A Statement from the World Federation of Democratic Youth
On the 60th Anniversary of People’s Victory Against Fascism
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the People’s Victory against Nazism and Fascism, which put an end to the Second World War, the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) pays homage to the memory of those who suffered and perished in the horrors of World War II. We remember the valiant heroes and heroines and resistance forces who fought Fascism. In this war more than 50 million people died, and the terrible crimes of the Nazi concentration camps and the launching of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never be forgotten.
The commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the People’s Victory against Nazism and Fascism has special importance and meaning. With the change in the balance of forces in the world, the imperialist powers have increased their aggression and attacks against humanity and natural resources. Today it is even more clear that capitalism and imperialism cannot solve problems or answer the interests and needs of the youth.
The gap between rich and poor, developed and under-developed countries has never been wider. Exploitation, hunger, unemployment, lack of health care, poverty, and misery continue to grow as a result of the imperialist economic, political, and military policies. The violent offensive against the workers, youth and people’s movement; the increasing attacks on democratic and social rights and basic freedoms; the advancement of racism, xenophobia, and fascism; the systematic use of aggression and war against sovereign countries by U.S. imperialism and its allies: all this makes even more relevant the lessons of the events of 60 years ago.
Also 60 years ago, in November 1945, the World Youth Conference, organized in London, founded the World Federation of Democratic Youth. The World Youth Council, which was formed during the Second World War to fight against fascism by the youth of the allied countries, initiated this Conference to bring together for the first time in the history of the international youth movement representatives of more than 30 million young people of different political ideologies and religious beliefs from 63 nations.
This August 2005, the 16th World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS) will take place in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, under the slogan “For Peace and Solidarity; We Struggle Against Imperialism and War!� The WFYS, initiated in 1947, is one of the richest undertakings of the anti-imperialist youth and students in terms of activities and the number of participants and one of the main expressions of anti-imperialist, antifascist and anti-colonialist struggles led by youth.
As one of the main victims of the policies of imperialism, youth have been playing one of the most important roles in fighting these policies. Strengthening the progressive and anti-imperialist youth movements is very important for building the youth’s political and social conscience in the struggle for peace, national sovereignty, independence, democratic, human, youth and women’s rights, employment with dignity, labor rights, education, health care, sport, culture and technology for all, international solidarity, and a world free from nuclear weapons.
The democratic and progressive traditions of the World Federation of Democratic Youth will strengthen our determination to strive for a better world of full human emancipation. In this collective effort the youth will remain at the forefront, for as long as it takes to materialize our vision.
WFDY’s motto remains meaningful today, and it is an inspiration of hope and confidence in our daily battles: Youth Unite! Forward for Lasting Peace!
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