Bandung Peace Week 2024 (BPW) is an annual event held by the Initiative of Change Indonesia every September in order to commemorate the International Day of Peace which falls on September 21 every year. 

BPW was inspired by the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference, one of Indonesia's legacies for world peace. The conference also marked the birth of the Non-Aligned movement, which sought to stop the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The conference, which was attended by 29 leaders from Asia and Africa, discussed the problems faced by the former colonial countries of the West, especially Africa, which is still in the process of independence. The outcome of this conference gave birth to 10 important points that were later called Dasa Sila Bandung which expressed support for world peace and cooperation. 

This year, Bandung Peace Week 2024 took the theme “Action for Peace: The Journey of Healing toward a Culture of Peace” with the spirit that each of us has a role to play in achieving peace in the personal sphere as well as in the global sphere. 

BPW this year received an enormous success as we can see the summary of Bandung Peace Week as follow:

What do they say about BPW?

The aspirations for "peace" from events such as Bandung Peace Week could include several things that I can take, such as:
    Enhancing Intercultural Dialogue 
    Strengthening Peace Education
    Global Collaboration on Environmental Issues
    Equitable Economic Development
    Strengthening the Role of Youth

Amiel Nubaha

"It just happened that I saw the info of BPW from social media and asked Huda whether I could join. It turned out that the Quiet time session had become my retreat and had a deep reflection on the victimhood that I carried as the pastor of that leading church which was closed and rejected. I found strength and energy not to give up but to continue creating peace within me, with my family and with the community”.

Pastor Obertina from GKP Bandung

"Bandung Peace Week is Magic. For me it is a place to connect and reconnect with new friends who are new to IofC. They come, join and learn from the sessions
I want to forgive the person that hurt me and to be forgiven by those I’ve hurt."

Miftahul Huda, Committee of BPW

"The important thing is how to deal with conflict, despite the conflict itself. I want to let go of the bad things that are holding me back, so that I can move on."

Zainuddin, Philippines

"I learned so much from the Bandung Peace Week to choose wisely our energy and vibration such as love, purity, perseverance and forgiveness, instead of the energy of war, hatred, hurt. Second, implementing the values from the Bandung Peace Week on a daily basis."

Yusep Abdurrahman, Indonesia

"As I live in a foreign city, I sometimes feel lonely, I never share my story with others. but in Bandung Peace Week, I could share my stories and it feels comfortable. People in IofC listen to understand and not to reply. So thank you IofC."

Deo Nardo Valentino, Committee of BPW

"In Bandung Peace Week, I found that:
Safe spaces are created in the Bandung Peace Week, even though it is so limited through screens, but I do believe that everyone or some feels the same as me, we shared in the breakout room, I feel heard. They are focused, open the camera and willing to be there and listen to the story.
Listening to the stories from every speaker/activist, everyone is vulnerable as they are, and the stories are as genuine as they are. Everyone who works for specific issues whether it is for family issues, trauma healing, trust building, working on peace shred their struggles without any masks, without the urge to look good, everyone comes with their vulnerability and genuine
Bandung Peace Week sessions remind me that while we are doing social work, we need to start from the foundation of understanding that the wisdom and voices are in everyone’s inner heart.  We need to see people around the same page with me and others, serving people is to care for their spiritual growth, not to fulfill my unmet needs, I am responsible for my own inner work.
I also asked for forgiveness from my old friend.
Yes this week I got corrections, direction and action."

Rinni Meir, Committee of BPW

"While we are promoting peace, there is something that I wish we do not forget, yes we can forgive but we can’t forget the wrongs that have been done, but there is a role we should not miss and that is like in our culture; as Muslims we should invite people to do good and ask them to leave all what is evil (Al Amru bil ma’ruf, wannahya anil munkar)."

Dr. Afaf Badran, Saudi Arabia/Egypt

Miftahul Huda, Nur Hayati Syafii

Editor & Proofreader: Peter Heyes