A major challenge to the world peace after the World War II was the cold war between the capitalist powers and communist countries with both the camps possessing massive potential for destruction.
It was in the backdrop of the growing tension between the two camps leading to a showdown that the Non Alignment Movement (NAM) was born.
Egyptian leader Jamal Abdul Nasser, Indian leader Jawaharlal Nehru Yugoslav leader Marshal Tito were the major architects of the movement that stressed the need for keeping away from the hostile camps of capitalism and communism.
Leaders of 29 countries and Turkey with observer status met on 18th April 1955 in the Indonesian city of Bandung to discuss a new world order based on peaceful co-existence and positive non alignment in international relations. The Bandung conference also cemented the close ties between Yugoslavia, India and Egypt.
Another summit of the three leaders of Yugoslavia, India and Egypt was held in Brioni in Yugoslavia.
Finally the first summit of the NAM countries was held in Belgrade in Sept. 1961 after a preparatory meeting in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. Its participants included many leaders of the Africa and Asia and their major topic of discussion was the world peace.
The strong beginning of the movement had a serious impact on the world powers the time. They realized that the NAM was determined to struggle against any form of colonization in Asian and African countries. The movement exercised considerable influence in the United Nations in is early days.
However, with the demise of the three leaders, Tito, Nehru and Nasser, the movement gradually lost its influential position in international issues.
However, the NAM is giving signs of regaining its old glory. Last week Egypt made an attempt to revive the movement by bringing together heads and representatives from 150 countries and a number of international organizations.
Egyptian proposals to revive the movement include the merger of NAM with the G77 so that the movement may play more powerful role at least in matters related to the issues of the developing countries. Egypt also proposed the movement to undertake north south dialogue for achieving better cooperation with the advanced nations for political and economic progress of the poorer countries.
In his presidential address at the concluding session, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, who is the new chairman of NAM, said, "The success of this summit of the Non-Aligned Movement is not the end of the road. We must work together, hand in hand, to follow up on its decisions and outcomes. We must endeavor with the determination, fortitude and the political will of the leaders of the movement in order to take our vision to our partners outside the movement to the various forums, groupings, and international decision-making mechanisms, and in order to defend our positions, priorities, and the interests of our states and peoples."
