Bali Democracy Students Conference (BDSC) is a student conference on democracy that was held earlier this month in Bali, Indonesia. Tristan Croft a Paralegal from our Bega Office was selected to attend.
The theme of this years conference was “Democracy for Prosperity – Students Perspective”. Around 137 students attended as guests of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.
Tristan has prepared a travel blog to discuss his trip, please find it below.
Bali Democracy Students Conference
Over 5-7 December I was fortunate to be invited to participate in the 11th annual Bali Democracy Forum held at the Nusa Dua Convention Centre, Bali. The forum was spread over two days and featured delegates from 58 countries.
As a student I was involved in the Bali Democracy Students Conference, a separate but connected conference specifically set up for 137 students passionate about democracy, human rights and international politics. I left feeling privileged to have had the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences about democracy and human rights with leaders from such a vast array of backgrounds, religions, cultures and continents.
At the conclusion of the forum 137 students drew up a presentation outlining two broad recommendations to sustain vibrant and ever-evolving democracies based on our variety of experiences, education and backgrounds.
Firstly in order to deliver prosperity for all democratic institutions, both domestic and international, must strive to grow in an inclusive and engaging manner. This is especially relevant to the next generation of leaders, as inclusive democracy is proven to be the best method of promoting prosperity, growth and development.
Secondly, we arrived at the view that sustaining inclusive democracy into the future will inevitably be linked with developments in technology and innovation. Technology provides a critical opportunity to positively leverage and capture the ideas, energy and creativity of citizens which in turn supports the type of inclusive democracy that betters countless lives.
I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and I look forward to seeing the outcomes of these important discussions bearing fruit over the coming years.
