About the League Against Imperialism centennial campaign
In February 2027, we will mark 100 years since 175 delegates from across the globe convened in Brussels to establish the League Against Imperialism and Colonial Oppression (LAI). The Congress aimed to create a global mass anti-imperialist movement, and for several years, the LAI successfully inspired and supported anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles worldwide.
The founding conference of the LAI is widely regarded as a precursor to the 1955 Asian-African Bandung Conference, a connection explicitly noted by Indonesian President Sukarno in his opening remarks at Bandung. It is fair to say, therefore, that the 1927 Brussels conference and the LAI, which existed until the mid-1930s, had a significant influence on the Non-Aligned Movement that emerged in the postcolonial and Cold War era.
Today, the world remains shaped by political and economic structures rooted in colonial injustices and exploitation. A New Cold War is emerging, with growing antagonism towards China in the West. Palestine continues to be a flashpoint and symbol of colonialist and imperialist domination. At the same time, resistance to imperialism is gaining momentum in the Global South, both at the governmental level and among the people.
A distinguished group of conveners is currently preparing a series of activities to give the centennial of the League the attention it deserves. Commemorating the centennial of the LAI conference will be a timely opportunity to reconnect today's anti-imperialist struggles with a rich tradition of alliances and struggles.
Conveners:
Patricia Ariza Flórez - Colombian poet, actor and former Minister of Culture.
Baba Aye - Nigerian trade union and health activist.
Jeremy Corbyn - UK Member of Parliament and founder of the Peace and Justice Project.
Demba Moussa Dembele - Senegalese economist, researcher and founding member of the African Social Forum.
Varsha Gandikota - Co-coordinator of Progressive International.
Aleida Guevara - Cuban physician and internationalist.
Disha Karnad Jani - Historian and postdoctoral researcher.
Peter Mertens - Belgian Member of Parliament.
Tlaleng Mofokeng - South African health rights activist and UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health.
Vijay Prashad - Indian historian, journalist and executive director of Tricontinental, Institute for Social Research.
Vandana Shiva - Indian feminist, environmental activist and president of Navdanya International