Bali Democracy Forum to be Held on November 7-8

Jakarta (Antara) - The Sixth Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) will be organized in Nusa Dua, Bali Island, on November 7-8, 2013, a foreign ministry official said. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will official open the Forum which will also be attended by the President of Timor Leste and the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, the Indonesian foreign affairs ministry's Director General of Information and Public Diplomacy A M Fachir was quoted as saying on the ministry's website. This Forum's theme this year is "Consolidating Democracy in Pluralistic Society". The BDF sessions will include a general debate and interactive sessions presenting two ministers as the panelists to discuss two sub-themes of BDF VI, namely "Conducting Free and Fair Elections" and "Building and Strengthening Democratic Institutions". Indonesia has made its role as the prime-mover for the past six years in advancing democracy in the region, by holding BDF to develop and intensify dialogs for improving mutual understanding and appreciation among the nations. BDF is the only forum in Asia and the Pacific that discusses democratic issues openly and constructively, beyond political taboo and restrictive standardizations, the ministry said in its statement. (*)