DILI, 05 august 2023 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic, and the Nobel Peace Laureate, Jose Ramos Horta has today left for Indonesia to be one of the keynote speakers at the Jakarta Post’s Democracy Forum among several democracy leaders in the region, including Maria Ressa, co-founder of news website Rappler, former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, and Fuadi Pitsuwan, foreign policy advisor to Thailand’s Move Forward Party.
The Jakarta Post’s Democracy Forum will take place on Monday (07/08) with the theme: “The Sustainability of Democracy in Southeast Asia,” to celebrate the Post’s 40th anniversary.
The democracy dialogue will focus on several issues concerning democracy in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, including military coups, freedom of expression, economic development, and so on.
“We know that democracy in Southeast Asia is not in good shape. With military coups, legal obstruction, dynastic politics, and the spread of misinformation and hoaxes in the context of elections,” said Taufiq Rahman, The Jakarta Post‘s chief editor.
“Jakarta Post” has been an unwavering advocate for freedom of the Press and democracy in Indonesia and beyond.
At the one-day seminar, Horta will share his own efforts in strengthening democracy in Timor-Leste and the region.
Timor-Leste is a young but vibrant democracy and has risen among the Asia-Pacific countries to make it to the top ten in the 2023 world press freedom index.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
