World Federation of Democratic Youth

World Federation of Democratic Youth
Formation 10 November 1945 (1945-11-10)
Founded at London
Headquarters Budapest, Hungary
President
 EDONIacovos Tofari
Secretary General
 UJC - Yusdaquy Larduet
Vice President
 ULDY - Adnan Al Mokdad
Vice President
 Lasantha Abeywarna
Affiliations ECOSOC (General consultative status),(United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) (UNESCO)
Website www.wfdy.org

The World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) is an international youth organization, recognized by the United Nations as an international youth non-governmental organization, and has historically characterized itself as anti-imperialist and left-wing. WFDY was founded in London in 1945 as a broad international youth movement, organized in the context of the end of World War II with the aim of uniting youth from the Allied nations behind an anti-fascist platform that was broadly pro-peace, anti-nuclear war, expressing friendship between youth of the capitalist and socialist nations. The WFDY Headquarters are in Budapest, Hungary. The main event of WFDY is the World Festival of Youth and Students. The last festival was held in Sochi, Russia, in October 2017. It was one of the first organizations granted general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

History

On 10 November 1945, the World Youth Conference, organized in London, founded the World Federation of Democratic Youth. This historic conference was convened at the initiative of the World Youth Council which was formed during World War II to encourage the fight against fascism by the youth of the allied nations. The conference brought together, for the first time in the history of the international youth movement, representatives of more than 30,000,000 young people of diverse different political ideologies and religious beliefs from 63 nations. It adopted a pledge for peace.

Shortly after, with the onset of the Cold War and Winston Churchill's Iron Curtain speech, the organization was accused by the US State Department of being a "Moscow front". Many of the founding organizations quit, leaving mostly youth from socialist nations, national liberation movements, and communist youth.[1] Like the International Union of Students (IUS) and other pro-Soviet organizations, the WFDY became a target and victim of CIA espionage as well as part of active measures conducted by the Soviet state security.[2][3][4][5]

The WFYD's first General Secretary, Alexander Shelepin, was a former leader of the Young Communist International which had been dissolved in 1943. Shelepin had been a guerilla fighter during World War II (after his work with the WFDY, he was appointed head of Soviet State Security).[2] Both the WFDY and IUS vocally criticized the Marshall Plan, supported the Czechoslovak coup d'état of 1948 and the new People's Democracies in Europe. They opposed the Korean War.[2]

The main event of the WFDY became the World Festival of Youth and Students, a massive political and cultural celebration for peace and friendship between the youth of the world. Most, but not all, of the early festivals were held in socialist nations in Europe. During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s the WFDY's festivals were one of the few places where young people from the so-called "Free World" could meet youth struggling against apartheid from South Africa, or militant youth from Vietnam, Palestine, Cuba and other nations. Famous people who participated in festivals included Angela Davis, Yuri Gagarin, Yasser Arafat, Fidel Castro, Ruth First, Jan Myrdal and Nelson Mandela

When the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc collapsed, the WFDY entered a crisis. With the power vacuum left by the collapse of the most important member organization, the Soviet Komsomol, there were conflicting views of the future character of the organization. Some wanted a more apolitical structure, whereas others were more inclined to an openly leftist federation. The WFDY, however, survived this crisis, and is today an active international youth organization that holds regular activities.

Pledge

Guy de Boisson, President of the World Federation of Democratic Youth, speaks at the opening of the 2nd World Festival of Youth and Students (Budapest, 1949).

We pledge that we shall remember this unity, forged in this month, November 1945

Not only today, not only this week, this year, but always Until we have built the world we have dreamed of and fought for We pledge ourselves to build the unity of youth of the world All races, all colors, all nationalities, all beliefs To eliminate all traces of fascism from the earth To build a deep and sincere international friendship among the peoples of the world To keep a just lasting peace To eliminate want, frustration and enforced idleness

We have come to confirm the unity of all youth salute our comrades who have died-and pledge our word that skilful hands, keen brains and young enthusiasm shall never more be wasted in war

— Pledge of the World Federation of Democratic Youth

General Assembly

Every 4 years WFDY holds a General Assembly. The last Assembly took place in Havana in 2015. During the Assembly WFDY elects its Headquarters and General Council but also a Political Declaration is approved.

Member organizations

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Africa

Country Name Notes
 Angola Juventude do Movimento Popular da Libertação de Angola Youth wing of MPLA
 Congo, Dem. Rep. PPRD Youth League Youth wing of the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy
 Eritrea National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students
 Ethiopia Ethiopian Youth League
 Ghana Democratic Youth League of Ghana
African Youth Command
 Mozambique Mozambican Youth Organisation Youth wing of FRELIMO
 Namibia SWAPO Party Youth League Youth wing of SWAPO
 Senegal Mouvement de la Jeunesse Démocratique Youth wing of the Democratic League/Movement for the Labour Party
UJDAN Youth wing of the Party of Independence and Labour
 South Africa African National Congress Youth League Youth wing of the African National Congress
South African Students Congress
Young Communist League of South Africa Youth wing of the South African Communist Party
 Sudan Sudanese Youth Union Youth wing of the Sudanese Communist Party
 Tanzania Umoja Wa Vijana Youth wing of Chama Cha Mapinduzi
 Senegal Democratic Youth Union Alboury Ndiaye Youth wing of the Party of Independence and Work
 Western Sahara Saharawi Youth Union Youth wing of the Polisario Front
 Zambia United National Independence Party Youth League Youth wing of the United National Independence Party
 Zimbabwe ZANU-PF Youth League Youth wing of ZANU-PF

Asia and the Pacific

Country Name Notes
 Australia Resistance: Young Socialist Alliance Youth wing of the Socialist Alliance
 Bangladesh Bangladesh Students Union
Bangladesh Youth Union Youth wing of the Communist Party of Bangladesh
 Bhutan Democratic Youth of Bhutan Youth wing of the Bhutan National Democratic Party
Students Union of Bhutan
 India Students Federation of India Student wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Democratic Youth Federation of India Youth Wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
All India Students Federation Student wing of the Communist Party of India
All India Youth Federation Youth wing of the Communist Party of India
All India Youth League Youth wing of the All India Forward Bloc
 Iran Tudeh Youth Youth wing of the Tudeh Party of Iran
 Japan Democratic Youth League of Japan Youth wing of the Japanese Communist Party
Japan League of Socialist Youth
Korean Youth League in Japan Youth wing of Chongryon
 Korea, DPR Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League Youth wing of the Workers' Party of Korea
 Korea, Rep. 7th-term Hanchongryun
 Laos Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union Youth wing of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party
 Myanmar All Burma Students' Democratic Front
All Burma Students League
   Nepal All Nepal National Free Students Union Student wing of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)
Youth Federation Nepal Youth wing of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)
Nepal National Federation of Students Student wing of the Nepal Communist Party (United)
Nepal National Youth Federation Youth wing of the Nepal Communist Party (United)
 Pakistan Democratic Students Federation Student wing of the Communist Party of Pakistan
Pashtoonkhwa Students Organization
 Philippines ANAKBAYAN
 Sri Lanka Communist Youth Federation Youth wing of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka National Union Of Students Student wing of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka
Federation of All Lanka(Ceylon) Youth League Youth wing of Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
Socialist Students Union Student wing of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
Socialist Youth Union Youth wing of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
 Vietnam Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Youth wing of the Communist Party of Vietnam

Europe and North America

Country Name Notes
 Armenia Young Communist League Armenia Youth wing of the Armenian Communist Party
 Azerbaijan Young Communist League Azerbaijan Youth wing of the Azerbaijan Communist Party
 Austria Communist Youth of Austria
 Belgium COMAC Youth wing of the Workers' Party of Belgium
 Bulgaria Bulgarian Socialist Youth Union
 Canada Young Communist League of Canada Affiliated with the Communist Party of Canada
 Catalonia Communist Youth of Catalonia Youth wing of the Communists of Catalonia
 Czech Republic Communist Youth Union Youth wing of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
 Cyprus United Democratic Youth Organisation Youth wing of the Progressive Party of Working People
 Denmark Ungkommunisterne Shared youth organization of the Communist Party in Denmark and the Communist Party of Denmark
 Finland Communist Youth League
 France Mouvement Jeunes Communistes de France
 Georgia Young Communist League of Georgia
 Germany Free German Youth
Socialist German Workers Youth Youth wing of the German Communist Party
 Greece Communist Youth of Greece Youth wing of the Communist Party of Greece
 Hungary Baloldali Front Youth wing of the Hungarian Workers' Party
 Ireland Connolly Youth Movement Youth wing of the Communist Party of Ireland
Workers Party Youth Youth wing of the Workers' Party of Ireland
 Italy Front of the Communist Youth Youth wing of the Communist Party
Giovani Comuniste e Comunisti Youth wing of the Communist Refoundation Party
 Norway Young Communists in Norway Youth wing of the Communist Party of Norway
Young Communist League of Norway
 Portugal Portuguese Communist Youth Youth wing of the Portuguese Communist Party
 Russia Leninist Young Communist League of the Russian Federation Youth wing of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
Revolutionary Communist Youth League (Bolshevik) Youth wing of the Russian Communist Workers' Party of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Russian Communist Youth League
 Slovakia Socialistický Zväz Mladých Youth wing of the Communist Party of Slovakia
 Spain Collectives of Communist Youth Youth wing of the Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain
Communist Youth Union of Spain Youth wing of the Communist Party of Spain
 Sweden Communist Youth of Sweden Youth wing of the Communist Party of Sweden
 United Kingdom Young Communist League Youth wing of the Communist Party of Britain
Young Socialists Youth wing of the Communist League
 Serbia Young Communist League of Yugoslavia Youth wing of the New Communist Party of Yugoslavia
 United States Young Communist League USA Youth wing of the Communist Party USA
Young Socialists Youth wing of the Socialist Workers Party

Latin America and Caribbean

Country Name Notes
 Argentina Federación Juvenil Comunista Youth wing of the Communist Party of Argentina
 Barbados League of Progressive Youth
 Bolivia Juventud Comunista de Bolivia Youth wing of the Communist Party of Bolivia
 Brazil Juventude Revolucionaria 8 de Outubro Youth wing of the MR-8
Juventude do PDT Youth wing of the Democratic Labour Party
Juventude do PMDB Youth wing of the Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement
Juventude Comunista Avançando Youth wing of the Polo Comunista Luiz Carlos Prestes
União da Juventude Comunista Youth wing of the Brazilian Communist Party
União da Juventude Socialista Youth wing of the Communist Party of Brazil
Juventude Socialista Brasileira Youth wing of the Brazilian Socialist Party
 Chile Juventudes Comunistas Youth wing of the Communist Party of Chile
 Colombia Juventud Comunista de Colombia Youth wing of the Colombian Communist Party
 Cuba Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas Youth wing of the Communist Party of Cuba
 Ecuador Federación Estudiantes Universitarios
Juventud Socialista Ecuatoriana Youth wing of the Socialist Party of Ecuador
 El Salvador Juventud del Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional Youth wing of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front
 Grenada Maurice Bishop Youth Movement
 Guatemala Juventud URNG Youth wing of the URNG
 Guyana Guyana Youth and Students Movement
Walter Rodney Youth Movement
 Mexico Juventud Popular Socialista Youth wing of the Popular Socialist Party
 Nicaragua Juventud del FSLN Youth wing of the Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional
 Paraguay Casa de la Juventud del Paraguay
 Peru Juventud Comunista Peruana Youth wing of the Peruvian Communist Party
 Uruguay Juventud del Movimiento 26 de Marzo Youth wing of the 26 March Movement
 Venezuela Juventud Comunista de Venezuela Youth wing of the Communist Party of Venezuela
United Socialist Party of Venezuela Youth Youth wing of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela

Middle East

Country Name Notes
 Algeria Union de la Jeunesse Algérienne Youth wing of the FLN
National Union of Algerian Students Students of the FLN
 Egypt Union of Progressive Youth of Egypt Youth wing of the Progressive National Unionist Party
 Iraq Democratic Youth Federation of Iraq Youth wing of the Iraqi Communist Party
General Union of Students in Iraqi Republic
 Israel Young Communist League of Israel Youth wing of the Communist Party of Israel
 Lebanon Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth Youth wing of the Lebanese Communist Party
 Libya National Youth Organization of Libya
 Bahrain Shabeeba Society of Bahrain Youth wing of the Progressive Democratic Tribune
 Morocco Istiqlal Party Youth Youth wing of the Istiqlal Party
USFP Jeunesse Ittihadiya Youth wing of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces
Jeunesse Socialiste Youth wing of the Party of Progress and Socialism
 Palestine General Union of Palestine Students
Palestinian Democratic Youth Union Youth wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine
 Syria Union of Democratic Youth of Syria-Khaled Baghdash Youth wing of the Syrian Communist Party
Syrian Democratic Youth Union Youth wing of the Syrian Unified Communist Party
 Kuwait Democratic Youth Forum Youth wing of the KPM

Former members

Observers

See also

References

  1. ↑ Richard Felix Staar, Foreign policies of the Soviet Union, Hoover Press, 1991, ISBN 0-8179-9102-6, p.84
  2. 1 2 3 The cultural Cold War in Western Europe, 1945-1960. Giles Scott-Smith, Hans Krabbendam. p. 169
  3. ↑ A century of spies: intelligence in the twentieth century. Jeffrey T. Richelson. p. 252
  4. ↑ Soviet foreign policy in a changing world, Volume 1986. Robbin Frederick Laird, Erik P. Hoffmann. p. 211
  5. ↑ Europe since 1945: an encyclopedia, Volume 1. Bernard A. Cook. p. 212
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