Bung Karno

Ir. Soekarno or better known as Bung Karno, is the first president of the Republic of Indonesia. He once
proclaimed the independence of Indonesia (along with Drs. Mohammad Hatta) on August 17, 1945. He is trained in architecture and an avid lover of the arts. He is also a skilled and passionate orator a visionary for the nation's future.

In 1955 Ir. Soekarno gave a welcoming speech to the world's first Asian African Conference:
"Let us not be bitter about the past, but let us keep our eyes firmly on the future. Let us remember that no blessing of God is so sweet as life and liberty. Let us remember that the stature of all mankind is diminished solong as nations or parts of nations are still unfree. Let us remember that the highest purpose of man is the liberation of man from his bonds of fear, his bonds of human degradation, his bonds of poverty - the liberation of man from the physical, spiritual and intellectual bonds which have for too long stunted the development of humanity's majority.

And let us remember, Sisters and Brothers, that for the sake of all that, we Asians and Africans must be united."