17th World Festival of Youth and Students

The festival will take place in Pretoria, South Africa from December 13th to the 21st, 2010.

Appeal to the Youth and Students of the World

Youth has always been a vital force in the development of societies. With natural creativity, will of change, transformation and strength, the struggle of youth for freedom, peace and social transformation, for the right to education, employment, democratic rights and peace has always had a significant role in the general struggle for a fair and peaceful world. This is demonstrated by the past, but also by the present where big demonstrations of students, of young workers and of youngsters in general are a vanguard of resistance against exploitation, withdrawal of rights, imperialist plunder of resources, racism, sexual discrimination, colonialism, fascism, military interventions and war, and for the survival of the Human being. We call upon the youth to continue these struggles.

In the same time when imperialism dominates the World, in the framework of one of the deepest structural crisis of the capitalist system, the situation of the youth is worsening. This is very clear in the increasing number of young people unemployed or working under precarious working relations as the profits of the big economic groups keep increasing, the number of people resisting increases every day, in all countries, where the youth and people are victims of the imperialism and bravely resist, as well as in many countries under sanctions, blockades and occupation. This crisis shows the historical limits of this system and that there is more potential for stronger struggles against it and changes in the balance of the different forces in the world. We call all the youth to line up in our struggle of resistance against the exploitation of the peoples and environment, for the true satisfaction of peoples’ needs. In times when imperialist forces increase militarization of the World, by implementing more military bases, by competing against each other for markets and natural resources, increasing the fire power of armies and their budgets, developing high technology weapons, and devastating the environment and natural resources, proving the eco-predatory character of imperialism, Eath has become a more dangerous place for youth to live. Alongside with the empowerment of imperialist structures, like NATO, EU, AFRICOM and other organizations, imperialism is everyday more aggressive towards progressive, democratic and communist organizations, which demands from us to reinforce the struggle for peace. The increase of the military offensives and provocations against all progressive governments and people in Latin America and the Caribbean, the persecution of the youth and students’ movement in Colombia, and the progressive and anti-imperialist forces and youth organizations in Eastern European countries, the equalizing of communism and Nazism, the attacks against UJSario Western Sahara and youth and people, the crimes against the youth and people of Palestine by the Zionist Israeli occupation sponsored by imperialism, the occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan, the continuation of the occupation of Cyprus, the oppression of indigenous people, among many other examples, demonstrate that the attempt of imperialism to destroy democratic rights is not only an isolated event in one country, but is indeed one of the key elements of the imperialist offense and strategy.

Youth struggled, struggles and will keep struggling for public, free, quality and democratic education, for right to employment with full labour rights, for democratic rights, for the right to exclusively free access to health, sport and culture, for the protection of the environment, for sovereignty, for a decent life, for friendship, solidarity and peace among all peoples of the world. There is no imperialist campaign, no anti-scientific school book, no industry of culture, no nationalist feeling, racial prejudice, imperialist promoted secessionist movement, ethnic or religious conflict promoted by imperialism that can ever stop the struggle of the youth and all the workers against exploitation of man by man from happening and being victorious.

The 17th World Festival of Youth and Students will be held having before it a rich past of WFYS experience, particularly the experience from the 16th WFYS, held in Caracas - Venezuela, in August 2005, which success represents a big responsibility and a big hope for the 17th WFYS, that will happen in Pretoria - South Africa, in December, 2010.

The 17th WFYS in South Africa states and underlines the anti-imperialist character of the World Festivals of Youth and Students. The firm confrontation with imperialism was the key element for WFYS resistance, with an important contribution from the progressive and socialist countries. The international, mass participation of the youth and students and political-cultural characteristics are elements that we should reinforce, alongside with the solidarity with South Africa resistance to any type of imperialist intervention, building a multicultural and multinational country of peace, sovereignty and social justice, now that the brave struggle of the South African people and youth have broken the grids of apartheid.

Furthermore, organizing the 17th WFYS in the African continent is a sign of support to the African youth, who so bravely struggles against the new waves of imperialism, whether it is on its military expression, by implementing military bases all over the continent (particularly the dangerous US project of AFRICOM) and the growing military presence in Somalia; or on its political and economic expression by attempting to force all countries to bend to the imperialist wills, punishing with sanctions all those who refuse to accept this new sort of neo-colonialist offense against their countries and peoples.

The World Festival of Youth and Students is collectively organized and represents the millions of youngsters who struggle for a peaceful future without imperialism and its structures. Its democratic process, since the first preparatory moment until the closing ceremony, is unique and should be preserved and deepened, in order to be even more connected with the concrete everyday struggles in the countries of all the world of the youth and students.

We call upon all progressive youth and students to join the struggle for peace and against imperialism, and work actively from now to strengthen the 17th WFYS in their countries and participate in the Festival in South Africa.

Let’s defeat imperialism, for a world of peace, solidarity and social transformation!

Let us work for a successful 17th World Festival of Youth and Students in South Africa, in December 13 - 21, 2010.