The 9th Biennial Conference of the
Asian Society of International Law (2023)
Theme:
“Reconstructing the Bandung Spirit for Asia to Lead in the New Era of International Law”
7 – 10 August 2023
Depok – Bandung, Indonesia
Organized by:
Universitas Indonesia, Faculty of Law
Universitas Achmad Yani
Asian Society of International Law
BACKGROUND
The Bandung Conference (1955) marked a significant progress in the development of international law in Asia, and indeed globally. Under the leadership of the then Indonesian President Soekarno, the Bandung Conference represented a major leap in the history of international law and later shaped the new international legal order.
The legacy of Western nations most often dominates the history of international law, which for a time involved only the so-called “civilized” nations or Western countries. The Bandung Conference was tremendously important in changing this status quo by supporting Asian and African countries in their anti-colonial campaign to push for independence and gain recognition under international law and membership at the United Nations (UN). The Conference also left an economic legacy, as it led to the UN Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, which is part of a set of proposals by the Non-Aligned Movement.
The Bandung Conference also helped newly independent nations to gain ground in negotiations of international treaties. For instance, in negotiating the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, many Asian and African states struggled to protect their jurisdictions at sea, in terms of exclusive economic zones, and the maritime territory attached to archipelagic states. The Convention not only successfully promoted decolonization, but also accommodated the economic interests of many newly independent and developing states.
Today, the spirit of the Bandung Conference is still very relevant for many reasons. For instance, the current geopolitical rivalry between major powers creates fear of foreign state intervention and global disruption. In this regard, the spirit of non-alignment of the Bandung Conference, which sought to mediate these tensions, and its commitment to world peace are very crucial.
Furthermore, today the international order has changed dramatically. There are now 193 countries in the UN, all with equal status under international law. International law is no longer monopolized by Western countries. Despite this ostensibly equal footing, Asian and African states still do not play a large role in the development of international law. Most international institutions are still located in the Global North and serve the interests of Western countries.
Therefore, the 9th Biennial Conference of Asian Society of International Law aims to revisit the historical Bandung Conference and provide momentum for Asia to reflect on its current and future involvement in the international legal order.
The Conference will be composed of two events:
- The Junior Scholar Workshop, a half-day workshop to be held at Universitas Indonesia, Faculty of Law, in Depok, Indonesia, on 7 August 2023, and
- The Biennial Conference of the Asian Society of International Law to be held in Bandung, Indonesia, on 8 and 9 August 2023.
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