Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared that the BRICS group embodies the spirit of the historic Bandung Conference, which opposed domination by global powers and promoted a multipolar world order.

Speaking at the opening session of the 17th BRICS Summit held at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) in Rio de Janeiro, Lula emphasized the ideological continuity between BRICS and the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference in Bandung. President Prabowo Subianto was in attendance, marking Indonesia’s first participation in a BRICS Summit as a full member since joining the group on January 1, 2025.

“BRICS is the manifestation of the Bandung non-aligned movement. BRICS keeps the Bandung spirit alive,” Lula said before fellow BRICS leaders on Monday, July 7, 2025.

Lula also expressed concern over the current state of global governance, warning of a breakdown in multilateralism.

“On June 26, the United Nations turned 80 years old, yet we are witnessing an unprecedented collapse of multilateralism,” he cited.

He reminded attendees that the establishment of the United Nations symbolized the defeat of fascism and the birth of collective global hope. Lula further noted that many current BRICS countries were among the original founding members of the UN.

“Ten years after the UN was formed, the Bandung Conference rejected the division of the world into spheres of influence and fought for a multipolar international order,” Lula added.

The Brazilian president reaffirmed BRICS’ historical and ideological role in today’s geopolitical landscape.

“BRICS is the heir to the non-aligned movement,” he declared.

This year’s BRICS Summit provides a platform for member countries to discuss pressing global political and security issues, including prolonged conflicts in various regions, reforms in global governance, and the reinforcement of multilateralism.

In addition, BRICS leaders are addressing opportunities for economic and financial cooperation, as well as key global challenges such as artificial intelligence governance, environmental sustainability and climate action, and global public health.

Special welcome

Lula extended a special welcome to President Prabowo during the opening plenary session of the 17th BRICS Summit on Sunday.

In his address, Lula acknowledged Prabowo’s debut in the BRICS forum, as Indonesia officially joined the group as a full member earlier this year.

“I would like to specially welcome President Prabowo Subianto, who is participating for the first time in the BRICS Summit as President of Indonesia,” Lula said before the gathered heads of state and government.

Lula’s speech also revisited the historic spirit of the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, which laid the foundation for the Non-Aligned Movement and rejected the dominance of global superpowers.

Indonesia became a full member of BRICS on January 1, 2025. This year’s summit marks its official debut in the bloc, providing President Prabowo with an opportunity to engage directly with leaders of both founding and new BRICS member states.

Alongside President Prabowo, other new BRICS leaders also attended the Summit, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed, and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi.

Their presence complements that of leaders from the founding BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.