Museum of The Asian-African Conference

Museum of The Asian-African Conference

The Asian-African Conference which was held on 18th to 24th April 1955 in Bandung gained a big success both in formulating common concerns and in preparing operational guidance for cooperation among Asian African Nation as well as in creating world order and world peace. The conference has had a result Dasasila Bandung, which became the guideline for the colonized countries in fighting for their independence. It also became the fundamental principles in promoting world peace and international cooperation. The success of the conference was not only for the time being but also for the time after so that the soul and spirit of the Asian-African Conference becomes one of the most important factor that deciding world history.

All is a huge prestige that gained by the Asian African Nations. The spirit of Bandung had succeeded in widening the work volume among Asian African Nations. As a consequence, their influence and their role in international cooperation are increased and more respected.
In order to maintain those mentions above, it is important if the Asian-African Conference with its event is maintained eternally in a museum where the conference was held, Gedung Merdeka, Bandung, a city that is considered as a capital city and a source of inspiration for the Asian-African Nations.

As a Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Dr. Mochtar Kusumaatmadja, S.H., LL.M., often met and got involved in some discussions with some of the Asian African Leaders. They frequently asked him about Gedung Merdeka and City of Bandung, which was the venue of the Asian-African Conference. The discussions were always ended with their wishes to be able to visit Bandung and Gedung Merdeka.

Inspired by desires to eternalize the Asian-African Conference, the idea of establishing a Museum of the Asian-African Conference in Gedung Merdeka was born by Prof. Dr. Mochtar Kusumaatmadja, S.H., LL.M.. The idea was delivered in the meeting of the Committee for the Commemoration of the 25th Anniversary of the Asian-African Conference (1980), which was attended by Directorate General of Culture, Prof. Dr. Haryati Soebadio as a representative for the Department of Culture and Education. Fortunately, the idea was fully supported including President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soeharto

The idea of establishing the Museum of the Asian-African Conference had been materialized by Joop Ave, the Executive Chairman of the Committee of the 25th Anniversary of the Asian-African Conference and Director General of Protocol and Consular in the Department of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with Department of Information, Department of Education and Culture, the Provincial Government of West Java, and Padjadjaran University. The technical planning and its execution was carried out by PT Decenta, Bandung.

The Museum of the Asian-African Conference was inaugurated by President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soeharto on 24th April 1980 as the culmination of the 25th Anniversary of the Asian-African Conference.


FACILITIES

1. PERMANENT EXHIBITION ROOM

Museum of the Asian-African Conference has a permanent exhibition room, which exhibits collections of three-dimension objects and documentary photos of Tugu Meeting, Colombo Conference, and Asian-African Conference 1955.
The exhibition room also provides:
- the historical events that become the historical background of the Asian- African Conference;
- the effect of the Asian-African Conference to the world;
- Gedung Merdeka from time to time;
- Profile of the participant countries of the Asian-African Conference that are performed in the multimedia.

In order to welcome the Delegates of the Tenth Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1992 in which Indonesia had been chosen as the host of the conference and became the Leader of the Non-Aligned Movement, the diorama describing the Opening Session of the Asian-African Conference was made.

Renovation of the Permanent Exhibition Room “The History of the Asian African Conference 1955”

In the framework of the Asian-African Summit 2005 and the 50th Anniversary of the Asian-African Conference on 22 - 24 April 2005, initiated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. N. Hassan Wirajuda, the display of the exhibition room at the Museum of the Asian-African Conference was renovated. The renovation was materialized through the cooperation among Department of Foreign Affairs, Secretariat of State, and Provincial Government of West Java. The planning and the execution were carried out by Vico Design and Wika Realty.

The Groundwork of Making the Permanent Exhibition Room “History of the Struggle of the Asia Africa” and Hall of the National Identity of the Asian African Countries (2008)

Department of Foreign Affairs RI has a plan to develop the Museum of the Asian African Conference as a symbol of cooperation between two regions and develop it as a study center, the archive center, and documentation center. One of its efforts is by making some permanent exhibition rooms that perform some pictures and three dimension objects concerning the New Asian African Strategic Partnership / NAASP also some materials that describe the culture of both regions.

The establishment of the museum is planned to be real in April 2008l 2008, on the 3rd Anniversary of the Asian African Summit.


2. LIBRARY

The library provides many books on history, social, politic, and culture of the Asian African Countries and others; documents of the Asian-African Conference and its preliminary conferences; magazines and newspapers donated from other institutions or gained by purchase.

Along with the extension of the permanent exhibition rooms on April 2008, the library will also be developed as an Asian African Library Center which its process will be started in 2007. it is hoped that the library will be the main source of information about those two regions that provide some facilities such as wifi zone, bookshop café, digitall library and audio visual library.


3. AUDIO VISUAL

As well as the library, the audio visual was built in 1985. the presence of this museum is also inspired by Abdullah Kamil.

The room is applied to perform documentary films on world condition until 1950s, Asian-African Conference and its preliminary conferences, and films about the social, politic, and culture condition of the Asian-African Countries.


Open for public:

Monday-Friday 08.00-15.00 WIB

Contact:

Museum of The Asian-African Conference
Jl. Asia Afrika No. 65, Bandung 40111

Phone : (+62-22) 4233564/ 4238031
Fax : (+62-22) 4238031
E-mail : info@asianafrican-museum.org
Website : http://www.asianafrican-museum.org/