BANDUNG - The Ministry of Culture commemorated the 71st anniversary of the Asian-African Conference (KAA) at the Savoy Homann Hotel, Bandung, Sunday, April 19, by delivering a message that feels more relevant when conflicts escalate, cultural heritage becomes a victim.
In the event entitled Bandung Spirit: Culture as a Bridge of World Peace, the Minister of Culture (Menbud) Fadli Zon said the world is facing global uncertainty, erosion of trust between countries, geopolitical rivalries, and even an arms race. In the midst of this situation, historical sites and traces of civilization are threatened to be damaged or lost due to conflicts.
Fadli emphasized that the spirit of Bandung should not stop as an annual reminder. According to the Minister of Education, the Bandung Charter must continue to be used as a moral foothold to build a more just world.
"If we want to build sustainable peace, then we must protect culture. We must ensure that no war erases the history of a nation, no domination silences identity, and no global system ignores the voices of the weak," said Fadli Zon.
He also emphasized that under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia remained on the non-bloc track, actively building global cooperation, and upholding the principles of the UN Charter. In the country, said Fadli, strengthening national resilience is carried out through human resource development, food security, and priority programs towards the Golden Indonesia 2045.
This commemoration was also filled with cultural dialogues which featured the Egyptian Ambassador to Indonesia Yasser Hassan Farag Elshemy, Member of Commission X of the Indonesian Parliament Ledia Hanifa, and International Relations lecturer at Paramadina University Anton Aliabbas.
The Mayor of Bandung Muhammad Farhan in the forum conveyed a proposal that the Simpang Lima area, from Jalan Asia Afrika to Otista, be proposed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage with the universal value of the Bandung Spirit.
In addition to the dialogue, the event was also filled with the launch of the book Asian-African Conference in Pictures and the 71-year exhibition of the KAA which featured photos and narratives of the conference history. A number of diplomats from the countries participating in the 1955 KAA were also present at this commemoration.
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