I welcome most heartily the convening of the Afro-Asian Conference and congratulate all those responsible for organising this historic meeting. I deeply cherish the hope that the deliberations at Bandung, Indonesia, on April 18 will present the point of view of the African and Asian people for peace, freedom and democracy for all peoples.

We are living in a much troubled world which someone has aptly called a "mad-house." My prayer and wish is that this conference might help to contribute in bringing sanity to this mad world of ours which is suffering from a paralysing sickness engendered by fear and jealousy among nations.

Source: New Age, Cape Town