UYD 2014: Our Future Our Say!

In the framework of the 15th University on Youth and Development, from the 21st till the 28th of September YES and IUSY gathered European organizations in Mollina and took the chance of this event for a week of training, learning and political debates.

The University on Youth and Development is a space aim at taking affirmative action in Global Youth Cooperation. It is jointly organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, the Spanish Government (INJUVE), the European Youth Forum (YFJ), the Spanish Youth Council (CJE) and other international youth organisations. Since its first edition in 2000, the University takes place once a year bringing together representatives of youth organisations and youth movements from all over the world who gather in the CEULAJ (Euro-Latin-American Youth Centre) to discuss, train and be trained as well as to take political action around the main issues on the global agenda. 

The topic of this year’s edition was “Youth Opportunities” and IUSY/YES participated in the programme with a training activity titled: “Advocating our space in the post-2015 agenda: our future, our say” Following the 2012 Summit Rio+20 and the new focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) IUSY and YES believe that our organizations should play a greater role in following up the Post-2015 agenda. While we consider sustainability goals and a higher focus on environmental protection as well as climate change to be crucial and essential for human well being, our organizations should also be strong and advocate in this process that this should not lead to reduced, lowered or fading efforts to eradicate poverty completely.

The group developed a deeper understanding on youth advocacy in the global agenda and were provided with tools and practices to be more influential when putting forward their political demands. At the same time – in the context of the University and in connection to other partner organizations – the group developed a better understanding of their belonging to a wider global youth movement, beyond their political affiliation. They also developed a proposal for a global campaign in the framework of the post-2015 agenda.

This activity was jointly organized by the Young European Socialists (YES) and the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) with the support of the Progressive Alliance (PA)

IUSY World Festival 2014

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE IUSY WORLD FESTIVAL 2014!

A week of friends, fun and politics – that is the promise the IUSY World Festival holds. This year about 1000 young activists from around the world came together on the beautiful Island of Malta.  It was an unforgettable week at the IUSY World Festival 2014 in Malta. We engaged in discussions, we experienced international solidarity, we made new friends and we did not forget about the fun. We left the Festival with new motivation, new inspiration and also a lot of new friendships.

Our thanks go to the Maltese comrades from FZL Malta 
who were a great host for the socialist youth from around the world.

MEDITERRANEAN COMMITTEE – LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

On the 25th of August 2014 the Mediterranean Committee gathered young leaders from the IUSY member organizations from the Mediterranean with the aim to strengthen the organizations and the cooperation on the continent at the Ghajn Tuffieha Camping Site in Malta. Together we discussed the current political situation in the Mediterranean and elaborated strategies to face the challenges that lie ahead. This year’s Mediterranean committee took place in connection to the IUSY World Festival. The main theme for the committee was 15 Actions to Eradicate Poverty in 15 Years.

AFRICAN COMMITTEE – LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

On the 21st of August 2014 the African Committee gathered young leaders of the IUSY member organizations from Africa with the aim to strengthen the organizations and the cooperation on the continent at the Ghan Tuffieha Camping Site in Malta. Together we discussed the current political situation in Africa and elaborate strategies to face the challenges that lie ahead. The main theme for the committee was 15 Actions to Eradicate Poverty in 15 Years. During the meeting we also had the opportunity to focus on the African context and aspects of poverty and covered topics like migration, minority rights and HIV/AIDS.

Our Participation in International Platforms

Montevideo, Uruguay hosted two important activities that brought together different socialist and social democratic parties and organizations to discuss an issue of great concern to the international community: Inequality.

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To these city moved a delegation of IUSY, headed by the president of the Organization, Felipe Jeldres, and the Vicepresidents Lucia Zapata, of the Socialist Youth of Uruguay and Sebastian Melchior, of the Socialist Youth Argentina to participate in activities representing both moved of the organization.

The agenda began on August 21, with a meeting of the Latin American Socialist Coordination, organization comprising various socialist parties in the region, and after 4 years again met at the venue of the Socialist Party of Uruguay. The activity began with a seminar organized by the Socialist Youth of Uruguay, youth employment and social participation. In the activity, the President of IUSY, spoke in the first panel on good labor practices in different regions, and the vision of fair employment from IUSY. The panel was moderated by Vice President of IUSY, Lucia Zapata.

Subsequently, on 22 and 23 July, the meeting of the Progressive Alliance, which had as its central theme the struggle against inequality was held in the Frente Amplio headquarters, named “La Huella de Seregni” in honour to the founder of Frente Amplio of Uruguay, Liber Seregni. Progressive Alliance is a forum for progressive political parties that seeks to promote the debate on the various issues that currently concern to the international society, with inequality in its different dimensions one.

Within this space, the President of IUSY participated as exhibitor forum “Fighting inequality” – experiences and best practices from different regions of the world, where besides explaining the vision that IUSY on inequality, and ways to combat it, appealed to different global organizations, including United Nations to take the fight against inequality as a priority in the post-2015 agenda to develop specific policies on Health, Education, Environment, Economy, Nutrition, Economics and Policies labor.

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Montevideo, Uruguay fue la sede de dos importantes actividades que convocaron a diferentes partidos y organizaciones socialistas y socialdemócratas para debatir sobre un tema de gran preocupación para la sociedad internacional: La desigualdad.

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Hasta esa ciudad se trasladó una delegación de IUSY, encabezada por el presidente de la Organización, Felipe Jeldres, y los Vicepresidentes Lucía Zapata, de la Juventud Socialista de Uruguay y Sebastián Melchor, de la Juventud Socialista de Argentina para participar en ambas actividades en representación de la organización.

La agenda comenzó el 21 de agosto, con una reunión de la Coordinación Socialista Latinoamericana, organización que agrupa a diferentes partidos socialistas de esa región, y que luego de 4 años volvió a encontrarse en la sede del Partido Socialista de Uruguay. La actividad comenzó con un seminario organizado por la Juventud Socialista de Uruguay, sobre empleo juvenil y participación social. En la actividad, el Presidente de IUSY, expuso en el primer panel sobre buenas prácticas laborales en diferentes regiones, y la visión de empleo justo que IUSY sostiene. El panel fue moderado por la Vicepresidenta de IUSY, Lucia Zapata.

Posteriormente, los días 22 y 23 de Julio, se realizó la sede del Frente Amplio, llamada “La Huella de Seregni”, en honor al fundador de la gran coalición de Uruguay, Liber Seregni la reunión de la Alianza Progresista, que tuvo como tema central el combate a la desigualdad. La Alianza progresista es un foro de Partidos políticos progresistas que busca promover el debate sobre los diferentes temas que hoy preocupan a la sociedad internacional, siendo la desigualdad en sus diferentes dimensiones uno de ellos.

Dentro de este espacio, el Presidente de IUSY participó como expositor del foro “Combatiendo la desigualdad”- experiencias y mejores prácticas de diferentes regiones del mundo”, donde junto con explicar la visión que tiene IUSY sobre la desigualdad, y las vías para combatirla, hizo un llamado a los diferentes organismos mundiales, entre ellos Naciones Unidas, para tomar el combate a la desigualdad como una prioridad en la agenda post 2015, desarrollando políticas concretas en materia de Salud, Educación, Medio Ambiente, Economía, Nutrición, Economía y Políticas laborales.

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We will never forget!

22nd of July 2011 was a day we will never forget. Our comrades of AUF in Norway were brutally attacked during their summer camp in Utøya where 69 activists died. They were ruthlessly attacked and murdered by racism and the hatred it brought with it. One person might have conducted the terrorist attack, but a whole ideology is responsible for it.

As Socialist, Social Democrats and Labour Youth Organizations our struggle for a world of freedom, democracy, equality and social justice will continue until the day we reach it. The hatred and fear Racism, Fascism and Xenophobia are trying to spread, will never succeed. The human urge for equality and freedom is our antidote and it will ensure a peaceful world.

We will never be afraid. We will continue to organize ourselves and to make sure that we are many together walking hand in hand in the struggle. Silence is the best friend of evil. During this time when right wing extremism is growing, it is especially important that we firmly stand up against it. Only when we are many and we unite our voices; freedom, equality and human dignity will prevail.

We will remember our comrades forever. Their struggle is our struggle. And the struggle continues.

 

IUSY Study Session – Call for participants

» Application Form                                      » Open Call


IUSY STUDY SESSION

LABOUR POLICIES FOR YOUTH:
LESSONS AND CHALLENGES

5-12 October 2014, European Youth Centre Strasbourg

All over Europe and the world young people are increasingly understanding that their future is in jeopardy – mainly due to the economical and political situation that is contributing in the first place to the decrease of their educational and career possibilities. Especially during times of crisis as experienced all over Europe these days, abuses and disrespect of labour rights have been affecting young people in particular. With youth unemployment and labour issues being one of the most prevalent problems for youth in Europe today, this Study Session specifically aims to work on this political challenge and bring the momentum of taking action back to the youth.

As a part of our short- and long-term action plan, IUSY is currently developing new approaches to assure broader inclusion of young people in the activities of our global youth movement and to become more open for linking up with other civil society movements as allies and sources of joint inspiration in our common struggles

We encourage you to disseminate this call for participants among the members of your organizations who would fit in the profile of the targeted participants for this study session. Please keep in mind that applications’ deadline is 4th August 2014.

Please do not hesitate to contact IUSY Secretariat if you have any further questions.