5th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement | |
---|---|
Host country | Sri Lanka |
Date | 16–19 August 1976 |
Cities | Colombo |
Chair |
Sirimavo Bandaranaike ( Prime Minister of Sri Lanka) |
Follows | 4th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement ( Algiers, Algeria) |
Precedes | 6th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement ( Havana, Cuba) |
5th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement on 16–19 August 1976 in Colombo, Sri Lanka was the conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement. [1] 86 nations participated in the summit with additional 30 observers and guests representing all the continents in the world. [2] The Summit is the biggest international conference ever held in Sri Lanka and one of the greatest achievements in its foreign policy. [3] The event took place at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the first purpose-built conference hall in Asia. [4] It was the first heads of state or government summit of the movement to be organized in Asia. [4] The decisions on the NAM Coordination Bureau organisation and membership conditions were formally defined at the Colombo Summit. [5] The body was to have 25 members (12 from Africa, 8 from Asia, 4 from Latin America and 1 from Europe) and was expected to meet regularly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. [5]
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Sirimavo Bandaranaike prioritized economic issues in discussions motivated both by Sri Lanka's own economic interests and a creation of a more properly non-aligned venue free of extreme anti-western rhetoric. [6] India, Sri Lanka, SFR Yugoslavia and Indonesia worked together at the conference to temper more radical proposals by some of the newer member states of the Movement. [2] The conference nevertheless defined Zionism as a form of racism, a definition which was restated at future NAM events. [5]
The logo of the conference included references to five values of self-determination, economic development, peace and security, solidarity and the denial of colonialism and imperialism. [7] The Government of Sri Lanka declared the public holiday to enable residents in the capital city to get to the street and see and greet foreign guests. [7]
Sri Lanka selected senior career diplomats to handle the organization of the event with Dr. Vernon Mendis, High Commissioner in London as the Secretary-General of the Summit, and Leelananda de Silva as the Secretary to the Economic Committee of the Summit. [4] It was the first conference in which Vietnam took place after the reunification of the country. [8] The summit was publicly marked in various ways with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka releasing commemorative Rs. 5 coins and two post stamps of Rs 1.15 and Rs. 2 both carrying the portrait of Prime Minister Bandaranaike while the Ceylon Tobacco Company produced a special brand of cigarettes called ‘Summit’. [4] While the Delegation of Yugoslavia arrived to the city by plane, the country also sent the Yugoslav training ship Galeb to the Port of Colombo ahead of the event. [5] The ship served as a venue for bilateral and informal meetings with other participants with first lady Jovanka Broz serving as a host. [5]
5th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement | |
---|---|
Host country | Sri Lanka |
Date | 16–19 August 1976 |
Cities | Colombo |
Chair |
Sirimavo Bandaranaike ( Prime Minister of Sri Lanka) |
Follows | 4th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement ( Algiers, Algeria) |
Precedes | 6th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement ( Havana, Cuba) |
5th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement on 16–19 August 1976 in Colombo, Sri Lanka was the conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement. [1] 86 nations participated in the summit with additional 30 observers and guests representing all the continents in the world. [2] The Summit is the biggest international conference ever held in Sri Lanka and one of the greatest achievements in its foreign policy. [3] The event took place at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the first purpose-built conference hall in Asia. [4] It was the first heads of state or government summit of the movement to be organized in Asia. [4] The decisions on the NAM Coordination Bureau organisation and membership conditions were formally defined at the Colombo Summit. [5] The body was to have 25 members (12 from Africa, 8 from Asia, 4 from Latin America and 1 from Europe) and was expected to meet regularly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. [5]
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Sirimavo Bandaranaike prioritized economic issues in discussions motivated both by Sri Lanka's own economic interests and a creation of a more properly non-aligned venue free of extreme anti-western rhetoric. [6] India, Sri Lanka, SFR Yugoslavia and Indonesia worked together at the conference to temper more radical proposals by some of the newer member states of the Movement. [2] The conference nevertheless defined Zionism as a form of racism, a definition which was restated at future NAM events. [5]
The logo of the conference included references to five values of self-determination, economic development, peace and security, solidarity and the denial of colonialism and imperialism. [7] The Government of Sri Lanka declared the public holiday to enable residents in the capital city to get to the street and see and greet foreign guests. [7]
Sri Lanka selected senior career diplomats to handle the organization of the event with Dr. Vernon Mendis, High Commissioner in London as the Secretary-General of the Summit, and Leelananda de Silva as the Secretary to the Economic Committee of the Summit. [4] It was the first conference in which Vietnam took place after the reunification of the country. [8] The summit was publicly marked in various ways with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka releasing commemorative Rs. 5 coins and two post stamps of Rs 1.15 and Rs. 2 both carrying the portrait of Prime Minister Bandaranaike while the Ceylon Tobacco Company produced a special brand of cigarettes called ‘Summit’. [4] While the Delegation of Yugoslavia arrived to the city by plane, the country also sent the Yugoslav training ship Galeb to the Port of Colombo ahead of the event. [5] The ship served as a venue for bilateral and informal meetings with other participants with first lady Jovanka Broz serving as a host. [5]