We, the participants of the European Preparatory Activities of the 17th World Festival of Youth and Students, that will take place in South Africa, this December, condemn the anti-communist campaign of the ban of communist symbols, that is developed in Poland. After the Baltic countries, Hungary and Czech Republic another EU country member adopts measures and laws against communist forces.This development is related with the outburst of the international crisis of the capitalist system, in the framework of which the governments of most countries of the world, particularly in Europe, conducted a violent offense against the people and youth’s rights.

Under the umbrella of the measures proposed by imperialist structures as the IMF, World Bank, OECD and EU the workers of all European countries have been presented the withdrawal of their rights as an “inevitable” or “natural”, however the truth is that for most big economic groups their huge profits have either only slightly decreased or, in many cases, even increased.

The unacceptable fact that the workers and youth and being forced to pay with their rights the crisis that was created by the dominant classes and the capitalist system itself - due to its irrational, anarchic and unfair character - has deserved from the workers and youth strong resistance in countless struggles against the measures, in particular, and for a whole economical system that serves the true interests and needs of people and youth rights, unlike the capitalist system.

The dominant classes and the governments and international structures, that serve them, know that the capitalist crisis shows to the peoples the historical time limits of the capitalist system. They know that a strong, organized, emancipated struggle is the most important weapon of the workers and youth to resist and overthrow these measures and policies. This why, side by side with the attack on social rights, the attack is growing at political level, mainly against the organizations who are organizing the struggle and the resistance in a clear attempt to try to refrain them from being successful.

Among different attacks and expressions of this coordinated offense against the anti-imperialist movement, the prohibition of the communist symbols in Poland is a particularly strong example of how far (and even further) the dominant classes are willing to go to make sure their dominance and power is not jeopardized. It expresses also their attempt - especially in the former socialist countries - to disrupt and erase from memory of the peoples the achievements and successes of socialism. We reject the characterization of communism as totalitarian and the equalization of communism and fascism.

In this case, as before with our comrades of KSM from Czech Republic, we analyze that this attack is not a matter of only Polish people, neither communist organizations. An attack of this kind is an attack to all forces that, side by side with the communist organizations, struggle for a world free of imperialism, exploitation man by man and oppression. To remain silent before such a reactionary attempt against our Polish comrades would mean the acceptance of these measures in any country of the world (including our own) and against any party or organization (including ourselves).

In a year such as this one, on the 65th anniversary of the peoples’ victory against Nazi-fascism, to which Soviet Union and the communist forces of all Europe played a decisive role, stopping the biggest ever threat to mankind, it is even more insulting and unfair this whole process of rewriting of History and persecution of those who have historically proved their commitment to the construction of a world of peace and solidarity among the peoples.

Therefore, we demand the cancelling of all the anti-communist laws in all countries and we call upon all anti-imperialist and progressive forces and organizations to mark the first week of September as a week of solidarity towards the Polish communists, against the ban of the communist symbols for freedom, democracy, peace and justice - a world free of imperialism and exploitation!

In the framework of the coming Summit of NATO to be held in Lisbon, Portugal, in November, 2010, the World Federation of Democratic Youth extends its support to the peace-loving forces in Portugal.We particularly salute the actions of our member organization, the Portuguese Communist Youth (JCP), of the Portuguese National Preparatory Committee for the 17th WFYS, and all organizations that, side by side with these abovementioned two, are part of the campaign “Yes to Peace, no to NATO!”

As the last 60 years have proved, NATO is since its foundation, one of the most killing instruments of imperialism and has always played a role of oppressing the struggling people, whether by support to fascist coup d’etats, colonialist domination and military intervention or direct attack.
Among many other examples, mankind
can’t ever forget how on 1999 NATO was the instrument for the bombing of Serbia, bringing war back to Europe to conclude the dismantle of Yugoslavia, a country that lived in peace and prosperity for decades and whose only “mistake” was not to accept the imperialist imposition to abandon its policy of sovereignty.

In the preparations for this summit of November already several voices of imperialist powers have raised their voice to announce the deepening of NATO global aggressive character, as to widen the justifications for NATO interventions and confirm it as the “policeman” of imperialism that can intervene at anytime and anywhere.

This fact, goes side by side with the growing military investment and commitment of the European Union and USA to NATO, as their tool to protect and deepen the imperialist domination over all countries of the world, present in Afghanistan with an increasing military contingent and having as main future target Iran.

We stand side by side with the Portuguese youth and people, whose country remains attached to this hideous structure following a commitment made by the Portuguese fascist state 61 years ago. The dissolution of NATO is, therefore, a demand of the current times, part of the achievements of the Portuguese people with the overthrow of the fascist regime and a clear of guideline of the national constitution of the country even nowadays.

In the road for the 17th World Festival of Youth and Students, in South Africa in 2010, the struggle of the youth against NATO and for peace is a major aspect of the preparations of the Festival and it will also be one of the most significant topics in discussion.

WFDY fully supports and endorses the Portuguese campaign “Yes to Peace, no to NATO!”which unites dozens of movements and organizations. We call upon all peace loving organizations to unite our voices and meet in November 2010 in Lisbon under the appeal of the above mentioned campaign.

The World Federation of Democratic Youth has received with worry and indignation the news regarding the physical and psychological that Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, one of the five Cuban Heroes unfairly arrested in the USA, has been suffering.As the the National Assembly of the Popular Power of Cuba has expressed, once again the imperialist government of the USA is showing the world its terrorist politics towards the Cuban Revolution and its hypocrisy by maintaining unfairly imprisoned five Cuban youngsters that struggled against terrorism, and even promotes that Luis Posada Carriles and Orlando Bosh, two of the biggest criminals of Latin America and the world, walk freely through the streets of Miami.

On behalf of its member and friend organizations, WFDY vehemently condemns these actions of physical torture and psychological terrorism against Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, and demands once again to the USA government the immediate release of the Cuban Five Heroes, icons to the world youth, as examples of struggle against terrorism and imperialism. We call upon all our members, friends and all the progressive youth of the world to express its rejection of this inhuman action and to multiply our voices to demand the liberation and keep supporting the glorious Cuban revolution - still blocked and harassed by the North American Government with the support of the European Union.