Enthusiasm was evident as thousands of people, including schoolchildren, greeted delegates and heads of states and governments to join in the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference (AAC) at the Merdeka Building in Bandung, West Java.

Even after the guests left Bandung, thousands of people still thronged Jl. Asia-Afrika because Friday was declared a public holiday in the city.

About 200 uniformed elementary and junior high school students cheerfully greeted the international guests around the commemoration venue. They had been waiting there since 6 a.m.

'€œI am very proud to be selected because not all schools were chosen to welcome the guests,'€ a 14-year-old student said.

They stood in rows along the sides of the streets passed by the entourages of delegates. They waved the flags of the participating countries while singing '€œHalo-Halo Bandung'€ as the buses carrying the delegates drove through.

But they could only do so outside Jl. Asia-Afrika, where the Merdeka Building is located, and which had been closed to the public since Thursday.

Although areas around the Merdeka Building had been closed to the public, people were still seen trying to approach. They gathered on Jl. Braga, some 300 meters to the north of the Merdeka Building.

The same enthusiasm was also seen during the public broadcast of the AAC commemoration on a big screen at the Bandung Film Park.

No less than 100 families sat in the park to watch on the screen President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo conduct the historic procession involving other heads of states and governments from the Savoy Homann Hotel to the Merdeka Building.

Karel, a student from Papua, said he was proud of Indonesia for being able to host a such a prestigious summit.

'€œThis is historic because the activity from the beginning is aimed at improving people'€™s wealth,'€ Karel said.

Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil, however, did not only pay attention to the VVIP guests, but also to his own people. The government organized several traditional food and arts festivals and carnivals in several districts, such as Bandung Wetan, Margacinta, Buahbatu, Coblong, Sukajadi and Cicendo.

Dandi Setiadi, 39, who also witnessed the 50th anniversary commemoration in 2005, said people were more enthusiastic now, probably because of the role played by social media. The government was also better organized in preparing the event compared to 10 years ago. At that time, West Java also received a monumental souvenir from the central government, with the construction of the Cipularang toll road.

'€œPeople are more involved now in the carnivals and other activities. Our city is also more beautiful and cleaner now,'€ said Dandi about the city that was once called the Paris of Java.

An eyewitness of the 1955 Asian-African Conference, Jackson Leung, 74, said that the atmosphere he felt in the celebration was not that different from that back in 1955.

He also recalled his experience of draping garlands on then Chinese prime minister Zhou Enlai.

'€œI had never seen such thick eyebrows,'€ said Jackson, who always managed to come to Bandung every year to witness the AAC commemoration ceremony.

He said he had the chance to hold Zhou Enlai'€™s hand for some moments before then Indonesian prime minister Ali Sastroamidjojo pulled him away.

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