The Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) was a political and
diplomatic initiative founded in 1961 with the goal of promoting peace, sovereignty, and
independence among developing nations, particularly those emerging from colonial rule.
The movement was aimed at avoiding alignment with any major power bloc during the Cold
War, particularly the United States and the Soviet Union. The nature of the movement was to
resist the pressures of taking sides in the ideological and military conflicts of the Cold War. It
emphasized mutual respect, territorial integrity, peaceful coexistence, and non-intervention
in the internal affairs of other nations. The movement sought to provide a third way for
countries that did not wish to be dominated by either of the two superpowers