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.”