ASIAN-AFRICAN MUSEUM TO HOLD STUDENTS' CONFERENCE

Bandung, W Java, Jan 21 (Antara) - The Museum of Asian- African Conference will organize the Asian-African Students' Conference to celebrate the 60th year of the Bandung 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 here on Wednesday. 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 issues such as problems concerning education, poverty, and law enforcement," Thomas noted. Thomas added the institution will invite the youth to think deeply and contribute to the development of the world. "They should contribute ideas for the development of our nation and the world," Thomas remarked. Students can also increase cooperation and improve solidarity among Asian and African students for developing their nations and keep up the spirit of Ten Bandung Principles. The Asian-African Students' Conference had been held for a year after the Asian-African Conference in 1955. The ten Bandung principles are derived from respect for fundamental human rights and for the purposes and principles of the charter of the United Nations, respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, the recognition of the equality of all races and all nations large and small, and abstention from intervention or interference in the internal affairs of another country. Respect for the right of each nation to defend itself, singly or collectively, in conformity with the charter of the United Nations, abstention from the use of arrangements of collective defense to serve any particular interests of the big powers, and abstention by any country from exerting pressures on other countries are also part of the principles. Other points such as refraining from the acts or threats of aggression or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country, the settlement of all international disputes by peaceful means such as negotiation, conciliation, arbitration or judicial settlement as well as other peaceful means of choice of the parties concerned, in conformity with the charter of the United Nations were also stressed during the conference. The conference also promotes mutual interests and cooperation and respect for justice and international obligations as its principles. The Asian-African Conference was first organized by Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India in April 1955.