Forging a Progressive Global Alliance to Build Societies Free From Hate

Hyderabad hosted the Bharat Summit on April 25-26, 2025 observing the 70th year of the Bandung Conference that brought Global South countries together to challenge colonialism and neocolonialism. The conference was organised by the Samruddha Bharat Foundation in collaboration with the Government of Telangana to forge an alliance of the world's progressive forces. Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy and his ministers were all around throughout the conference to see everything was in order. Some of the ministers also participated in the panel discussions. From 100-plus countries, about 400 delegates with diverse backgrounds – politics, social activism and academics – attended the conference. The conference is the first of its kind to bring global progressive forces on one stage.

What is the need for such an alliance in the present global context? It appears that the aim of the conference was not to make any immediate political gains but to remake the world order. Much has changed in the world in the last seven decades. Particularly, there are perceptible shifts in world politics. The shift from liberal democracy to far-right extremism poses a serious challenge not only to civic nation states but also to humanity.

After the Second World War, all countries built their domestic and foreign relations on the principles of negotiation and cooperation, putting an end to fascist authoritarianism. Such a realisation came from the Holocaust organised by fascist forces. Indeed, the US and European countries established Holocaust Study Centres to educate their people. The target groups of the Holocaust then were Jews and political dissidents. The barrel has now shifted to Muslims. There has been a spread of Muslim migration across the globe in recent times, and this Muslim presence is now being propagated as a serious threat to nation states. This has induced a new form of ethnic nationalism and cultural nationalism that had transformed into right-wing extremist political movements in almost all the major world countries, particularly after the 2010s.

Also read: Bharat Summit Shows New Hope in the Wake of Hatred and Violence

The other question, is who is dangerous to the civic nation state? This was the main debate at the conference. The Bharat Summit observed that the far-right is the main threat to modern civic nation state because it is founded on the pre-nation state philosophies or pre-modern loyalties that induced the cultural nationalism. The modern nation state is founded on the philosophy of rationalism, liberalism, secularism and universalism. The far-right is completely against these values, as it is sourced on divisive politics and xenophobia. It doesn't believe in modern civic values such as equity and equality, which are guaranteed by the constitutions of the modern nation states. The far-right thus is also against the constitutionalism that ensures individual rights and special collective rights to marginalised social groups. These developments led the world progressive forces to debate on the present world order.

The conference had seven panels and a valedictory session spreading over two days. The first panel discussion was on 'Gender Justice and A Feminist Future', which illuminated the challenges faced by women across the globe. The focus was on the empowerment of women and panellists discussed how the far right is obstracting it. There was a proposal for a feminist foreign policy. In the open discussion, the delegates posed a very interesting question on patriarchy and its roots in religious fundamentalism, making the connections between patriarchy and conservatism on which the far-right is built.

Panel two was on 'Fact vs Fiction: Countering Disinformation', which opened a heated discussion on how facts are being fictionalised and how disinformation has been spread by right-wing forces. All the panellists highlighted the how right-wing politics is built on propaganda across countries and emphasised the importance of curbing such propaganda politics to build progressive politics.

The panel on 'Youth and Politics of Tomorrow' stressed on the participation of youths in politics and said only the youth can change the present world order. There was a lengthy discussion on multilateralism in the 'Shaping New Multilateralism' panel. The rise of far-right governments has indeed been destabilising multilateralism by withdrawing from cooperative treaties and agreements. The panellists expressed concerns about the weakening of world organisations such as the UN in recent times. Withdrawing from multilateral treaties also has a devastating impact on global climate and environment. The panellists said that the recent withdrawal of the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change shocked the world.

There was a panel on Accelerating Climate Justice at the conference, and all the panellists and delegates expressed dismay at the changing attitude of the developed countries toward climate change. They linked this to the growing far-right wing politics who have the least concern for the common good of the globe. This despite the fact that developed countries have been responsible for most emissions over the last several decades.

Also read: At Bharat Summit, Global Leaders Call For ‘Unity of Progressives’ Against Far-Right Forces

The panel on 'Overcoming Polarisation with Pluralism, Diversity and Respect' discussed pluralism and diversity at length, highlighting the underlying threat of ethnic-nationalism and cultural polarisation by the far right. The conference asserted the importance of respecting the different cultural and religious identities. The panels on 'Economic Justice in Uncertain Times' and 'Peace and Justice in a Multipolar World' deepened the discussion further on the diversities of the world and challenges posed by the far-right.

The valedictory session had extra glamour with the participation of Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. The session highlighted the themes of the conference, where political leaders of major participant countries spoke on how the rise of far-right wing movements taking their respective countries towards an authoritarianism. Gandhi spoke of how he took up the Bharat Jodo Yatra to oppose to conditions created by the Bhartiya Janata Party regime, which has been spreading divisive politics and hatred on Indian soil. He said he went to the people and told them that his yatra was just to open a "market of love in the market of hatred", and people of India welcomed him with open hands. One could see parallels in all the representatives' speeches. All spoke of the menace of the far-right in their respective countries, and how it has been creating hate against another community. The session underlined that hate is only the capital of the far-right across the globe, and it should be combated.

The conference ended with a declaration called the 'Hyderabad Resolution: Delivering Global Justice', listing out 44 points to be achieved. The last point of the declaration says, "Together, we will confront injustices, forge a new era of transformation, create a world that honours the rights and aspirations of working peoples, and ensure the fullness of life for all." The conference thus sought to visualise a new world on the principle of liberty, equality and fraternity, which resonates with Nehruvian socialism. On the whole, it created hope for a new society by forging a progressive alliance of countries, a society free from hate.

Professor Bhangya Bhukya teaches history at the University of Hyderabad.

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