Author Description

Convened at a time of great upheaval around the world, at the height of the Cold War, armed conflict in Vietnam, and a period of nationalist and anti-colonialist struggles, the Bandung Asian-African Conference of 1955 was an unprecedented and unrepeated moment of unity of purpose among the 29 independent Asian and African nations represented there, and for some years a beacon of hope for the two goals of nonalignment and Afro-Asian solidarity. It is widely considered the inspiration that led to the eventual founding of the Non-Aligned Movement. This timely book, published at the 50th annniversary of the conference, charts the historical background that led to it, recounts the heady mix of events of the one week at Bandung - its spirit of unity as well as its near derailments - analyses its impacts and aftermath, and above all provides an insight into the political landscape of the world before, during and after this landmark event. Supplementing the text is a rich array of illustrations, historical photographs and maps, highlighting the people, places and issues involved. Book jacket.