On this day in 1955 the Bandung conference came to a close. At this conference different countries from Asia and Africa, who had recently gained independence, met to discuss economic and cultural cooperation and their opposition to colonialism and neocolonialism. 

In 1955 many countries in Asia and Africa were still colonized by European powers. The participants of the Bandung called upon all nations to respect territorial and national sovereignty. They were also worried about new forms of colonialism (neocolonialism) happening in Eastern Europe as Soviet influence and control were growing there. Similar things could be said about American influence in the West. The participating countries agreed to denounce all forms of colonialism. 

The participants of the Bandung conference, together with other nations such as Yugoslavia, would later meet in Cairo (1957) and Belgrade (1961) and eventually formed the non-alignment movement. This meant that they would not align themselves with the US or Soviet Union and their 'blocs'. 

The term 'Third World' is derived from this movement. The capitalist West was called the First World, the communist East became the Second World and all other non-aligned countries belonged to the Third World. Nowadays this term has a negative connotation and is used to describe underdeveloped and/or poor countries in the world, mostly in Africa and Asia.  

Originally posted on Instagram on April 24, 2021