Religious tolerance is vital, president says
- ucanews.com reporter, Jakarta
- Indonesia
- November 8, 2012
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono today stressed religious tolerance as part of a more democratic world.
Opening the fifth annual meeting of the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) in Nusa Dua, Bali, he said: “We need to encourage greater respect for different values, faiths and religious beliefs. We should not allow irresponsible acts such as defamation of religion to divide us.”
The two-day summit, initiated by Indonesia in 2008, is an annual, inclusive and open intergovernmental forum on the development of democracy in the Asia-Pacific region. Attended by at least 12 state leaders and delegations from throughout the Asia-Pacific region, it aims to promote and foster regional and international cooperation in field of peace and democracy.
This year’s theme is “Advancing Democratic Principles at the Global Setting: How Democratic Global Governance Contributes to International Peace and Security, Economic Development, and Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights.”
Opening the fifth annual meeting of the Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) in Nusa Dua, Bali, he said: “We need to encourage greater respect for different values, faiths and religious beliefs. We should not allow irresponsible acts such as defamation of religion to divide us.”
The two-day summit, initiated by Indonesia in 2008, is an annual, inclusive and open intergovernmental forum on the development of democracy in the Asia-Pacific region. Attended by at least 12 state leaders and delegations from throughout the Asia-Pacific region, it aims to promote and foster regional and international cooperation in field of peace and democracy.
This year’s theme is “Advancing Democratic Principles at the Global Setting: How Democratic Global Governance Contributes to International Peace and Security, Economic Development, and Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights.”
