In 1955, twenty-nine nations gathered to reshape global power outside the Cold War binary.

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When leaders from across Asia and Africa met in Bandung, Indonesia, they represented over half the world's population. Their goal was to forge a path independent of Western and Soviet influence, condemning colonialism in all its forms while navigating the intense geopolitical tensions of the mid-twentieth century.

The Bandung Conference, held from April 18 to 24, 1955, was orchestrated by the leaders of Indonesia, Myanmar, India, Ceylon, and Pakistan. These nations sought to address a perceived lack of consultation by Western powers regarding Asian affairs. The gathering was driven by concerns over US-China tensions, the desire to secure peaceful coexistence with China, and opposition to colonial rule, particularly French influence in North Africa. Indonesia also aimed to bolster its territorial claims regarding western New Guinea.

A central challenge for the delegates was the question of whether to condemn Soviet policies in Eastern Europe and Central Asia alongside Western colonialism. Ultimately, the conference reached a consensus by condemning "colonialism in all of its manifestations," a phrasing that implicitly censured the Soviet Union as well as the West. Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai played a pivotal role, adopting a moderate and conciliatory tone that helped alleviate concerns among anticommunist delegates regarding China’s regional intentions.

The conference concluded with the unanimous adoption of a 10-point declaration on world peace and cooperation. This document integrated the United Nations charter with the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, emphasizing mutual respect for sovereignty and noninterference in internal affairs. While the spirit of Asian-African solidarity eventually waned due to internal frictions and the emergence of rival nonaligned movements, the 2005 50th anniversary saw the launch of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership to renew political and economic cooperation.

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