INDONESIA TO COMMEMORATE ASIA-AFRICA CONFERENCE TO REVIVE BANDUNG DECLARATION by Fardah

 Jakarta, Jan 29, 2015 (Antara) - Some 109 world leaders and representatives of 25 international organizations will attend the 60th Asia-Africa Conference (AAC) and the 10th New Asian African Strategic Partnership (NAASP) in Jakarta and Bandung on April 19-24, 2015.

         "'Strengthening Cooperation' is the theme for this special commemoration," Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi told the press after attending a coordinating meeting on the upcoming event at the presidential palace on January 9.

         Indonesia will invite 109 heads of states and representatives of 25 international organizations, as well as the UN Secretary-General, to the commemoration events.    

   Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has already sent out a few invitations.
   At the African Union Conference and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Kinabalu, Malaysia, recently, the minister presented the invitations addressed to the leaders of African and ASEAN nations, said Y Kristiarto S Legowo, the secretary-general of the foreign affairs ministry.  
   "The Indonesian government will later send a special envoy to present the invitations to heads of state in Asian and African countries," he added.

         To commemorate the AAC, the Indonesian government will organize a series of events, which will begin with a meeting of senior officials and a ministerial-level meeting in Jakarta from April 19 to 21, 2015.

          Following the two meetings, the Asia-Africa Summit will be held on April 22 and 23 in Jakarta, Acting Director of Intra Asia-Pacific and Africa Cooperation of the Foreign Affairs Ministry Ferdy Piay stated recently.

         The final event will be organized in Bandung on April 24, which will bring together leaders from the Asian and African continents.

           "During the event commemorating the Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung on April 24, Asian and African leaders will participate in a historical walk, similar to what their predecessors did in 1955," Piay pointed out.        
    Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs AM Fachir recently noted that the AAC's 60th anniversary will be one of the major international events to be organized by the Indonesian government in 2015.

          "We are going to try and make this commemoration more than just a ceremonial event. We will conduct various events that will see leaders from all AAC countries coming to Jakarta and Bandung," he added.

          As part of the celebrations, the organizing committee will also make arrangements to hold an Asia-Africa Business Summit and an Asia-Africa Carnival.

        "The Asia-Africa Business Summit is aimed at encouraging economic cooperation. We hope businessmen and the chambers of commerce and industry from Asian and African countries take part in the summit," he remarked.        
    The Asia-Africa Conference was first organized in Bandung, West Java, on April 18-24, 1955, on the initiative of Indonesia, Myanmar (Burma), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, and Pakistan.

           Some 29 countries representing more than half the world's population had sent their delegates to the conference.

        The conference resulted in the Dasasila Bandung, or the 10-points Bandung Declaration, on the Promotion of World Peace and Cooperation.

         Most of the principles of the United Nations were incorporated in the Declaration, which had become the guideline for colonized countries in their fight for Independence.

         It had also become the basis of fundamental principles for promoting world peace and international cooperation.

          The conference was followed by the Afro-Asian People's Solidarity Conference in Cairo in September 1957 and the Belgrade Conference in 1961, which had led to the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

          In 2005, on the 50th anniversary of the original conference, leaders from Asian and African countries met in Jakarta and Bandung to launch the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership (NAASP).

          They pledged to promote political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two continents.

          Minister Marsudi told newsmen that the upcoming meetings organized to commemorate the AA Conference will discuss all the efforts to intensify the South-South cooperation to improve public welfare and maintain world peace.

           Minister Marsudi held the press conference following a limited cabinet meeting led by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to discuss the preparations for the 60th anniversary of the Asia-Africa Conference.

         President Jokowi stressed that the commemorative events should serve as a momentum for Indonesia to accentuate its presence and role in international affairs.

          "This morning, we will prepare the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Afro-Asian Conference to remind the world that we have a larger role. We want to refresh the memory of the world about our country's role," President Jokowi stated during the limited cabinet meeting.

           He noted that with three months remaining, Indonesia has to prepare ceremonies, logistics, and security arrangements speedily and perfectly.

         During the meeting, which was also attended by Vice-President Jusuf Kalla, the President also witnessed presentations by Minister Retno P Marsudi on the preparations for the conference's anniversary celebrations.

           The Palestinian issue will also be highlighted during the commemoration of the Asia-Africa Conference as the Bandung Conference in April 1955 was seen as a symbol of freeing countries from colonialism, besides being a symbol of resurgence in Asia and Africa.    
   Since the first conference 60 years ago, all countries have been freed and gained their independence except for Palestine, which has been occupied by Israeli Zionists for the past 68 years with the support of its main ally the United States and some other western countries such as Britain, Canada, France, Australia, and Germany.

           As part of the AAC's commemorative events, the Museum of Asian-African Conference will organize the Asian-African Students' Conference on April 18-28, 2015.

            "The event will include an Asian-African Cultural Carnival involving 109 countries," the Head of the Asian-African Conference Museum Thomas Siregar said in Bandung recently.

            The event is aimed at awakening the young as the agents of change in the development of the world.  
     "Through the 2015 students' conference, we hope to sensitize students and the young generation to problems concerning education, poverty, and law enforcement," Thomas noted.      
     Historian with the Padjadjaran University of Bandung Nina Lubis hopes that the conference in 2015 will result in a new declaration that will highlight some of the current issues, such as poverty and terrorism, plaguing the world.

            "The 60th Asia-Africa Conference should not be an event merely celebrating history but should be one where a global declaration is framed," Lubis remarked.

         As the host, the Bandung District Administration has been busy making preparations for the celebration, which will take place at Gedung Merdeka in Bandung.

            "Insya Allah (God willing), Bandung will be ready. This event is held every five years. Under my government, I will prove that Bandung is capable," Mayor of Bandung Ridwan Kamil emphasized.

         Besides improving infrastructure and tightening security measures, the district administration is also inviting the public to enliven the celebrations.

         Every community (RT/RW) will be decorated with the conference as the theme, Kamil stated, adding that art and cultural exhibitions and costume festivals will add to the event.

         The mayor is planning to declare April 24, 2015, a public holiday so that everyone in Bandung can join in the festivities.

        Ridwan Kamil added that there will be no less than 15 events at the national level that will build up to the pinnacle of the commemoration in Bandung.

          "There will be parades by over 100 participating countries that will showcase their respective national costumes with the accompaniment of their respective music. Countries are expected to bring their own cultural groups. This year's commemoration of the Asian-African Conference will have lots of music and color and it will definitely be the most memorable one," added the Bandung mayor. ***4***
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