Скачать или смотреть Rise Up: A Song of Defiance That Became a Global Anthem

A song written in defiance. Sung in solidarity. Still resonating today.

This is the extraordinary journey of "March of the Volunteers"—from 1935 Shanghai to a global anthem of resistance.

Created during China's fight against Japanese invasion, this song transcended borders to become a rallying cry for dignity and freedom across continents. Paul Robeson performed it in North America and Europe starting in 1940. A Cantonese version spread throughout Southeast Asia. Soldiers sang it on the battlefields of the China-Burma border. In 1949, it became China's national anthem.

Today, as the Global South rises collectively, "March of the Volunteers" remains a timeless voice of solidarity—connecting liberation movements across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

*Presented at the Global South Academic Forum (GSAF) 2025.