Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Asian-African Conference Festival in Jakarta, Dr. Yahya Jahangiri warned that the nations of Asia and Africa have suffered not only the colonization of their lands, but also the colonization of their historical narratives. He declared that it is the duty of the younger generation to restore the historical dignity of these nations.
The event, hosted by Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia under the theme “Rethinking the Asian-African Conference for the Younger Generation,” drew government officials, ambassadors, intellectuals, and youth leaders.
Jahangiri opened his remarks by paying homage to the resilience of the Iranian nation, specifically mourning the students killed in a classroom attack in Minab. "Those children could have become future contributors to science, art, medicine, philosophy, and human culture," he stated.
Bandung: A Turning Point for the Oppressed
The Iranian diplomat hailed the historic 1955 Bandung Conference as a foundational moment in global political thought, far exceeding a mere political gathering. "Bandung was a turning point that demonstrated the nations of Asia and Africa were no longer mere subjects of history, but had become makers of history themselves," Jahangiri asserted.
He stressed that the conference's principles—independence, national sovereignty, equality among nations, peaceful coexistence, and global solidarity—are vital tools today in confronting social polarization, narrative warfare, economic inequality, and geopolitical rivalries.
The Rise of Multi-Diplomacy
Jahangiri introduced the concept of "multi-diplomacy," insisting that statecraft is no longer the exclusive domain of government institutions. He identified professors, students, artists, media outlets, and religious leaders as key new actors on the diplomatic stage, describing the shift as the "popularization of diplomacy."
"A film, book, or cultural festival can leave a deeper impact on public opinion than years of political negotiations," he noted. He emphasized that within the Islamic Republic’s policy framework, cultural diplomacy engages directly with the minds, identities, and historical memory of nations, making it the deepest form of diplomacy.
Iran and Indonesia: A Civilizational Bridge
Highlighting the shared civilizational and Islamic heritage of Iran and Indonesia, Jahangiri urged that the expansion of ties between Tehran and Jakarta must move beyond politics and economics. He called for strengthened cooperation in university research, cinema, literature, interfaith dialogue, student exchanges, and the translation of academic works to solidify a unified cultural front.
Your Comment