‘70 Years After Bandung’: Two-day conference to be held at BCIS

2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, a significant moment in the history of the Global South (pic credits-African American Registry) 

Experts from various countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America will discuss the history and importance of the Non-Aligned Movement, analyses of the current national and global crises and on future South-South Solidarity and cooperation

By Zainab Hussein 

‘70 Years After Bandung: Challenges and Struggles on the Road to Self-Determination and South – South Solidarity’ conference will be held at Olympus Hall, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) on the  2nd and 3rd of June 2025. 

The event is organised by International Development Economics Associates (IDEAs), Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) and Yukthi, a debt justice collective. The conference aims to revive the historical significance of the Bandung movement and its relevance to the contemporary world order, highlighting new challenges faced by the Global South, which represents 80 per cent of the world’s population. 

2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, a significant moment in the history of the Global South, when Asian and African states met in Bandung, Indonesia, in 1955. It was the first time when the Global South united against imperialism and colonialism in defense of their sovereign rights. 

Reviving the Bandung spirit

Yathursha Ulakentheran, from the organising committee from Yukthi stated: “As the global order unravels, the main goal of this conference is to discuss whether there is a possibility to re-think the global structure and potential South-South solidarity. That was in fact the primary focus of Bandung at the time, to move away from dependent economies of previous colonial powers. Thus, we hope to revive the spirit of Bandung while highlighting its necessity for countries like Sri Lanka.”

The first day of the conference will take place on June 2 from 3.00pm to 5.30pm, commencing with an inaugural session. There will be speakers from China, Brazil, Senegal and Pakistan, focusing on the relevance of the ‘Bandung Spirit’ in the present context. Yathursha added: “The second day of the conference will be on June 3 from 9.00am to 5.00pm, with speakers from South Africa, Tanzania, Indonesia, Chile, Palestine and a few other nations. The keynote speech will be delivered by Professor Anil Jayantha, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Sri Lanka. Following this, we have our first panel on Crisis, Planning and Industrial Policy chaired by Dr. Ahilan Kadirgamar. Panel two will focus on Decolonisation, Bandung Spirit and the New International Economic Order (1974), chaired by Dr. Sakuntala Kadirgamar. After the lunch break, we will have the final panel discussion on New Multilateralism, South-South Solidarity, and Alternatives, chaired by Professor C. P. Chandrasekhar.” 

Re-thinking the world order

Experts from various countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America will discuss the history and importance of the Non-Aligned Movement, analyses of the current national and global crises and on future South-South Solidarity and cooperation.

 “There is a necessity to rethink the world order, in which people of the Global South can live in peace, fully exercising the right of access to their resources, and free from imperialist threats. Thus, we are at a crucial juncture to restart the dialogues on strategies for self-determination, national and regional development, South-South Solidarity, and continue this discussion with economists and policy makers on envisioning our collective future,” Yathursha concluded.