REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NUSA DUA - Entering its fifth year, Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) is attended by 83 countries. The first forum in 2009 was attended by 40 countries, Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marty Natalegawa, said on Thursday.
"We are also proud that 11 heads of states such as Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the President of South Korea Lee Myung Bak attend BDF V in 2012," he said.
About 1,243 delegates from 83 countries and national organizations participate the forum taking the theme 'Advancing Democratic Principles in a Global Setting'. President SBY acts as the forum chair with Gillard co-chairs the event with the President of South Korea Lee Myung Bak.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam, President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Prime Minister of Timor Leste Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra, and Prime Minister Papua New Guinea Peter O'Neill also attend the forum.