A Personal Reflection: From Bandung to the World

In 1955, President Sukarno of Indonesia opened the first intercontinental conference of Asian and African nations in Bandung—a historic moment that brought together the formerly colonized, the once voiceless, to unite in pursuit of peace, dignity, and freedom. In today’s era of resurging autocracies, ecological and technological threats, and deepening division, his words echo with renewed urgency. This blog explores some of Sukarno’s most powerful quotes and the enduring relevance of his message for courageous leadership, unity in diversity, and moral responsibility in a fractured world.

Learnings from President Sukarno's Speech in Bandung

I stumbled across the very hall in which this speech was delivered, now part of a small museum, nestled in my birthplace of Bandung, Indonesia. Reading the words carved in plaques and posters, and feeling the weight of history, I couldn’t help but be moved. This is the land of my early years—before my family moved to West Papua, where my parents served among the remote Dani people. Though not the home of my European ancestors, this land and her peoples are etched into my story, the beginning of my journey.

Sukarno's address is a rallying cry to the underside of power, to the marginalised and the ignored, to rise with dignity and courage. His voice still reverberates as a blueprint for courageous, ethical, and heart-led leadership that our world so desperately needs. As I speak and lead today, I carry this spirit with me—for my family, my community, and our global future.

12 Inspiring Quotes from Sukarno's 1955 Bandung Speech:

1. "This is the first intercontinental conference of coloured peoples in the history of mankind!"

2. "We are again masters in our own house. We do not need to go to other continents to confer."

3. "Independence without ethics and without morality would be indeed a poor imitation of what we sought."

4. "Be guided by hopes and determination, be guided by ideals, and, yes, be guided by dreams!"

5. "Conflict comes not from variety of skins, nor from variety of religion, but from variety of desires."

6. "Wherever, whenever and however it appears, colonialism is an evil thing, and one which must be eradicated from the earth."

7. "There is no such thing as being half free, as there is no such thing as being half alive."

8. "We can mobilise what I have called the Moral Violence of Nations in favour of peace."

9. "Let this Conference be a great success! Make the 'Live and let live' principle and the 'Unity in Diversity' motto the unifying force which brings us all together."

10. "Perhaps now more than at any other moment in the history of the world... government and statesmanship need to be based upon the highest code of morality and ethics."

11. "Let us not be bitter about the past, but let us keep our eyes firmly on the future."

12. "The highest purpose of man is the liberation of man from his bonds of fear, his bonds of human degradation, his bonds of poverty."

Why This Speech Still Matters

This is more than a historical artifact; it's a manifesto for the kind of leadership we need now. Sukarno reminds us that true power comes not from weapons or domination, but from moral clarity, unity, and courageous action. In the face of authoritarianism, conflict, ecological collapse, and growing inequality, his voice calls us back to a deeper humanity.

Nearly 70 years later, we still find ourselves grappling with the same tensions. Sukarno foresaw a world where mankind had mastered technology but struggled to govern with wisdom and compassion:

"Man can chain lightning to his command—can he control the society in which he lives? The answer is No! The political skill of man has been far outstripped by technical skill, and what he has made he cannot be sure of controlling."

That was 1955. And yet, it feels like today.

We’ve built machines that speak, fly, fight, and predict—but still falter in our ability to lead with wisdom, build just economies, or solve global problems together. The temptation for power remains strong. Leaders exploit fear, driven by ideologies of control rather than service. Sukarno saw this and warned:

"Fear is an acid which etches man's actions into curious patterns. Be guided by hopes and determination, be guided by ideals, and, yes, be guided by dreams!"

This message calls to us. We need leaders who are not manipulated by fear, but who act from hope, guided by higher human values—courage, unity, empathy, and the pursuit of peace.

Diversity is not a threat. It is the wellspring of resilience. Unity is not sameness. It is solidarity across difference. Leadership is not control. It is responsibility, humility, and sacrifice for the greater good.

These words and sentiments from Sukarno’s speech cut to the core of what I mean when I say we must be outrageously courageous.

• Full Transcript of President Sukarno’s Opening Address at the Asian-African Conference, Bandung, April 18, 1955:

  Your Excellencies,

  Ladies and Gentlemen, Sisters and Brothers.

  It is my great honour and privilege on this historic day to bid you welcome to Indonesia. On behalf of the people and government of Indonesia - your hosts - I beg your understanding and forbearance if some circumstances in our country do not meet your expectation. We have, I assure you, done our best to make your stay amongst us memorable for both our guests and your hosts. We hope that the warmth of our welcome will compensate for whatever material shortcomings there may be.

  As I survey this hall and the distinguished guests gathered here, my heart is filled with emotion. This is the first intercontinental conference of coloured peoples in the history of mankind! I am proud that my country is your host. I am happy that you were able to accept the invitations extended by the Five Sponsoring Countries.

  But also I cannot restrain feelings of sadness when I recall the tribulations through which many of our peoples

  have so recently passed, tribulations which have exacted a heavy toll in life, in material things, and in the things of the spirit.

  I recognise that we are gathered here today as a result of sacrifices. Sacrifices made by our forefathers and by the people of our own and younger generations. For me, this hall is filled not only by the leaders of the nations of Asia and Africa; it also contains within its walls the undying, the indomitable, the invincible spirit of those who went before us. Their struggle and sacrifice paved the way for this meeting of the highest representatives of independent and sovereign nations from two of the biggest continents of the globe.

  It is a new departure in the history of the world that leaders of Asian and African peoples can meet together in their own countries to discuss and deliberate upon matters of common concern. Only a few decades ago it was frequently necessary to travel to other countries and even other continents before the spokesmen of our peoples could confer.

  I recall in this connection the Conference of the "League Against Imperialism and Colonialism" which was held in Brussels almost thirty years ago. At that Conference many distinguished Delegates who are present here today met each other and found new strength in their fight for independence.

  But that was a meeting place thousands of miles away, amidst foreign people, in a foreign country, in a foreign continent. It was not assembled there by choice, but by necessity.

  Today the contrast is great. Our nations and countries are colonies no more. Now we are free, sovereign and independent. We are again masters in our own house. We do not need to go to other continents to confer.

  Already there have been important meetings of Asian States in Asia itself. If we look for the forerunner of this our great gathering, we must look to Colombo, capital of independent Çri Lanka, and to the Conference of the five Prime Ministers which was held there in 1954. And the Bogor Conference in December 1954 showed that the road ahead was clear for Asian-African solidarity, and the Conference to which I have the honour of welcoming you today is the realisation of that solidarity. Indeed, I am proud that my country is your host.

  But my thoughts are not wholly of the honour which is Indonesia's today. No. My mind is for a part darkened by other considerations.

  You have not gathered together in a world of peace and unity and cooperation. Great chasms yawn between nations and groups of nations. Our unhappy world is torn and tortured, and the peoples of all countries walk in fear lest, through no fault of theirs, the dogs of war are unchained once again.

  And if in spite of all that the peoples may do, this should happen. What then? What of our newly-recovered independence then? What of our children and our parents?

  The burden of the delegates to this Conference is not a light one, for I know that these questions - which are questions of the life or death of humanity itself - must be on your minds, as they are on mine. And the nations of Asia and Africa cannot, even if they wish to, avoid their part in finding solutions to these problems.

  For that is part of the duties of independence itself. That is part of the price we gladly pay for our independence. For many generations our peoples have been the voiceless ones in the world. We have been the unregarded, the peoples for whom decisions were made by others whose interests were paramount, the peoples who lived in poverty and humiliation. Then our nations demanded, nay fought for independence, and achieved

  independence, and with that independence came responsibility. We have heavy responsibilities to ourselves, and to the world, and to the yet unborn generations. But we do not regret them.

  In 1945, the first year of our national revolution, we of Indonesia were confronted with the question of what we were going to do with our independence when it was finally attained and secured - we never questioned that it would be attained and secured. We knew how to oppose and destroy. Then we were suddenly confronted with the necessity of giving content and meaning to our independence. Not material content and meaning only, but also ethical and moral content, for independence without ethics and without morality would be indeed a poor imitation of what we sought. The responsibilities and burdens, the rights and duties and privileges of independence must be seen as part of the ethical and moral content of independence.

  Indeed, we welcome the change which places new burdens upon us, and we are all resolved to exert all our strength and courage in carrying these burdens.

  Sisters and Brothers, how terrifically dynamic is our time! I recall that, several years ago, I had occasion to make a public analysis of colonialism, and that I then drew attention to what I called the "Life-line of Imperialism". This line runs from the Straits of Gibraltar, through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and the Sea of Japan. For most of that enormous distance, the territories on both sides of this lifeline were colonies, the peoples were unfree, their futures mortgaged to an alien system. Along that life-line, that main artery of imperialism, there was pumped the life-blood of colonialism.

  And today in this hall are gathered together the leaders of those same peoples. They are no longer the victims of colonialism. They are no longer the tools of others and the playthings of forces they cannot influence.

  Today, you are representatives of free peoples, peoples of a different stature and standing in the world.

  Yes, there has indeed been a "Sturm über Asien'" - and over Africa too. The last few years have seen enormous changes. Nations, States, have awoken from a sleep of centuries. The passive peoples have gone, the outward tranquility has made place for struggle and activity. Irresistible forces have swept the two continents. The mental, spiritual and political face of the whole world has been changed, and the process is still not complete.

  There are new conditions, new concepts, new problems, new ideals abroad in the world. Hurricanes of national awakening and reawakening have swept over the land, shaking it, changing it, changing it for the better.

  This twentieth century has been a period of terrific dynamism. Perhaps the last fifty years have seen more developments and more material progress than the previous five hundred years. Man has learned to control many of the scourges which once threatened him. He has learned to consume distance. He has learned to project his voice and his picture across oceans and continents. He has probed deep into the secrets of nature and learned how to make the desert bloom and the plants of the earth increase their bounty. He has learned how to release the immense forces locked in the smallest particles of matter.

  But has man's political skill marched hand-in-hand with his technical and scientific skill? Man can chain lightning to his command - can he control the society in which he lives? The answer is No! The political skill of man has been far outstripped by technical skill, and what he has made he cannot be sure of controlling

  The result of this is fear. And man gasps for safety and morality.

  Perhaps now more than at any other moment in the history of the world, society, government and statesmanship need to be based upon the highest code of morality and ethics. And in political terms, what is the highest code of morality? It is the subordination of everything to the well-being of mankind. But today we are faced with a situation where the well-being of mankind is not always the primary consideration. Many who are in places of high power think, rather, of controlling the world.

  Yes, we are living in a world of fear. The life of man today is corroded and made bitter by fear. Fear of the future, fear of the hydrogen bomb, fear of ideologies. Perhaps this fear is a greater danger than the danger itself, because it is fear which drives men to act foolishly, to act thoughtlessly, to act dangerously.

  In your deliberations, Sisters and Brothers, I beg of you, do not be guided by these fears, because fear is an acid which etches man's actions into curious patterns. Be guided by hopes and determination, be guided by ideals, and, yes, be guided by dreams!

  We are of many different nations, we are of many different social backgrounds and cultural patterns. Our ways of life are different. Our national characters, or colours or motifs - call it what you will - are different. Our racial stock is different, and even the colour of our skin is different. But what does that matter? Mankind is united or divided by considerations other than these. Conflict comes not from variety of skins, nor from variety of religion, but from variety of desires.

  All of us, I am certain, are united by more important things than those which superficially divide us. We are united, for instance, by a common detestation of colonialism in whatever form it appears. We are united by a common detestation of racialism. And we are united by a common determination to preserve and stabilise peace in the world. Are not these aims mentioned in the letter of invitation to which you responded?

  I freely confess it - in these aims I am not disinterested or driven by purely impersonal motives.

  How is it possible to be disinterested about colonialism? For us, colonialism is not something far and distant.

  We have known it in all its ruthlessness. We have seen the immense human wastage it causes, the poverty it causes, and the heritage it leaves behind when, eventually and reluctantly, it is driven out by the inevitable march of history. My people, and the peoples of many nations of Asia and Africa know these things, for we have experienced them.

  Indeed, we cannot yet say that all parts of our countries are free already. Some parts still labour under the lash.

  And some parts of Asia and Africa which are not represented here still suffer from the same condition.

  Yes, some parts of our nations are not yet free. That is why all of us cannot yet feel that journey's end has been

  reached. No people can feel themselves free, so long as part of their motherland is unfree. Like peace, freedom is indivisible. There is no such thing as being half free, as there is no such thing as being half alive.

  We are often told "Colonialism is dead". Let us not be deceived or even soothed by that. I say to you, colonialism is not yet dead. How can we say it is dead, so long as vast areas of Asia and Africa are unfree.

  And, I beg of you do not think of colonialism only in the classic form which we of Indonesia, and our brothers in different parts of Asia and Africa, knew. Colonialism has also its modern dress, in the form of economic control, intellectual control, actual physical control by a small but alien community within a nation. It is a skilful and determined enemy, and it appears in many guises. It does not give up its loot easily. Wherever, whenever and however it appears, colonialism is an evil thing, and one which must be eradicated from the earth.

  The battle against colonialism has been a long one, and do you know that today is a famous anniversary in that battle? On the eighteenth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and seventy five, just one hundred and eighty years ago, Paul Revere rode at midnight through the New England countryside, warning of the approach of British troops and of the opening of the American War of Independence, the first successful anti-colonial war in history. About this midnight ride the poet Longfellow wrote:

  A cry of defiance and not of fear, A voice in the darkness, a knock at the door, And a word that shall echo for evermore.

  Yes, it shall echo for evermore, just as the other anti-colonial words which gave us comfort and reassurance during the darkest days of our struggle shall echo for evermore. But remember, that battle which began 180 years ago is not yet completely won, and it will not have been completely won until we can survey this our own world, and can say that colonialism is dead.

  So, I am not disinterested when I speak of the fight against colonialism. Nor am I disinterested when I speak of the battle for peace. How can any of us be disinterested about peace?

  Not so very long ago we argued that peace was necessary for us because an outbreak of fighting in our part of the world would imperil our precious independence, so recently won at such great cost.

  Today, the picture is more black. War would not only mean a threat to our independence, it may mean the end of civilisation and even of human life. There is a force loose in the world whose potentiality for evil no man truly knows. Even in practice and rehearsal for war the effects may well be building up into something of unknown horror.

  Not so long ago it was possible to take some little comfort from the idea that the clash, if it came, could perhaps be settled by what were called "conventional weapons" - bombs, tanks, cannon and men. Today that little grain of comfort is denied us for it has been made clear that the weapons of ultimate horror will certainly be used, and the military planning of nations is on that basis. The unconventional has become the conventional, and who knows what other examples of misguided and diabolical scientific skill have been discovered as a plague on humanity.

  And do not think that the oceans and the seas will protect us. The food that we eat, the water that we drink, yes, even the very air that we breathe can be contaminated by poisons originating from thousands of miles away. And it could be that, even if we ourselves escaped lightly, the unborn generations of our children would bear on their distorted bodies the marks of our failure to control the forces which have been released on the world.

  No task is more urgent than that of preserving peace. Without peace our independence means little. The rehabilitation and upbuilding of our countries will have little meaning. Our revolutions will not be allowed to run their course.

  What can we do? The peoples of Asia and Africa wield little physical power. Even their economic strength is dispersed and slight. We cannot indulge in power politics. Diplomacy for us is not a matter of the big stick.

  Our statesmen, by and large, are not backed up with serried ranks of jet bombers.

  What can we do? We can do much! We can inject the voice of reason into world affairs. We can mobilise all the spiritual, all the moral, all the political strength of Asia and Africa on the side of peace. Yes, we! We, the peoples of Asia and Africa, 1,400,000,000 strong, far more than half the human population of the world, we can mobilise what I have called the Moral Violence of Nations in favour of peace. We can demonstrate to the minority of the world which lives on the other continents that we, the majority, are for peace, not for war, and that whatever strength we have will always be thrown on to the side of peace.

  In this struggle, some success has already been scored. I think it is generally recognised that the activity of the Prime Ministers of the Sponsoring Countries which invited you here had a not unimportant role to play in ending the fighting in Indo-China.

  Look, the peoples of Asia raised their voices, and the world listened. It was no small victory and no negligible precedent! The five Prime Ministers did not make threats. They issued no ultimatum, they mobilised no troops.

  Instead they consulted together, discussed the issues, pooled their ideas, added together their individual political skills and came forward with sound and reasoned suggestions which formed the basis for a settlement of the long struggle in Indo-China.

  I have often since then asked myself why these five were successful when others, with long records of diplomacy, were unsuccessful, and, in fact, had allowed a bad situation to get worse, so that there was a danger of the conflict spreading. Was it because they were Asians? Maybe that is part of the answer, for the conflagration was on their doorstep, and any extension of it would have presented an immediate threat to their own houses. But I think that the answer really lies in the fact that those five Prime Ministers brought a fresh approach to bear on the problem. They were not seeking advantage for their own countries. They had no axe of power-politics to grind. They had but one interest -how to end the fighting in such a way that the chances of continuing peace and stability were enhanced.

  That, my Sisters and Brothers, was an historic occasion. Some countries of free Asia spoke, and the world listened. They spoke on a subject of immediate concern to Asia, and in doing so made it quite clear that the affairs of Asia are the concern of the Asian peoples themselves. The days are now long past when the future of Asia can be settled by other and distant peoples.

  However, we cannot, we dare not, confine our interests to the affairs of our own continents. The States of the world today depend one upon the other and no nation can be an island unto itself. Splendid isolation may once have been possible; it is so no longer. The affairs of all the world are our affairs, and our future depends upon the solutions found to all international problems, however far or distant they may seem.

  As I survey this hall, my thoughts go back to another Conference of Asian peoples. In the beginning of 1949 - historically speaking only a moment ago - my country was for the second time since our Proclamation of Independence engaged in a life and death struggle. Our nation was besieged and beleaguered, much of our territory occupied, a great part of our leaders imprisoned or exiled, our existence as a State threatened.

  Issues were being decided, not in the conference chamber, but on the battlefield. Our envoys then were rifles, and cannon, and bombs, and grenades, and bamboo spears. We were blockaded, physically and intellectually.

  It was at that sad but glorious moment in our national history that our good neighbour India convened a Conference of Asian and African Nations in New Delhi, to protest against the injustice committed against Indonesia and to give support to our struggle. The intellectual blockade was broken! Our Delegates flew to New Delhi and learned at first hand of the massive support which was being given to our struggle for national existence. Never before in the history of mankind has such a solidarity of Asian and African peoples been shown for the rescue of a fellow Asian Nation in danger. The diplomats and statesmen, the Press and the common men of our Asian and African neighbours were all supporting us. We were given fresh courage to press our struggle onwards to its final successful conclusion. We again realised to the full the truth of

  Desmoulin's statement: "Have no doubt of the omnipotence of a free people".

  Perhaps in some ways the Conference which has assembled here today has some roots in that manifestation of Asian-African solidarity six years ago.

  However that may be, the fact remains that every one of you bears a heavy responsibility, and I pray to God that the responsibility will be discharged with courage and wisdom.

  I pray to God that this Asian-African Conference succeeds in doing its job.

  Ah, Sisters and Brothers, let this Conference be a great success! In spite of diversity that exists among its participants, - let this Conference be a great success!

  Yes, there is diversity among us. Who denies it? Small and great nations are represented here, with people professing almost every religion under the sun, - Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroasthrianism, Shintoism, and others. Almost every political faith we encounter here - Democracy, Monarchism, Theocracy, with innumerable variants. And practically every economic doctrine has its representative in this hall - Marhaenism, Socialism, Capitalism, Communism, in all their manifold variations and combinations.

  But what harm is in diversity, when there is unity in desire? This Conference is not to oppose each other, it is a conference of brotherhood. It is not an Islam Conference, nor a Christian Conference, nor a Buddhist Conference. It is not a meeting of Malayans, nor one of Arabs, nor one of Indo-Aryan stock. It is not an exclusive club either, not a bloc which seeks to oppose any other bloc. Rather it is a body of enlightened, tolerant opinion which seeks to impress on the world that all men and all countries have their place under the sun - to impress on the world that it is possible to live together, meet together, speak to each other, without losing one's individual identity; and yet to contribute to the general understanding of matters of common concern, and to develop a true consciousness of the interdependence of men and nations for their well-being and survival on earth.

  I know that in Asia and Africa there is greater diversity of religions, faiths, and beliefs, than in the other continents of the world. But that is only natural! Asia and Africa are the classic birthplaces of faiths and ideas, which have spread all over the world. Therefore, it behoves us to take particular care to ensure that the principle which is usually called the "Live and let live" principle - mark, I do not say the principle of "Laissez faire, laissez passer" of Liberalism which is obsolete - is first of all applied by us most completely within our own Asian and African frontiers. Then only can it be fully extended to our relations with our neighbouring countries, and to others more distant.

  Religion is of dominating importance particularly in this part of the world. There are perhaps more religions here than in other regions of this globe. But, again, our countries were the birthplaces of religions. Must we be divided by the multiformity of our religious life? It is true, each religion has its own history, its own individuality, its own "raison d'être", its special pride in its own beliefs, its own mission, its special truths which it desires to propagate. But unless we realise that all great religions are one in their message of tolerance and in their insistence on the observance of the principle of "Live and let live", unless the followers of each religion are prepared to give the same consideration to the rights of others everywhere, unless every State does its duty to ensure that the same rights are given to the followers of all faiths - unless these things are done, religion is debased, and its true purpose perverted. Unless Asian-African countries realise their responsibilities in this matter and take steps jointly to fulfil them, the very strength of religious beliefs, which should be a source of unity and a bulwark against foreign interference, will cause its disruption, and may result in destroying the hardwon freedom which large parts of Asia and Africa have achieved by acting together.

  Sisters and Brothers, Indonesia is Asia-Africa in small. It is a country with many religions and many faiths. We have in Indonesia Moslims, we have Christians, we have Civa-Buddhists, we have peoples with other creeds.

  Moreover, we have many ethnic units, such as Achenese, Bataks, Central-Sumatrans, Sundanese, Central-Javanese, Madurese, Toradjas, Balinese, etc. But thank God, we have our will to unity. We have our Pancha Sila. We practise the "Live and let live" principle, we are tolerant to each other. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika - Unity in Diversity - is the motto of the Indonesian State. We are one nation.

  So, let this Asian-African Conference be a great success! Make the "Live and let live" principle and the "Unity in Diversity" motto the unifying force which brings us all together - to seek in friendly, uninhibited discussion, ways and means by which each of us can live his own life, and let others live their own lives, in their own way, in harmony, and in peace.

  If we succeed in doing so, the effect of it for the freedom, independence and the welfare of man will be great on the world at large. The Light of Understanding has again been lit, the Pillar of Cooperation again erected.

  The likelihood of success of this Conference is proved already by the very presence of you all here today. It is for us to give it strength, to give it the power of inspiration - to spread its message all over the World.

  Failure will mean that the Light of Understanding which seemed to have dawned in the East - the Light towards which looked all the great religions born here in the past - has again been obscured by an unfriendly cloud before man could benefit from its warm radiance.

  But let us be full of hope and full of confidence. We have so much in common.

  Relatively speaking, all of us gathered here today are neighbours. Almost all of us have ties of common experience, the experience of colonialism. Many of us have a common religion. Many of us have common cultural roots. Many of us, the so-called "underdeveloped" nations, have more or less similar economic problems, so that each can profit from the others' experience and help. And I think I may say that we all hold dear the ideals of national independence and freedom. Yes, we have so much in common. And yet we know so little of each other.

  If this Conference succeeds in making the peoples of the East whose representatives are gathered here understand each other a little more, appreciate each other a little more, sympathise with each other's problems a little more - if those things happen, then this Conference, of course, will have been worthwhile, whatever else it may achieve. But I hope that this Conference will give more than understanding only and goodwill only - I hope that it will falsify and give the lie to the saying of one diplomat from far abroad: "We will turn this Asian-African Conference into an afternoon-tea meeting". I hope that it will give evidence of the fact that we Asian and African leaders understand that Asia and Africa can prosper only when they are united, and that even the safety of the World at large can not be safeguarded without a united Asia-Africa. I hope that this Conference will give guidance to mankind, will point out to mankind the way which it must take to attain safety and peace. I hope that it will give evidence that Asia and Africa have been reborn, nay, that a New Asia and a New Africa have been born!

  Our task is first to seek an understanding of each other, and out of that understanding will come a greater appreciation of each other, and out of that appreciation will come collective action. Bear in mind the words of one of Asia's greatest sons: "To speak is easy. To act is hard. To understand is hardest. Once one understands, action is easy".

  I have come to the end. Under God, may your deliberations be fruitful, and may your wisdom strike sparks of light from the hard flints of today's circumstances.

  Let us not be bitter about the past, but let us keep our eyes firmly on the future. Let us remember that no blessing of God is so sweet as life and liberty. Let us remember that the stature of all mankind is diminished so long as nations or parts of nations are still unfree. Let us remember that the highest purpose of man is the liberation of man from his bonds of fear, his bonds of human degradation, his bonds of poverty - the liberation of man from the physical, spiritual and intellectual bonds which have for too long stunted the development of humanity's majority.

  And let us remember, Sisters and Brothers, that for the sake of all that, we Asians and Africans must be united.

  As President of the Republic of Indonesia, and on behalf of the eighty million people of Indonesia, I bid you welcome to this country. I declare the Asian-African Conference opened, and I pray that the Blessing of God will be upon it, and that its discussions will be profitable to the peoples of Asia and Africa, and to the peoples of all nations!

  Bismillah!

  God speed!

Let Us Rise With Outrageous Courage

As we stand at our own historical crossroads, Sukarno’s words are not just echoes from a past struggle — they are a prophetic call to a future we must shape together. His vision of moral leadership, unity in diversity, and defiance of fear is needed now more than ever. So let us lead, not with domination, but with dignity. Let us resist the seduction of power with the strength of purpose. And let us not only remember the legacy of Bandung, but live it — in our homes, communities, arenas, boardrooms, and parliaments.

Let this be our moment to act.

To be the leaders we’ve been waiting for.

To be outrageously courageous.

Life is like a football…

“Life is like a football; you never know which way it’s going to bounce.”

Those words were penned by my friend Tyson in a poem he wrote in grade seven—long before the film Forrest Gump hit the cinemas and just a few months before his tragic death.

I played Aussie Rules; Tyson played rugby league—but we both loved cricket. And as it was for most kids our age growing up in Australia, sport occupied a massive part of our lives.

Just like the bounce of a football in his poem, Tyson was always full of surprises. There was this one time when I was invited to his home for his 11th birthday party, only to discover he was also an incredible artist. Despite being really good at everything he did, nothing came easy for Tyson. His hands would constantly shake as though he had sculled a litre of RedBull, and it always seemed more pronounced whenever he was holding a pencil or paintbrush.

He was a miracle baby, born with a hole in his heart, and by the time we met in grade five, he’d already had numerous heart surgeries. His heart had endured so much trauma, the doctors had warned his parents that he would never be strong enough to play sports, let alone beat an entire grade of healthy boys, in the 800m final.

But it was that courageous heart of his that made Tyson so special. He was a warrior with a smile so big you just knew he had no enemies even though he was a ferocious competitor.

"Life is like a football, you never know which way it's going to bounce."

— Tyson Evans

Then suddenly, on just another ordinary Friday afternoon, Tyson’s life took a cruel and fatal bounce. One minute he was running and laughing with his mates after school; the next, he was hit by a speeding car. The impact was so severe that he died instantly—gone.

Though I wasn’t there when his lifeless body was wheeled unceremoniously into the back of an ambulance, I’ll never forget witnessing an entire gymnasium packed with family, friends, and classmates mourning, remembering, and celebrating an extraordinary boy—my rival and friend.

I was only 12 years old when Tyson died. I’ve lost a few close friends over the years, but that was the first time I felt that kind of devastating pain—loss.

Of all things, it was footy and the indiscriminate bounce of an oval-shaped ball that had taught Tyson to accept, navigate and overcome the unpredictable nature of his brief remarkable life.

And ever since then, each time I would step onto a field to play—or watch my kids play, now that my competitive footy days are long gone—I am reminded of one of life’s great lessons and my friend, Tyson.

So—for those of you who might be feeling a little battered and bruised by life and all its cruel bounces and perceived failures, allow me to encourage you today and remind you of this simple, yet profound truth…

Never forget that what really matters in life is the courage to be in the fight; and that win, lose, or draw—you can say you left it all on the field. And when the crowds and the commentators call out and complain as they spectate safely from the sidelines, you can hold your head up high knowing that the evidence of real success and a life worth living can only be found when you fail trying. And I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather fail trying than fail watching—regardless of which way the footy bounces.

Time is your friend

Time is your friend, not foe

Don’t believe the caged-in souls

Who quiver, burrow, barely sleep; never still enough to see—

That light is streaming, shining, bending; Along the arc of space unending.

Catch the rays and ride the waves;

Let them take you where they may

Dance along the plane where sky and ocean greet

Surrender to the song where loss and longing meet

And once there find, that should you trust the here and now; and then and there; will all one day fold—

Into a world immersed in what was seen and heard; and felt and shared; from days of old

A safe place; dangerous enough to venture out from once again

And discover time is still your friend

Wake Up and Pay Attention

This morning, my eldest was awake first — it must be because it is the first day of school holidays — but nonetheless, August and Elliana joined me on a little adventure to see the “crocodile in the creek” and also see if the new playground the local council was building behind our house was finally complete. My only instructions were to find something that grabs your attention and look closely and observe everything about it. 

In just a twenty minute walk we had marvelled at the beauty of a paperbark tree and the dozens of little creepy-crawly’s that live within its peeling layers. We discovered a bright red and metallic purple stink bug that none of us had ever seen before. We patted Bailey, the friendly puppy dog, who took a special liking to August, licking him all over his face. And despite my attempts to scare August that the crocodile would jump out and eat us if we got to close to the creek, he bravely held our hands and dragged us to the waters edge, convinced that we just needed to wake him up. A few sticks hurled at the mostly submerged rock in the middle of the creek, couldn’t “wake up” Mr Crocodile. “We might have more luck waking up Lily from her beauty sleep when we get home”, I reasoned with August, and off we trotted back. 

As we made our way home we picked a couple flowers for mum and suddenly the lyrics to a song in one of my favourite childhood movies sprung to mind. “If you want to be someone, if you want to go somewhere? You better wake up and pay attention.”

After falling in love with the movie, Sister Act — featuring the hilarious Whoopi Goldberg and the incredibly talented and pretty, Lauren Hill (yes, I had a crush on her) — I guess I was destined to move to New York and marry a gorgeous local. 

But there is something profound and simple in that lyric, “wake up and pay attention”. Each morning, we are gifted the opportunity to explore, observe and marvel at the beauty and wonder of everything around us. Who knows what you might discover, or what mystery you might solve? If anything you will start your day with a sense of beauty, awe and gratitude. 

Allow me to leave you with the wise words of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, Mary Oliver…

“Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”

May you walk today in wonder, grace and truth.

The Wisdom and Joy of Self-Discovery

A few days ago I took my two boys on an early morning walk. It’s the boys in our home that are the early risers, waking up about 5:30am and usually asking to watch a show or snuggle in bed. Both options are mostly not allowed, except for weekends. And so to curtail the early morning shenanigans and give the girls their beauty sleep, Charlie, August & I often go on walking adventures around our neighbourhood. 

We’ve discovered that it’s best that August leads the way. If either Charlie or I head in a certain direction, he’ll be sure to protest, dig in his heels and insist on going the opposite way. His stubborn, independent, but adventurous nature, can only be channeled when he feels he has a choice in the matter. Hence, he leads. Sometimes we give him a choice of which way to go… and if he doesn’t want to answer, we just go our way and sure enough, we’ll be given the command to go the other way. Charlie and I usually excitedly follow his new command and off we go. 

On this particular morning we stayed on the street doing loops around our little cove of a neighbourhood. It had rained overnight and the road was damp — the charcoal bitumen had turned a wet black. We came across a cane toad that had its innards coming out of it’s mouth, still twitching after being run over by an early morning commuter. Cane Toads in Queensland, Australia, are the equivalent to a New York City subway rat or Trafalgar Square pigeon in London. A pest that most people are grossed out by, especially when they occupy every square foot of your front lawn at night and you have to play “dogem” just to take the late night garbage out to the rubbish bin. The experiments my friends and I would conduct on cane toads as a child, I am to ashamed to tell here. Let’s just say, this morning there were no BB-guns or golf clubs, but instead we chose to give the little fella a dignified ending in the bush and I apologised for all my past misdeeds to these resilient creatures.

We trudged along, with August leading from behind, usually distracted by something whilst barking orders about the direction we should be heading. Charlie, on the other hand is quite the inquisitive lad. He’s already told me that he’d love to be a scientist or play Cricket for Australia when he grows up. he has already decided that his high school elective subjects are biology, chemistry, physics and PE… he’s still in third grade.

Our goal on the walk is to be as observant as possible, pay attention to the small details that we come across, use our curious minds to look closely at things, ask questions, and be in wonder of whatever it is we come across — the changing colors of leaves, the fungi growing on the tree, a dead cane toad on the road. 

Today, Charlie asked, “why is the road dry and grey at that spot over there (pointing near the drainage grate), but the rest of the road is wet and black?” He’s now at that age where I can’t just make an answer up to satisfy his curiosity and since I didn’t have an immediate response, we investigated.  

The drainage grate was a good five metres from where we were standing but we both noticed something right away. The gutter is designed so that waters flows towards the drain, however, we could see that above the grate — the grey, dry area — there was a slight rise in the road. We got on our knees like a golfer reading the slopes of the green before making a putt. Sure enough, the grey area of road was raised like a slight mound. Could this be the reason it was dry while the rest of the road was wet and black? Just then we looked for other areas of dry road, and just as we suspected, at the crest of the bitumen, down the middle of the road, dry lines and spots were visible. Like Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, we felt rather accomplished with our investigative success. We even noticed that the top of the concrete gutter was dry and a stone white colour compared to the bottom, where the water trickled, changing the concrete to a darker charcoal shade. 

Now, none of this is really all that groundbreaking, but the real magic is that I didn’t just tell Charlie (and August, who was busy distracted by the neighbours’ mail boxes), the answer or make something up. We asked questions, payed attention to detail, and experienced the joy of self-discovery. 

So often in my life, I thought I just needed to ask someone smarter than me the answers to all the questions I had. I would be smart and intelligent and full of knowledge. Unfortunately, I’ve discovered that some people just passed on ill-informed answers that they were handed down, or simply answers made-up, like a parent trying to pacify the wonderful, but incessant curiosity of a child. 

True wisdom and joy in life is found through the art and science of self-discovery, not merely inherited information. 

Good Leadership Starts with Humility

At the HEART of every good leader you will find a tremendous amount of humility.

In simple terms, humility is others focused - it gets on one knee bringing relief to the weary or offers a ‘leg up’ over the obstacles others are facing.

Well known philosopher and author of the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis, said it best — “humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less”.

It was a game changer for me when I realised that I did not have to maintain a low self esteem or suppress my outgoing personality to cultivate humility. All I needed to remember is that ‘it’s just not about me’… Oh the freedom!

When it comes to leadership, there’s very little that is more fulfilling than leading my family on this wild adventure called life. The truth is my kids, and especially my wife, are leading me more often than I’d like to admit. It just takes me a little while most days for me to realise it. And one of the greatest lessons my kids are teaching me lately, especially August, my youngest, is this — ‘we’ is much better than ‘me’.

You see, my kids don’t always ‘need’ my help or ‘need me’, they’re more often looking for the shared joy and experience of ‘we’ — that magical place where we lose ourselves in the moment together. That regularly looks like endlessly jumping on the trampoline, or that 12th kiss goodbye at school drop off gate, or the bedtime story that dangerously lulls us both to sleep, snuggled up in his bed together.

The good leaders that have left a lasting impact on my life weren’t just my mentors, or guides, or teachers… they were my friends, who found joy on my pursuits and knew that I needed their presence and encouragement more than their principles and expertise.

Good leadership always starts with humility.

#HeartOfAGoodLeader #Humility #HEART #Leadership #Empowerment #LessonsFromMyKids

Exposing The Real Borders That Divide Us

This image is all that I need to remind me that forgiveness and healing is always possible.

It’s in times like these that we need to find examples of hope that a world where “enemies” — divided by our own made up borders — can still become more than just neighbours, but the closest of friends.

For three years, dozens of families led by these two men lived side by side in a micro-village built for refugees that had survived and escaped the horrors of ISIS who had ransacked their homes.

These two men represented families of different ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, and opposing cultural practices. In any other circumstances, they would be considered enemies. However, their lives were bound together through survival — I witnessed them daily share their food, water, electricity and their lives. Their children went to school together, the adults sat together and processed their pain and loss together.

They walked the long hard road of healing together and on they way discovered that their had not just survived, they had learnt to thrive.

And so, when the time came for them to part ways, because of the courageous decision for their families to return and rebuild their homes now liberated from ISIS, this became the moment I witnessed the power of love, forgiveness and hope.

You simply can’t tell me that peace isn’t possible — that Shalom is not worth fighting for!

“What if the borders that divide us are not the lines we find on a map but the walls we build in our hearts and minds?”

I think it’s time to tear down some walls and erase the borders we’ve fooled ourselves into believing divided us.

Thanks @missjessieparks for capturing this moment, forever etched in my memory.

Most of all, thank you Abu Raed & Mam Fahsool for teaching us all that courage and kindness has the power to obliterate the unnecessary borders we create in our hearts and minds.

Yazidi Nobel Peace Prize winner speaks out: Please, hear our pain

How do you begin to tell the world about suffering and abuse so dark, so deeply shocking that they could never comprehend it? How do you make them understand the trauma and fear you have lived, when you cannot even understand it yourself? How do explain what it is like to lose 18 members of your family to execution or enslavement by ISIS? How do you open up the most private and terrifying details of your life? How does a woman raised to be modest, go about uncovering the sexual abuse and rape she has endured – especially to a global audience?

It seems impossible and yet Nadia Murad decided she must … so that the atrocities the Yazidi people suffered would come to an end. She believed if her story was told on the world stage, there would be a response. Help would come. Healing might happen. The torture may stop. Nadia tells her story,

“so that one day we can look our abusers in the eye in a court … and tell the world what they have done to us. So my community can heal. So I can be the last girl to come before you.”

For her courage and determination to be a voice, Nadia has been awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. This award acknowledges her bravery in the face of unthinkable abuse and hardship, but it does so much more than that. This Nobel Peace Prize speaks to all the Yazidi people who have suffered; it says, we see your trials, we recognise your great travail, we bear witness to what has happened to you.

Nadia was captured in August 2014 when ISIS attacked the Sinjar region. She was subjected to months of abuse as a sex slave before she escaped her torturers. On that day in August life changed forever for the Yazidi people living in her hometown of Kocho. Over 300 men were taken behind the local school and executed; the boys were taken away to be indoctrinated. Older women were also killed; young women and girls sold at slave markets. Four years later, thousands of Yazidi women and children are still missing.

Nadia suffered beyond what most human hearts and minds can bear. She was beaten, raped and imprisoned. She tried to escape and failed. For this she was savagely beaten and gang-raped by six militants until she became unconscious. “Every strand of hair on my head, every part of my body got old. I got worn out by what they did to me, and now I am totally different in every way. I never imagined that these things could happen, and I can’t really describe them in a way to make you understand,” she said.

Like many Yazidi people, she didn’t know what her fate would be from one moment to the next. She describes the waiting, the not-knowing: “Our hearts were constantly full of fear as we had no idea when they could come for us.”

Nadia escaped from ISIS but she continues to work to end rape and sexual assault in warfare.

“I will go back to my life when women in captivity go back to their lives, when my community has a place, when I see people accountable for their crimes,” she says.

In Toowoomba, Australia, a community of Yazidi people are endeavouring to rebuild their lives, trying to heal from the horror of the attacks against them and their safety. They work at making a new life in a new country where they are not always understood. Each day is a challenge as they seek to move past what has happened to them. But like Nadia, they are full of courage and hope that they can salvage their destinies from the ruins; they are determined to take back their dignity and their right to live in freedom and safety. We honour them.

Written by Tracey Heers

Longest Picnic Spread In Toowoomba History

The second ever 'Welcome Picnic' for You Belong was marked be a huge turnout and incredible feasting and fun.

What a day with over 300 in attendance! The welcome party to the newest families from Iraq & Syria to settle in Australia. 🇮🇶 🇦🇺 🇸🇾 🎉🎈

You Belong Shines At Toowoomba Cultural Festival

We had an incredible time on Sunday at the Toowoomba Cultures & Languages Festival.

A huge thank you to all our volunteers who worked so hard making and serving the chai ☕️ & Kurdish sweets 🍪. Our lives are richer and better because you are here in Australia 🇦🇺. #youbelong#toowoombaculturalfestival

Black Day - Yazidi Genocide

On Friday, Yazidis all over the world mourned and remembered the horrific events that took place on August 3, 2014.

Words cannot describe the brutal and barbaric genocide at the hands of Islamic State that led to the kidnapping, enslavement and exploitation of some 8,000 women and children. We attended a commemorative service attended by hundreds of Yazidis that have recently settled in Australia. Alongside the mayor of Toowoomba and other dignitaries we all gathered to mark what is now known as “The Black Day”. And you could feel the unquenchable sorrow as they shared stories of their suffering and collectively relived the trauma of their experiences. Their pain and anguish is compounded by the reality that many family members are still in captivity or unaccounted for. Others are languishing in overcrowded refugee camps in Iraq & Syria with little hope of returning to their homes. It was a heavy day and a reminder that we must not be silent to the suffering of the beautiful Yazidi people and many refugees like them around the world. Would you join me in praying for them today? Together we can show them that they are not alone in their suffering; that they are loved and welcome here. #youbelong

World Refugee Day 2018

There are 65.6 million people displaced from their homes at this very moment - more than any other point in human history. Half of those displaced are children. 
Tonight, I ponder those statistics and it’s hard not to be overwhelmed with deep sadness. These resilient men, women and children don’t need our pity, they need our love in action. No matter where you are you can make a difference in the life of a refugee struggling to find their place in this world. I have many dear friends on Instagram that are refugees scattered throughout the world.. today I honor you! You have shown me what courage and resilience looks like. I love and miss you dearly. To those on the cold face serving refugees, living and caring for them, and giving them a voice. Today, I thank you - you’re kindness and sacrifice does not go unnoticed. I hope you take the time to say a prayer for 65.6 million beautiful and brave souls today. You are not displaced, you belong! #worldrefugeeday#youbelong 📸 by @michaeldeanmcdonald(a true friend to refugees worldwide)

You Belong Launches First Welcome Picnic

We held our first You Belong 'Welcome Picnic' with over 150 wonderful friends from Iraq & Syria.

Well that was an incredible day... a beautiful beginning to... well, only God knows what!!? We had our first You Belong Picnic with over 150 wonderful friends from Iraq & Syria. Some families had only been in Australia for two weeks... today was, I just happen believe, in a special way just for them. We danced, we laughed (mostly at ourselves), we ate the most delicious of foods (Kurdish bread & Aussie snags notwithstanding), drank chai and yep... played ⚽️!!!

Trust me, this days was a beautiful miracle on so many levels. A big shout out to Rachael & Scott Carter for all the hard work. Special thanks to the @suncoastchristiancollege families who traveled all the way from the Sunshine Coast to put on the fun.

Something special is beginning... you are gonna want to be part of it!!! #youbelong #toowoomba#refugeesthrivinginaustralia @ Laurel Bank Park

New Year Reflections: 2016 - A Year of Grace!

Looking back at all that we have been part of in 2016, I would not have believed you had you told me at the start of the year. It's been another year of terror, war and trials for so many living here in the Middle East. But there are signs of hope everywhere and we are called to be agents of grace wherever we find ourselves. Here are some thoughts from yours truly...

I pray that whatever your 2016 was like, that you were able to drink deep into the unrelenting grace of Jesus. Let's raise our glasses to another gift from above to live out our lives knowing it will be filled with grace and great things to come if we are brave enough to believe it and receive it with gratitude!

Fall & Christmas 2016 Update is Out Now!

Another year has come and gone and we are more excited than ever to be serving here in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. As we look back at all that has happened in 2016 we are amazed by the incredible provision of God amidst a very turbulent and often times tragic year. 

Thank you for standing with us in prayer, financial support and friendship. We have so much to be thankful for during the last 3 months here in Iraq. This Fall has marked the beginning of incredible partnerships on the ground to bolster our efforts to serve those in greatest need. The battle for Mosul was launched, our new refugee school was opened and we began work on a brand new housing project for 20 Yazidi families that have survived captivity from ISIS. 

Do join us in praying for peace and joy to flood the hearts of those who have suffered so much this year. Our prayer is that you and your family will feel the incredible love of Jesus as we celebrate his humble birth. We hope that you enjoy our quarterly update and look forward to all that 2017 has in store. 

The Sandlot Kids of Kurdistan

It was a mighty dusty afternoon, but we got that soccer game in ⚽️ The "Sandlot Kids" of Kurdistan!

How to Make Kids Happy

It doesn't take much to make kids in the Middle East happy. Build them a ⚽️ pitch!

Be The World To One

Every Wednesday a team of ladies head to our Akoyan micro-camp to spend time with the women and children there. There's no telling what their impact is on the lives of these Yazidis. 

Kaitlyn (@k_drenckpohl) has been serving with us here in Kurdistan for 9 months now. We are so grateful to have her as part of our team. Wherever she goes, she brings life, joy and smiles - just like the ones seen on these little girls. Never underestimate the impact you can have on just one person.  📸 @missjessieparks

No More Excuses To Play

These are some of the finest young men I know. Always polite and greet me with a warm smile every time I see them. They are incredibly resilient after all they have endured since fleeing Sinjar Mountain.

I'm ashamed to admit that I owe these guys a game of football. It's been too long since I've hit the pitch to play some six-a-side with these strapping young Yazidi boys. Partly because it's been super hot, but mostly because I know I'll barely survive. These guys sure know how to play and I reckon they could all make the national team if given the chance. Thankfully the summer is over and I'll have no more excuses to delay honoring my promise. Oh, and you should see the view from the soccer field that we play on @therefugeinitiative micro-camp in Rwandz. I'll show you next time we play. 📸 @missjessieparks @therefugeinitiative @rescueiraq

Mommy's Boy

This kid is such a mommy's boy... and it's no wonder why. Day in and day out Sarah proves to be the most incredible mother and wife on this planet. Educating our kids like a boss, putting seriously delicious gourmet meals on the table, and loving our family oh so well. She is a loyal and ever giving friend to so many. With her breathtaking beauty and selfless love she reminds me each day that I married way way up! Thanks for making our lives in Kurdistan one great adventure; your daily sacrifices make it a dream.

 📸 @missjessieparks