BANDUNG SPIRIT

RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY: Discourses and Realities in Africa and Asia. With a Comparative View from Europe. 55 Years after the Bandung Asian-African Conference 1955

DK — 2013-04-24T10:19:43Z

A Conference-Book launching, AL QALAM INSTITUTE, Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Mindanao, PHILIPPINES, June 19-20, 2013

65 years after the World War II, 55 years after Bandung Asian-African Conference 1955 and 20 years after the Cold War, wars and violent conflicts still take place, not only between Nation-States, but also inside the Nation-States (e.g. conflicts around ethnic and religious differences).

It seems clear that the common denominator of those conflicts is the diversity (of ethnic groups, religious communities, economic modes of production, ideological stands,…), which is not taken into account or insufficiently taken into account in the governance within and among the Nation-States, so that it generates conflicts instead of well-being. And religious diversity is a potential source if not a real cause of social conflicts and wars between and inside the Nation-States.

So, the question is how do Nation-State, Civil Society Organisations and Religious Authorities deal with religious diversity in the context of globalisation? Do they consider religious diversity as a condition, a motor, an obstacle or a goal of sustainable development?

A collective work of researchers and activists of civil society organisations is needed to answer those questions. Two main “raw materials” are supposed to be the object of reflection. The first one is the “reality” of social life where two or more religious communities live together in peace or in conflict. The second one is the “discourse” of the Nation-State (constitution, law, presidential decree, governmental measures, police operations, army interventions, and other types of concept and practice by the agents of Nation-State), the Civil Society Organisations (NGO and academic world) and the Religious Authorities (Churches, Councils of Ulama, Buddhist Sangha Councils,…) regarding religious diversity.

In the framework of Bandung Spirit Book Series, the collective work has come out in the form of a book titled RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN A GLOBAL SOCIETY: Discourses and Realities in Africa and Asia, With a Comparative View from Europe, 55 Years after the Bandung Asian-African Conference 1955. In a spirit of cooperation and solidarity, five institutions have agreed to be the co-publishers of the book and to promote the book in their respective community and network. That is why AL QALAM INSTITUTE as one of them proposes a conference-book launching.

THE BOOK

The book is published under the editorship of Darwis Khudori (Indonesian writer, architect and historian, associate professor doctor in Oriental Studies at the University of Le Havre, France) and contains articles written by scholars and activists of social and solidarity movements from Africa, Asia and Europe. They concern religious issues in Burma (Myanmar), India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tanzania, Thailand,…

PUBLISHERS

Under the label of Bandung Spirit Book Series, the book is published in a cooperative way of five institutions as co-publoishers. They are: The Centre of South-South Cooperation Studies, Brawijaya University, Malang, East Java, Indonesia; ILDES (Lebanese Institute for Social and Economic Development), Lebanon; AL QALAM INSTITUTE; Ateneo de Davao University, Mindanao, Philippines; GRIC (Group of Research on Identities and Cultures), University of Le Havre, France; The Centre for World Christianity and Interreligious Studies, Radboud University, Netherlands.

The co-publication system is chosen in order: 1) To reinforce publication as a tool of a collective movement; 2) To share the cost of production; 3) To create a mutual symbiosis between institutions involved in the co-publication; 4) To make the book price affordable to readers from the developing world; 5) To ensure the distribution of the books.

SPEAKERS

Some of the authors will be present as speakers in the conference-book launching: Boutros Labaki (Lebanon), Darwis Khudori (France/Indonesia), Maung Zarni (Burma/Myanmar/UK), Mussolini Sinsuat Lidasan (the Philippines),…

HOSTING INSTITUTION

AL QALAM INSTITUTE, Ateneo de Davao University, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Mindanao, PHILIPPINES, http://alqalam.addu.edu.ph/

CO-ORGANISING PERSONS AND INSTITUTIONS

Mr. Mussolini Sinsuat Lidasan , Director, Al Qalam Institute, Ateneo de Davao University at Mindanao, Davao City, Davao del Sur, PHILIPPINES, http://alqalam.addu.edu.ph/

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Darwis Khudori , GRIC (Group of Research Identities and Cultures), Universite du Havre, 25, rue Philippe Lebon Le Havre 76057, FRANCE, Phone +33-2 32 74 41 60 Fax +33 2 32 74 41 47, http://www.univ-lehavre.fr/recherch...

PARTICIPANTS

The event is a gathering of civil society movements (including academic communities). The main participants are academics and activists of social and solidarity movements (including artists) from the region and beyond. The event is also a place for dialogues between civil society movements and other actors of development. A certain number of participants from government and business sectors will therefore be invited to join.

The conference is open to the public. Those willing to participate in the event are invited to fill-in the form that can be downloaded soon from this website.

RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN AFRICA AND ASIA: Discourses and Realities

DK — 2012-08-28T21:55:17Z

Following the 55 BANDUNG 55 Seminars of the 55th Anniversary of 1955 Bandung Asian-African Conference held in Indonesia in October/November 2010, a series of books under the label of Bandung Spirit Book Series is in the course of publication.

The first book, on ECOLOGY (under the editorship of Darwis Khudori and Yukio Kamino), has been published in May 2012. See the book presentation in this section. The second book, on RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY (under the editorship of Darwis Khudori and Elikia Mbokolo), is planned to be launched in April 2013.

Those willing to contribute a paper for the publication are invited to consult the following TOR:

TOR-Religion

CODESRIA-Guide for Authors

- PUBLICATION

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGY: Global Challenges and Local Responses in Africa and Asia 55 Years after the Bandung Asian-African Conference 1955

DK — 2012-07-08T22:57:46Z

Book reference

Darwis Khudori and Yukio Kamino (eds.), TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGY: Global Challenges and Local Responses in Africa and Asia, 55 Years after the Bandung Asian-African Conference 1955. Co-publication of UB PRESS (Universitas Brawijaya Press, Malang, East Java, Indonesia), AFRICA CHALLENGE (Casablanca, Morocco), ALLIANCE (of Oriental Cultural Heritage Sites Protection, Shanghai, China and Paris, France), GRIC (Group of Research on Identities and Cultures, University of Le Havre, France), OISCA International (Organisation for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement, Tokyo, Japan), 2012, 15 cm x 22 cm, 279 p. ISBN: 978-602-203-274-8

Book profile

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGY

55 years after the 1955 Bandung Asian-African Conference and 20 years after the end of the Cold War, in the context of Globalisation, the world is still characterised by wars, domination by the powerful, exploitation of the weak. In addition, Globalisation has posed two challenges for the sustainability of our planet: the degradation of Environment and the growth of Cities. People cannot escape from these two global challenges, but face them in their own localities. The actors for a sustainable future are therefore supposed to answer the “Global Challenges” with “Local Responses”.

The responses from Africa and Asia deserve special attention. On the one hand, despite the continuous process of globalisation following the expansion of capitalism, colonialism and imperialism started from Europe, Africa and Asia have not been uprooted by Western Civilisation and are therefore thought to be the source and pool of bio- and cultural diversity needed for the sustainability of our planet.

On the other hand, Africa and Asia are particularly affected by the degradation of Environment and the growth of Cities. The planet is in the midst of a 6th great extinction of life forms faster than the previous ones and the climate change largely provoked by the “developed North” will be especially harmful to the “developing South”. As for Citification, the urban population worldwide grew over 10-fold during the 20th century alone, and UN has projected in 2012 that “Africa and Asia together will account for 86 per cent of all growth in the world's urban population over the next four decades.”

So, what are the “Local Responses” from Africa and Asia to these “Global Challenges”?

29 authors from 16 countries of Africa, Asia, America and Europe try to answer the question. Albinus Mkota Pastory Makalle (Tanzania) Benny Teh Cheng Guan, Ibrahim Abu Bakar (Malaysia) Carina America, Martina Jordaan (South Africa) Darwis Khudori (Indonesia/France) Deden Rukmana (Indonesia/USA) Dokun Oyeshola, Favour Temitope Jiboye, Martin Uadiale, Meshach Ofuafor, Rasheed Olaniyi, Toju Ogbe (Nigeria) Eka Swadiansa, Invani Lela Herliana (Indonesia) Eric O. Okuku, James G. Kairo, Judith A. Okello (Kenya) John Walsh (UK/Thailand) Kaarina Kailo (Finland) Kong Linghong, Zhu Rong (China) Nguyen Dac Nhu-Mai (Vietnam) Oscar Gakuo Mwangi (Lesotho) Roland Lin Chih-Hung (Taiwan/France) Sagarika Suri, Swati Janu (India) Yukio Kamino (Japan)

THE DYNAMIC OF INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES IN AFRICA, ASIA AND EUROPE: The Challenge for Education in International Exchanges in a Perspetive of Common Well-being in a Sustainable World

DK — 2011-11-25T00:02:00Z

A Series of Conferences, Workshops, Socio-cultural Visits in Jakarta, Bandung and Bali, November 14-20, 2011, in conjunction with the ASEAN and EAST ASIA SUMMITS 2011.

Since the last decade, we witness the rise of economic exchanges between Africa and Asia. All the economic powers of Asia have developed economic relations and organised summits with Africa: Japan-Africa (since 1993), China-Africa (since 2006), Korea-Africa (since 2006), India-Africa (since 2008), Turkey-Africa (since 2008), Iran-Africa (since 2010). In 2008, China alone has surpassed the USA and the EU in its trade with Africa. In term of intercontinental trade, Asia has become the most important partner of Africa, followed by the USA and the EU.

Yet, the place of Africa in international trade remains marginal. The initiative of exchanges with Africa comes mostly from outside Africa. There is a risk that Africa continues to be an object instead of subject initiator of exchanges and that the destiny of African people is to be decided by others.

This situation raises several questions: can international trade really bring peace and prosperity to all the parties involved; is it likely to lead to a “win-win” situation; is the present system of international trade suitable with the requirements of common well-being and sustainable world? Where is the place of Europe in this new configuration? Is there any role Europe ought to play?

The conference-workshop has ended as planned. See the EAAE REPORT SUMMARY

CALL FOR PUBLICATIONS

DK — 2011-11-15T11:15:00Z

Three books are planned to be launched in the following dates:

1. End of October 2012: DIVERSITY IN AFRICA AND ASIA: Discourses and Realities

2. End of July 2012: RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN AFRICA AND ASIA: Condition, Motor, Obstacle or Goal of Sustainable Development?

3. End of April 2012: TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGY: Global Challenges and Local Responses in Africa and Asia

Those willing to contribute a paper for the publication are invited to consult the following TOR:

CODESRIA-Guide for Authors

- PUBLICATION

55 BANDUNG 55

DK — 2011-06-24T15:57:00Z

DIVERSITY IN GLOBALISED SOCIETY:

The Role of Africa and Asia for a Sustainable World.

55 Years after Bandung Asian-African Conference 1955

A series of conferences, seminars, workshops and festivals in Asia, Africa and other parts of the world in 2009 and 2010 in the framework of a commemoration of the 55th anniversary of Bandung Asian-African Conference 1955

INTRODUCTION

The 1955 Bandung Asian-African Conference was a major event of 20th century world history. It was for the first time in history that the representatives of former colonised countries got together and proposed alternatives to the hegemony of superpowers. The conference then was known as the birth date of the Third World, the Emerging Forces, the Developing Countries. It gave the mark to the end of colonialism and the entry of Africa and Asia in the international political scene. It has initiated the making of Non-Aligned Movement, an alternative way between the two blocs of superpowers of the Cold War. It has contributed considerably to the evolution of humanity towards a more just and peaceful world.

The spirit underlying the conference is known under the name of “Bandung Spirit”. In substance, it is a call for a peaceful coexistence among the nations, for a liberation from colonialism, from the system of domination, from the hegemony of superpowers, for a solidarity towards the poor, the colonised, the marginalized, the weak and those weakened by the world order. The Bandung Spirit brings therefore a universal message. It allows the peoples from Africa and Asia, but also from other parts of the world who share its message, to unite their force for an alternative to the two blocks of superpowers. It is to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the 1955 Bandung Asian-African Conference that 55 BANDUNG 55 was organised. The name 55 BANDUNG 55 represents a series of events (academic and civil society conferences, seminars, workshops and cultural festivals) organised along the year 2009-2010 in Africa, Asia and Europe, in the framework of the commemoration. The series was started by an inaugural conference in Indonesia (Jakarta, Bandung and Yogyakarta, April 2009), followed by a conference in Morocco (Rabat, May 2009), in France (Paris, November 2009 and February 2010; Le Havre, March 2010), in Algeria (Algiers, May 2010) and ended by a summit in Indonesia (Yogyakarta, Bandung, Jakarta, North Moluccas, October-November 2010).

THEME AND SUB-THEMES

The year 2010 has been declared by the UN as the Year of Biodiversity. Diversity has been recognised largely as a fundamental condition for the survival of the planet. However, this diversity has been suffering from impoverishment, as indicated among others by the continuous disappearance of rare species, languages and civilisations. The world society has come to be aware of this situation especially since the end of the 20th century, thanks to the progress of science and technology accompanied by the rise of global civil society movements. For thinkers and activists of social and solidarity movements, the main reason of this impoverishment is a type of globalisation, which is dominated by economical and materialist interests, which has appeared to be a single model of development, which puts on the top of priorities material productivity and profit, which transforms nature into commercial commodities, which pushes people to be greedy consumers. This globalisation is led by a small number of economically rich countries, but which take the major part of natural resources of the planet for their own profit, comfort, pleasure and security. It is this single model of development that threatens the survival of the planet, because it would need natural resources of several planets if the whole world follows the model. That is why an alternative model of development is needed if human beings wish a sustainable world.

This alternative model would certainly not be the one that threatens the diversity of life. In the contrary, it should be the one that supports it, that allows to live and develop nature and human beings whatever their skin colour, conviction, ethnic belonging, or mode of life. This model would certainly not be based on the worldview that perceives the diversity of civilisation as successive steps from lower to higher, from less to more, from misery to nobility, but as a continuous process in which diverse modes of life take place, meet, interfere and mix up. Today, all societies in the world are divided by five civilisations following the modes of life of their inhabitants, either inside a country or among the nations. These five modes of life are nomadism, agriculture, trade, industry and digital. The problem starts when one perceives that one civilisation is inferior to another, and that one civilisation pretending to be superior tries to dominate, eliminate or change by force the other.

The challenge of globalisation for a sustainable world is therefore how to deal with diversity of life so that it becomes source of happiness and prosperity, and not source of conflicts and calamities. And Africa and Asia are the huge pool of diversity, either in term of culture, ecology, economy, politics, or religion and spirituality. Within the context of globalisation dominated by short term economical and materialist interests leading to a single model of development and threatening the survival of the earth, Africa and Asia, as the source and as the pool of diversity, must be theoretically able to contribute in directing globalisation towards a sustainable world. How is it possible?

To answer this question, the diversity is to be studied according to its five dimensions, which become the sub-themes of the conference: Culture, Ecology, Economy, Politics, Religion. Since Ecology has developed into two major scientific fields, which are Environment (natural) and City (built environment), it was divided into two sub-sub-themes following these two scientific fields.

OBJECTIVE

The activities have been organised in order to set up and develop cooperation between civil society organisations of Africa, Asia, Europe and other parts of the world who share the Bandung Spirit described previously. More precisely, the activities have been carried out in the form of conferences, seminars and workshops on experiences, knowledge, reflections and concerns related to diversity issues, and the possibilities of cooperation between civil society organisations. These main activities have been enriched by sociocultural visits, encounters and events. Selected papers of the conferences, seminars and workshops will be disseminated through a series of publications.

SITUATION AU BURKINA FASO

DK — 2011-04-18T19:26:10Z

Depuis février 2011 la situation nationale du Burkina Faso est marquée par la succession de manifestations populaires civiles et des mutineries qui prennent de plus en plus d'ampleurs. La Déclaration du Comité international Joseph Ki-Zerbo ci-après résume les faits et formule quelques commentaires. Elle a été diffusée à 500 exemplaires lors de la marche de la Coalition nationale contre la vie chère, le 8 avril 2011 à Ouagadougou D'autres prises de position seront faites en fonction de l'évolution de la situation.

DECLARATION DU C.I.J.K.

- EDITORIAL

CALL FOR PUBLICATIONS

DK — 2011-03-02T04:42:00Z

Three books are planned to be launched in the following dates:

1. End of July 2011: DIVERSITY IN AFRICA AND ASIA: Discourses and Realities

2. End of October 2011: RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN AFRICA AND ASIA: Condition, Motor, Obstacle or Goal of Sustainable Development?

3. End of October 2011: TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE CITY: Global Challenges and Local Responses in Africa and Asia

Those willing to contribute a paper for the publication are invited to consult the following TOR:

TOR-General http://www.bandungspirit.org/IMG/pd...

TOR-Religion http://www.bandungspirit.org/IMG/pd...

TOR-City http://www.bandungspirit.org/IMG/pd...

CODESRIA-Guide for Authors http://www.bandungspirit.org/IMG/pd...

ECHO CRESCENDO DE L'ESPRIT DE 55 BANDUNG 55 VERSUS LA MONTEE DE LA VIOLENCE DANS LE MONDE ARABE

DK — 2011-02-13T05:08:26Z

ECHO CRESCENDO DE L'ESPRIT DE 55 BANDUNG 55 VERSUS LA MONTEE DE LA VIOLENCE DANS LE MONDE ARABE

"Peuples des Nations Unies, munissez vous de l'Esprit de 55 Bandung 55 et soutenez en chœur les révoltés tunisiens de la Révolution du Jasmin et ne soyez pas complices de la police égyptienne qui a abattu 17 personnes dans leur tentative d'attaquer deux commissariats de police dans le gouvernorat de Beni Souef, à une centaine de km au sud du Caire. Soyez en contact avec les manifestants en Jordanie contre la hausse des prix et la corruption et les habitants de la bande de Gaza formant ces derniers jours de longues files devant les pompes à essence, craignant une pénurie de carburant importé clandestinement d'Egypte par des tunnels creusés sous la frontière. Les exploitants de ces tunnels accueillant la population en colère, ont expliqué que les livraisons de carburant et d'autres produits de contrebande au fil des jours se sont effondrées et ont atteint leur niveau le plus bas. Par ailleurs, à Alger la longue cordée des pompiers pour venir à bout des incendies des bâtiments publics laisse croire que le monde arabe va réseauter pour appeler à l'arrêt des violences, à la libération de toutes les personnes arrêtées ou placées en résidence surveillée pour des motifs politiques, y compris les personnalités politiques, et harmonieusement à mettre en oeuvre le processus de réforme nécessaire dans les pays concernés. Au nom de la coexistence pacifique et pour la démocratie, donnons nous la main en faveur de la solution pacifique et la recherche de la négociation. Ensuite, à la lueur du retour au calme des esprits et des cœurs, nous pourrons nous réjouir en participant à de joyeuses agapes.

Nguyen Dac Nhu-Mai

Membre du Comité de pilotage de 55 Bandung 55

- EDITORIAL

TESTIMONY

DK — 2011-02-13T04:59:43Z

We were lucky that the activity of Merapi volcano did not disturb our seminars and workshops in Yogyakarta. Serious eruption started only to affect Yogyakarta city when we have already arrived in Bandung. The villages around the volcano were flooded by hot clouds, hundreds of people and animals died or dissapeared, thousands of villagers were evacuated to the safe places, the Yogyakarta city was covered by ashes and the Yogyakarta airport was temporary closed. The situation has not come back to normal up to the present.

The event has provoked impressions, emotions, nostalgy, reflections among the international participants.

The testimony of Nadia Chettab from Algeria below represents well the feeling.

SOUS LES NUAGES DU MERAPI

Jogjakarta, tu nous as accueillis avec un Merapi en éveil,

Ton nuage lourd et épais n'a pu cacher tes merveilles,

Ta robe couleur cendre a fait ressortir le rouge brique accueillant de ta toiture à la javanaise,

Tes nuées ardentes d'avalanche n'ont fait que raviver les couleurs incandescentes de ta nature rutilante,

Tes coulées pyroclastiques n'ont pu ébranler tes hommes et la foudre accompagnant tes éruptions n'a pu rivaliser avec l'éclat de ton université,

Qu'on t'appelle Merapi ou montagne de feu, tu es ce majestueux mont aux douceurs âpres qui génèrent la vie de cette riche aquarelle,

N'est ce pas là, les fondements de la dynamique de développement qui te porte

Fresque d'ethnies, de religions et de cultures,

Indonésie, tu renfermes tant de diversités et de paradoxes qui en font ta force.

Nadia Chettab