The Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) will return to Bali after being moved to Tangerang in 2017, with government officials, civil society organizations, private sector actors and youth from 57 countries coming together to discuss the issues facing democracy and its role in bringing prosperity.

The event was moved from Bali last year because of Mount Agung’s volcanic activity. The 11th BDF will be held at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center on Thursday and Friday.

On Wednesday evening, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi met with 138 youth representatives at the second Bali Democracy Students’ Conference to talk about how democracy brings prosperity and the challenges faced around the word implementing the political system.

One of the participants, 24-year-old Parwiz Mosamim from Afghanistan, said democracy meant every member of society knew and accepted others’ rights.

“Of course, democracy can bring prosperity, I was in India and saw they have lots of different cultures but they respect each other, and Indonesia is a good example too,” he said.

Meanwhile, Faith Fore, 26, from Zimbabwe, said one of the main challenges of democracy was the different perspectives between what was perceived as democracy and what the people really wanted.

Fore, who is completing a master’s degree in immunology at Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java, said the situation in Libya was a good example.

“Actually, as an African citizen, […] the rule that was implemented by Moamar Ghadafi was actually good for Africans,” she said.

“But because of the intervention of western powers, you would find that it was not democracy, but to Africans, what Moamar Ghadafi was doing, it was actually democracy, because it was the situation where everyone was happy and able to voice their views.”

Responding to Fore’s statement, Retno said democracy was “not one size fits all”. She said what made the BDF different to other events was that at the forum everybody could speak their minds without worrying about reproach.

“We hold the forum so people can share how democracy works in their country,” Retno added.

However, she cautioned that over the years some countries had regressed.

“Populism, neo-nationalism, xenophobia are emerging even in the oldest democracies,” she said.

“All of a sudden, the doors of some countries are closed, they are more populist, protectionist, and they close their doors to refugees. This is the biggest challenge for democracy.”

The annual two-day meeting, initiated in 2008 by then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, provides a forum for governments to share how they practice democracy in their countries.

When the BDF started, Indonesia had just entered its 10th year of democracy after the reform movement overthrew then-president Soeharto in 1998.

Retno said the BDF had evolved to become not only a platform for governments, but also youth and CSOs, who held parallel forums, to talk about democracy.

She said because this year the forum carried the theme of “democracy for prosperity”, there would be representatives from the private sector.

“They will talk about their experiences living in countries with democracy and whether the system has helped them to develop their companies and contribute to their nations’ economy,” she said.

Based on Indonesia’s experience, she said democracy provided room for innovation and creativity. “Does democracy bring prosperity? Yes, it does, various studies have shown that it brings prosperity and that they mutually reinforce each other,” Retno said.

Popular

Volcano erupts in North Sulawesi, hundreds evacuated

Dubai roads, airport reel from floods after record rains

Ramadan boosts consumer confidence, retail sales