UNITED IN AWAKENING

　　The Bandung Conference marked a turning point in the post-WWII world. It was the first major international gathering of Asian and African countries to discuss their interests without colonial powers, with its anti-colonial and anti-imperialist message empowering countries still fighting for independence.

　　“The collective voice of Asian and African leaders calling for self-determination served to inspire numerous Africans to reinvigorate their fight against colonial rule, restating the belief that independence could be obtained,“ said Balew Demissie, a communication and publication consultant at the Policy Studies Institute of Ethiopia.

　　Later, within a year, Sudan, Morocco and Tunisia declared independence. Ghana followed in 1957, with then-leader Kwame Nkrumah declaring that the nation's freedom is “meaningless unless it is linked up with the total liberation of the African continent.“

　　The wave of independence quickly spread across Africa. Guinea broke from France in 1958. In 1960, 17 countries gained independence. The momentum carried through to Namibia's independence in 1990, marking the end of colonial rule on the continent.

　　Beyond liberation, Bandung laid the groundwork for unity. In 1963, 32 African nations met in Addis Ababa and established the Organization of African Unity, the forerunner of today's African Union.

　　Delegates attend the opening ceremony of the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Kampala, Uganda, on Jan. 19, 2024. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)