(VOVworld) - The 5th International Bali Democracy Forum (BDF-5) officially closed on Friday in Bali, Indonesia. Themed “Relevance of advancing democratic principles in a global setting”, the two-day event was chaired by the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.
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| Participants at BDF5 (Photo: korea.net) |
In his opening speech, Yudhoyono suggested that regional organizations should be given more power in the global decision-making process and called them to involve more in promoting democratic values. The Indonesian leader stressed that ASEAN has its biggest political targets: enhancing democracy and protecting human rights. He showed his optimism on BDF great contributions to the global democratization.