President Leaves For Bali To Open Democracy Forum IV

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono here on Wednesday left for Bali to officially open the Fourth Bali Democracy Forum.

The Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) IV will be held on 8 - 9 December 2011 at Bali International Convention Center (BICC), Nusa Dua, Bali, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

In the evening, upon his arrival in Nusa Dua, Bali, the head of state is scheduled to receive separate courtesy calls from special envoys  respectively of Papua New Guinea and the Japanese prime minister, and later hold a meeting with a Bangladeshi delegation.

During the meetings, the president will be accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa, Minister/State Secretary Sudi Silalahi, Cabinet Secretary Dipo Alam, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, Trade Minister  Gita Wirjawan and the foreign ministry's Director General for Asia, the Pacific and Africa TM Hamzah Thayeb.

Yudhoyono will officially kick off the Fourth Bali Democracy Forum on Thursday. The Forum's theme this year is "Enhancing Democratic Participation in Changing World: Responding to Democratic Voices."

Following the opening ceremony, the president will host a lunch for heads of state/government and foreign delegations participating in the forum.(**)