action to promote democracy in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
He said the forum attracted
participants from 40 countries and international organizations with three heads
of states and governments at the first forum in 2008. This year, there are
delegates from 80 countries and international organizations with 11 heads of
state.
“I believe such growing
participation shows that the Bali Democracy Forum is serving its purpose,” he
told the forum in his opening remarks.
This year, the forum takes the
theme “Advancing Democratic Principles in a Global Setting”. In its first year,
the forum sounded the importance of building and consolidating democracy as a
strategic agenda for Asia, while in its second year it forwarded the idea of
promoting synergy between democracy and development in Asia with prospects for
regional cooperation.
The third year introduced the
idea as to how democracy could promote peace and stability, and in its fourth
year, the forum sought to enhance democratic participation in a changing world
by responding to the desires of the people.
Yudhoyono added that there was no
one-size-fits-all model of democracy as it had to be based on each country's
conditions.
The President is acting as the
forum chair together with cochairs, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Gillard said the path to
democracy was the best path for development and that Australia was a willing
partner in working on the democratization path given its considerable
experience.
She said that Australia, for
example, had been among the first countries to grant women the right to vote,
and actively supported electoral reforms in countries such as Afghanistan,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste.
Together with the Institute for
Peace and Democracy (IPD), Gillard added, Australia was working with the
emerging leaders in Egypt.
The institute, which is the
implementing agency for programs adopted by the forum, launched a three-day
workshop on Sunday on “Constitutional Reform and Constitution Building”
involving Egyptian and Indonesian participants.
Heads of states and governments
presented their views and opinions after the opening ceremony.
List of Heads of States or
Governments:
1. Afghanistan President Hamid
Karzai
2. Australian Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
3. Brunei Darussalam Sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah
4. Timor Leste Prime Minister
Xanana Gusmao
5. Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad
6. Nepal Deputy Prime Minister
Narayan Kaji Shrestha
7. Papua New Guinea Prime
Minister Peter O'Neill
8. Singapore Deputy Prime
Minister Teo Chee Hean
9. South Korean President Lee
Myung-bak
10. Thailand Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra
11. Turkey Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan
Desy Nurhayati and Novan Iman
Santosa
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. Since we are currently changing the platform of www.yourvietnamexpert.com, you may contact us at: sbc.pte@gmail.com, provisionally. Many thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment