Conferences and Meetings

Vision of Bandung After 50 Years Facing New Challenges (The resume of the International Conference on held in Cairo 1-3 March 2005, at Pyramisa hotel)

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The resume of the International Conference on "Vision of Bandung after 50 years - Facing New Challenges" held in Cairo 1-3 March 2005, at Pyramisa hotel

Afro-Asian Peoples Solidarity Organization was the creation of the Bandung spirit, a peoples movement of the Afro-Asian world. It was nothing but appropriate that after 50 years of this historic conference, time had come to take stock of the world situation to forge a stronger movement of the people, to meet new challenges.

      The international conference held in Cairo on 1-3 March 2005 was the first of its kind. AAPSO has already taken initiative to convene the second such international conference in New Delhi, India, probably at the end of April 2005 with the All India Peace and Solidarity Organization. The Cairo conference was attended by 18 countries with 29 delegates and 18 embassies in Cairo sent their representatives. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry sent a representative who made a contribution highlighting the event. The local participants including the press took part in the conference.

      The conference was conducted in seven sessions under different themes such as significant role of Bandung; the end of the bi-polar system and unilateralism; Palestine and Iraq; building strong solidarity movement; and revitalizing NAM and expected role of the UNO.

      Very valuable and thought provoking papers were presented by experts both foreign and local which generated lively discussion. There were critical analysis of the whole concept including the failure and drawback of the Non-Aligned Movement. Speakers highlighted the importance of transparency, democracy, human rights and good governance as priority for sustainability of any movement. They pointed out the lack of these salient principles in most of the NAM countries which resulted in weakening the movement. There is a big gap between the rulers and the ruled which has to be bridged. Peoples aspiration need to be reflected by the government. The revitalization of NAM depend on how these issues are debated, and respected by the governments.

      Dictatorship, family bandyism and one party rule are issues that affect the proper functioning of governments. They retard the development process. The last 50 years have provided enough time to take stock of the situation and correct our own mistakes. How many countries of the Non-Aligned Movement were able to adhere to the very principles of the Bandung -the "Dasa Sila Principles" (ten principles) enunciated in 1955 extending the Pancha Sila (five principles) signed between India and China in 1954?. These serious lapses have disrupted the unity not only among countries but also within the countries as we have seen in Asia and Africa during the last five decades.

      The Cairo conference has made a good start and will continue in other regions. It is hoped that the unity which was forged in 1955 in Bandung could be revived and strengthened to face the new challenges of the Human Kind.

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Permanent Secretariat of AAPSO