85 Countries To Participate In BDF VII

Nusadua, Bali, (Antara) - At least 85 countries, including eight international non-governmental organizations and observers, will join the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) VII in Nusa Dua, Bali Province, to discuss the development of democracy in the Asia-Pacific region. "There will be 85 countries that will join the BDF VII, and four state leaders are scheduled to attend the meeting on October 10-11, 2014," Deputy Chairman of BDF VII Ambassador Wahid Supriadi stated here on Thursday. According to Wahid, the state leaders who will attend the event are Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, the Philippines President Benigno Aquino, and Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Hassanal Bolkiah. The increase in the number of attendees at the forum is a testament to its importance as a platform to share diverse views on democracy and its development in each country. "The Institute for Peace and Democracy, as the conveyor of the results of the BDF, has been invited to many countries to share views on democracy and its development in other countries," Wahid revealed. Wahid, who was appointed as Expert Staff to the Indonesian Foreign Minister for Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs, stated that the institution has been invited to many countries, including Egypt and Tunisia, which indicates that the BDF has played an important role in developing and sharing views on democracy. "Evolving Regional Democratic Architecture: the Challenges of Political Development, Public Participation and Socio-Economic Progress in the 21st Century" is the theme chosen by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry for BDF VII. Several foreign ministers from Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Maldives, and Mongolia will attend the meeting. Additionally, vice ministers from Bangladesh, Iran, Japan, Namibia, Hungary, Singapore, and China will also attend the forum.