Bandung Peace Week 2025: From Bandung to the World, Reviving a Spirit of Dialogue and Solidarity
Bandung, Indonesia — September 22, 2025
Initiatives of Change (IofC) Indonesia officially opens Bandung Peace Week (BPW) 2025, a week-long international gathering from 22 to 27 September 2025. This year’s theme, “From Bandung to the World; Advancing Peace through Dialogue and Solidarity,” draws deeply from the city’s historic role in the global struggle for justice and independence.
Seventy years ago, Bandung became the stage for the 1955 Asian–African Conference, where leaders of newly independent nations stood together to reject colonialism and oppression in all forms. From that meeting emerged the Dasa Sila Bandung, ten principles that inspired movements of solidarity, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence. Today, in a world facing new fractures of war, inequality, and distrust, BPW 2025 seeks to carry that same spirit forward, offering a platform where dialogue and solidarity can once again serve as bridges toward peace.
Chairperson of BPW 2025, Anisa Eka Putri, reflected on this historical continuity, stating, “The inspiration comes from the spirit of the Asian–African Conference held here in Bandung seventy years ago—where nations declared that every country must be free from colonialism and oppression in any form.” Her words remind participants that Bandung is not only a place of memory but also a living symbol of resilience and cooperation that continues to speak to the present.
This year’s BPW brings together speakers, performers, and participants from across the globe, with representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, India, England, France, Lebanon, Fiji, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, China, United States of America. The international character of the event is further strengthened by the involvement of organizations and communities such as the Akasha Learning Companionship Association of Malaysia, the Asia Pacific Coordination Group (APCG) of Initiatives of Change, EQ Family Taiwan, and Creators of Peace (CoP) Australia. The program is marked by the presence of Reverend Obertina as keynote speaker, while prayers for peace led by Koh Akyun (Fam Kiun Fat), Nita, Dhammara, and Sister Rene embody the interfaith harmony that lies at the heart of BPW.
Bandung Peace Week 2025 unfolds across two stages. The first takes place online from 22 to 26 September, offering participants worldwide the chance to join sessions of inner listening, workshops for healing, and plenary dialogues addressing themes such as reconciliation, education for change, sustainability, and family reconciliation. The second stage takes place in person on 27 and 28 September at Rumah Damai in Bandung. There, peace will be expressed not only through words but through art, music, poetry, exhibitions, and communal gatherings, a celebration of cultural diversity as a pathway toward trust and understanding.
Executive Director of IofC Indonesia, Miftahul Huda, highlighted the voluntary spirit and energy behind the event. “I am proud and inspired by BPW 2025, especially by the speakers and supporting teams who voluntarily contribute. We received enthusiastic responses from young people eager to be part of BPW. This is a crucial moment to reflect on the global situation and to find inspiration for becoming peaceful individuals who contribute to a just and peaceful world. Beyond reflection, we also invite participants to take real action, including solidarity for Gaza through donations,” he said. His statement underlines how BPW not only provides space for reflection but also channels the desire for concrete acts of compassion and solidarity in times of crisis.
The reach of BPW extends across continents and communities. International participants are joining from Australia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Taiwan, India, USA, and beyond, while Indonesian audiences represent a wide spectrum of society, from Jakarta and Tegal to Yogyakarta, Tana Toraja, Wamena, Nabire, and Makassar. Their presence underscores that peace is not a distant aspiration reserved for policymakers, but a lived commitment embraced by diverse communities across geography, culture, and belief.
By invoking the memory of the Asian–African Conference and the values of the Dasa Sila Bandung, BPW 2025 positions Bandung once again as a meeting point for global solidarity. It is a call to remember that unity in diversity and respect across borders remain essential foundations for peace. Just as Bandung once inspired nations to break free from colonialism, today it inspires citizens of the world to confront new forms of division and injustice with courage, dialogue, and solidarity.
Media Contact
Riri Lestari | +62 838-7654-0205 | riri.lestari@iofc.org [1]
About IofC Indonesia
Initiatives of Change is a global movement committed to building trust across divides of culture, community, and nation. In Indonesia, IofC has been active through reconciliation programs, interfaith dialogue, and youth initiatives to strengthen peace, trust, and social cohesion.