• 

In these challenging times, when we are living in unusual circumstances, starting with the pandemic and ending with a devastating war, Balkan countries have been particularly affected.

Right-wing populism and nationalism across the Balkans have been arising, and threatening security and stability in our countries.

In recent weeks, we have witnessed gross violations of international law and casualties caused by the Russian military actions in Ukraine. Also, many Russian peace activists have been imprisoned, apart from already having a lot of setbacks in exercising their human right to public gathering.

Even before the war in Ukraine started, tensions in the Balkan region, supported by sowing nationalism and nationalist rhetoric, were present and put the stability of the region into question.

Furthermore, the fear of rising gas, energy and food prices resulting from the war in Ukraine are also very strong in the Balkan countries, where the standard of living is much lower than those in the more prosperous EU countries.

Current events show that keeping Balkan countries on the European path, and maintaining peace, prosperity and stability in the region, has never been as important as it is now.

During the BRT Committee meeting in March 2022 in Belgrade, we discussed the challenges that our countries have been facing during these worrying circumstances.

As young socialists and social democrats, we defend our shared values, including democracy, respect of human rights, global peace and stability.

We must act, and we therefore call on all the responsible political actors to support all demands mentioned below and to stand by our side:

1. IUSY Balkan Round Table Committee condemns the Russian invasion and war in Ukraine. We stand in solidarity with Ukraine and support the democratic aspirations and fundamental freedoms of the Ukrainian people.
2. Nationalist and authoritarian forces must be stopped. Silence and non-condemnation of military aggression means supporting military attacks and sowing instability, which have been seen in the actions of authoritarian leaders in the region.
3. We call upon our governments to establish peace and stability in the region by finding solutions for current conflicts via constructive dialogue.
4. We are united in our efforts for a better life for young people in the Balkan region and re-establish a credible perspective for the Western Balkan countries to join the European Union.
5. We are deeply concerned by the crackdown happening within the Russian Federation on dissidents and civil society by the Putin regime.

Dear comrades,

IUSY World Council is back in a physical format! We’re looking forward to welcoming you all in Tirana, this June.

2022 is an important year to discuss the challenges of youth in the framework of the 2030 agenda. As a socialist, social democratic and labour organization we are called to address the issues that affect our generation today, but also the issues of the future, thus reaffirming our agenda for a more egalitarian and just world.

In recent times, we have seen the fragility of the world in the face of a pandemic that acts regardless of borders, ideology or social status, having a dominant impact on the youth. Nevertheless, young people still raise the flags of hope in the face of the different challenges that affect everyone.

Given that there are less than ten years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, from IUSY we are called to contribute to progress throughout the world without leaving anyone behind; and that is why this council is planned to discuss, from the perspective of the youth, the challenges and also the contributions that we can make to the world from our organization. Together we will make an equal world possible for everyone.

This year our member organization FESYA from Albania will be hosting our world council, and we are happy to welcome you in Tirana.

Attached you will find all the technical information for the IUSY World Council. Please note that we urge all member organizations to register by April 1, 2022 (or latest by April 22, 2022).

We hope to see you in Albania for a fruitful and inspiring World Council for all.

IUSY expresses dismay at the return of the war in Europe and strongly condemns the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which it considers a severe threat to global security. Furthermore, pain and bewilderment are expressed for the news relating to the first victims of the conflict.

IUSY calls for an end to all violence and military actions against Ukraine, convokes diplomatic negotiations and reiters that President Putin and the Russian political and military leadership will have to answer to the international community for the violation of international law and any violence against Ukrainian citizens.

IUSY appeals to regional and international partners and countries to support every possible diplomatic effort for peace and disarmament, guaranteeing the respect for humanitarian law, protecting refugees in border areas and safeguarding civilians, such as children.

It is high time to stop the war.

To all interested service providers:

IUSY is looking forward to fully digitalize its services of communication with Member Organisations through a new website, platform and communication plan.

For this reason, we are launching an open call to all service providers and possible partners who could help us designing a new IUSY Digital Platform, with fully integrated digital solutions, as a new approach to post-pandemic communication with all IUSY Member Organisations.

Therefore, and without prejudices for previous consultations, we are launching a call for offers that can contemplate:
1) A renovation of IUSY website;
2) The creation of a new IUSY Hub / IUSY Integrated Platform for MOs;
3) Maintenance and workshops on both technologies.

Proposals including a vision for a communication strategy between IUSY and its MOs, with or without parallel in other similar political organisations or NGOs, and between IUSY and partners/media will be additionally valued.

The call will be open until the 6th of March and all the requests might be available in the following folder.

Please do not hesitate to contribute and to make any necessary questions to iusy@iusy.org.

Dear Comrades,

This year in cooperation with the Kurt Löwenstein Youth Education Centre which is run by the Socialist Youth of Germany – Die Falken near Berlin the time has come finally for a IUSY Queer working seminar in person!

• When: 11-18 April
• Where: Werneuchen (Berlin region), Germany
• Deadline for registration: 21st of February (deadline has been extended)

Kurt Löwenstein will host its annual Queer Easter seminar with the theme Queering Socialism in which IUSY will participate with its own delegation on behalf of invitation from Vitus Mayr, Jusos Germany and Sofia Di Patrizi, GD Italy representatives from the Kurt Löwenstein International team. Together we will look at the connection between Queer movements and socialism and why we need both in our struggle for a just and equal society. A special programme will be organised for members of IUSY member organisations together with the IUSY Queer Working Group with a combination of own sessions as well as shared sessions with leftist queer activists from all over the world.

Queer Easter is an activity that has been hosted by the Kurt Löwenstein Education Center for more than 20 years. It aims at uniting socialist youth as well as LGBTQIA* communities from all over the world for one week of discussing, exchanging knowledge, making friends and planning activities for the future. The training will be about:

The training will be about:

• ideas and methods of non-formal education and socialist education
• inclusion of various political and cultural aspects in regards to the theme
• Anti-capitalism and pink washing
• Queer struggle historically and currently all over the world
• How to be a queer activist
• How to get active in the IUSY Queer Working Group

Participants profile:

• Belong to a IUSY member organisation (activity is aimed towards grass root activists not leadership)
• Be aged 18-35
• Have a proficient level of english (the only working language during the activity)
• Availability and commitment during the whole duration of the activity
• Motivation to be active in the IUSY Queer Working Group

Participation fee

50-100 EUR depending on your country of residence. For selected participants IUSY will cover the participation fee costs.

Travel cost reimbursement

Travel costs for selected participants will be covered. No tickets should be covered without the confirmation from the organisers side.

Online registration

https://www.kurt-loewenstein.de/formular/online-registration-queer-easter-2022

NOTE: In order for the registration to be complete interested applicants also need to email project manager Diana Ghafour on diana.ghafour@iusy.org expressing their interest to participate in the activity.

NOTE: Please make sure to put your organisations name when you fill in the application and also mention that your organisation is a IUSY member. Otherwise we will not be able to identify. Example: Jusos Germany/IUSY or GD Italy/IUSY

NOTE: On the comments section please share your motivation for why you want to join the activity and further sharing your skills within the IUSY Queer Working Group. This is mandatory!

Visas
Participants needing a visa invitation, please apply as early as possible. You will receive a visa application if your application is selected.

Partner Mandate

Organisations without a partnership with Kurt Löwenstein Centre will need to sign a partner mandate in order for your participating members to be travel reimbursed.

Contact information

Should you have any question to hesitate to contact the Secretariat at diana.ghafour@iusy.org or Queer Working Group coordinator Julis.Jandl@iusy.org

We look forward to your registration!

• 

In recent weeks, we – IUSY (the International Union of Socialists Youth), and YES (the Young European Socialists) – have been watching the developing situation along the Ukrainian-Russian border with deep concern. Along the Ukrainian-Russian border, Russia has carried out a significant military build-up, including the deployment of offensive weapons and undertaking reinforced trainings and military exercises. According to reports, Russia has continued to concentrate more intelligence units, special operations and marine forces along both the border, and in the occupied Crimea and Donbas. Finally, we have witnessed the propagation of intensified extensive and virulent disinformation campaigns against Ukraine and NATO, and the perpetration of cyber-attacks upon Ukrainian governmental websites.

Considering these worrying circumstances, we conclude that the current aggressions from Russia and the corresponding uncertainty arising from this render impossible peace in the region of the Donbas and Ukraine, and endanger it for the rest of Europe. 

The current Russian military mobilisation and presence along the Ukrainian border, and the undertaking of a joint Russian/Belarussian military manoeuvre represents a threat to Ukraine and its people, against both state security and state sovereignty. IUSY and YES support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as the independence and sovereignty of the Ukrainian democracy. We recall and affirm the principle of constitutional consent, and strongly believe the people’s choice for a future of democratic stability and prosperity in Ukraine must be respected. We believe that the current threat against the Ukrainian people feeds the vicious circle of the post-Soviet power-struggle for hegemony in Eastern Europe; Russia willingly risks a violent escalation in this pursuit. Russia’s actions are attempts to destabilise the region and expand its influence while disregarding democratic sovereignty in independent states, which is unacceptable. 

Therefore, as an immediate first step to prevent escalation and minimise conflict, we demand the halt of any Russian military manoeuvres in the region, an end to the deployment of offensive weapons, and the withdrawal of any irregular Russian troops from the Eastern-Ukrainian border. As young socialists, we firmly believe that peace can be secured through dialogue and negotiations. 

We express our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and our comrades, support every means of international dialogue to secure peace and stability in the region and especially reinforce the reinstallation of the Trilateral Contact Group and the Normandy Format.

 The International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) expresses great concern about recent events in Swaziland (eSwatini) and the continuing violation of human rights against IUSY member organization Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) and students by the despotic regime of King Mswati. 

On 31st January, 2021 we woke up to another sad news about the arrest of the Swaziland National Union of Students (SNUS) President and SWAYOCO member, Colani Maseko with malicious charges of Sedition. In the IUSY family we believe in the right to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly which Maseko was exercising, and such should not lead to an arrest. 

Our member organisation SWAYOCO and students have been central in demanding a democratic political system that would fight to address the glaring socio economic conditions, ranging from poverty, access to education, health care and importantly jobs for the majority of young people. Fighting for justice, equality and dignity should never be a crime 

We reiterate our last Congress resolution “Freedom and Democracy for Swaziland” states: 

“The International Union Socialist Youth (IUSY), call on for the democratization of Swaziland. The people of Swaziland have been denied their freedom for too long since political parties were banned in 1973 by the monarchy. The absolute monarchy run by King Mswati does not espouse the values of freedom, human rights which the world cherishes so much.” 

IUSY calls for the immediate release of Maseko and the hundreds of prisoners languishing in Swazi prisons. 

IUSY calls on the people of the world to stand in solidarity with the people of Swaziland. 

We call international bodies SADC, AU and UN to take action against the Swazi regime, the suffering has been too long. 

From the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY), we express our concern about the latest developments in the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The provocative actions and the inflammatory rhetoric from Republika Srpska, which is rooted in nationalism, are leading to instability and calling into question Bosnia and Herzegovina’s territorial integrity, unity, and sovereignty. Further escalating the ongoing political crisis, and tensions among communities throughout the country, must be prevented. 

The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is critical, and the current political crisis is the worst since the war 1992-1995.  The entity Republika Srpska’s threat of secession from Bosnia and Herzegovina risks igniting an ethnic conflict reminiscent of the conflict that formed the basis of ethnic cleansing and genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To stop the negative political developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina the rest of the world must act and put political pressure on relevant institutions, political parties and individual politicians and public officials in Republika Srpska and the federal level of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian state.  

It follows from the Dayton Peace Accords that Republika Srpska is one of two “entities” that makes up Bosnia and Herzegovina,. The Dayton Peace Accords define the boundaries between the second entity “The Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina” and Republika Srpska. 

After a long period of peace and stability, Bosnian-Serb president of Bosnia and Hercegovina, Milorad Dodik, and his nationalist party, which rules in Republika Srpska, has decided to intensely work on the destabilization of Bosnia and Herzegovina thus turning against the Dayton Peace Accords and the constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their aim is clear: Secession from Bosnia and Hercegovina and independence for Republika Srpska in a union with the Republic of Serbia. In connection with these demands, nationalist forces have been given considerable space in the form of demonstrations and unrest in general. Republika Srpska is an entity within the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina which must be respected.

IUSY condemns the riots that have taken place in the country and caused great unrest among the people of the country. The terrible values that increase cynicism and hatred must be overcome with solidarity and hope. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country known for its diversity, openness and tolerance. Therefore, nationalist forces must be stopped. The rest of the world must act, and we therefore call on every political actors to support actions demanding that:

• Divisions in the form of a divided interpretation of the Dayton Agreement are stopped with immediate effect.
• All leaders must end the divisions by taking the necessary steps, through a constructive dialogue, to restore the normal functioning of the institutions and achieve the reforms that are important for the country and the better life of its people.
• The international community sanctions political parties, politicians and officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina who are inciting unrest, destability and ethnic conflict.