Nusa Dua (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to officially open the Sixth Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) being held at the Nusa Dua Conventional Center (BNDCC) here on Thursday morning.
"This is one of the fora attended by government representatives in Asia and the Pacific that discuss democracy, using an approach considered convenient for the participants because it does not impose anything on them," Teuku Faizasyah, a presidential special staff member, said.
The forum is expected to yield statements from participants that will be followed up.
The annual BDF will be held for the sixth time on Nov. 7 and 8, and the government of Indonesia has chosen the theme "Consolidating Democracy in a Pluralistic Society," M. Fachir, the foreign affairs ministry's director general of information and public diplomacy, had remarked earlier.
Fachir said the theme is considered relevant because a number of pluralistic-society countries do not yet have a stable democracy.
The forum is to be attended by Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Hassanal Bolkiah, Prime Minister of Timor Leste Xanana Gusmao, and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
At least 30 ministers, high ranking officials and observers from 53 countries are also attending the annual forum. (*/DWA)
