REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NUSA DUA -- he simultaneous regional head elections on the eve of the Bali Democracy Forum successfully showcased to the delegates the robust functioning of democracy in Indonesia, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said.
The Indonesian tourist resort island of Bali will host the 8th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) over two days, Thursday and Friday.
The country organized simultaneous regional heads' elections (Pilkada) across the nation on Wednesday.
According to Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, the elections happening just a day before the Bali forum would help demonstrate how Indonesia's democracy has become a robust system.
"This showed the delegates how democracy works in Indonesia. We have carried out direct elections, not only at the national level for electing a president and legislators but also at the regional level for choosing regional heads," Minister Retno said in Bali on Wednesday evening.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla is scheduled to open the two-day 8th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF)on Thursday.
"The vice president will open the BDF tomorrow at 10 a.m. Central Indonesia Standard Time (WITA)," Easti Handayani, the director general for Public Diplomacy Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated here on Wednesday.
A total of 83 countries and three international organizations will be taking part in the annual Asia-Pacific forum. Of the participating countries, three states --- the Philippines, Singapore, and Timor Leste --- will send their ministers, while 16 others will be represented by their deputy ministers.
Although it is not being inaugurated by President Joko Widodo, the interest among Asia-Pacific countries to take part in the forum is still high. The democracy forum, which began in 2008, has become a strategic agenda in the region.
The annual meeting will be themed, "Democracy and Effective Public Governance," the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in a press release published on its official website on Tuesday.
The ministry said the theme was relevant to the current developments, not only at the national but also at the global level. Democracy is inseparable from public governance to promote public welfare.
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Democracy and effective public governance will boost comprehensive and holistic development through approaches which give priority to transparency, accountability, participation and law enforcement, according to the ministry.
A government, which heeds the needs of the people and meets their aspirations, reflects the fulfillment of the public's rights, particularly in boosting economic growth, poverty alleviation and sustainable development, it said.
The BDF this time will hold a public debate and three panel discussions focusing on the themes, "Building Democracy and Effective Public Governance, Challenges to Democracy and Effective Public Governance, and Choices and Prospects of Democracy and Effective Public Governance."
On the sidelines of the forum, the event's implementing arm, the Institute for Peace and Democracy (IPD), will organize the Bali Civil Society Forum 2015 and Bali Media Forum 2015 on December 8-9, 2015, in association with its partners and the National Press Council.
At the end of the meeting, the forum is expected to issue a Chair's Statement, which will identify important findings from various debates and concrete programs related to democracy and effective public governance.
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