A Global Forum on New Democracies is scheduled to take place on Friday in Taipei with President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and six former world leaders attending the event to share their experiences of promoting democratic transitions during the "third wave of democratization." This term was coined by political scientist Samuel Huntington for the global trend that has seen more than 60 countries experience democratic transitions since 1974.

The event is being held by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy (TFD) and will take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. The Presidential Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are co-sponsoring the initiative assembly at the forum.

Chen mentioned the forum in his New Year's Day speech and said that he would seek suggestions and solutions to the predicaments and problems that new democracies encounter from former presidents and political leaders from around the world and foster a regular global forum on new democracies with that aim.

Former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung, former South African president Nelson Mandela, former Polish president Lech Walesa, former Czech president Vaclav Havel, former Mongolian prime minister Rinchinnyamiin Amarjargal and an unnamed former Latin American president will be guests of honor at the forum, according to sources who wished to remain anonymous.

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