The people of Egypt – all over the Middle East – are now out on the streets to claim their rights. IUSY fully supports the calls for freedom, human rights and democracy.

In Egypt Mubarak needs to resign immediately. It is important that the resignation of Mubarak and other dictators starts a democratic process. It is not acceptable that another undemocratic regime follows on and the power continues to lie in the hands of a few persons instead of all the people.

It is important that the rest of the world supports the people – not the dictators. It is said to see how some western countries talks more about stability than democracy, looking out for their own interests and not the people.

Interim government – including all political organizations – with the task to organize free and fair elections needs to be formed. Free and fair elections should be hold as soon as possible.

The International Community has an important role to play. UN should fully support the demands for human rights and democracy and assist in the process for organizing free and fair elections.

IUSY is closely following the developments and is also trying to establish contacts in the region. We are also looking into how we as a political movement in the coming time can support a peaceful and democratic development.

IUSY encourages all its member organisations to support the calls for democracy in Middle East and to push governments to take a clear stand for democracy and against the dictatorships.

No one is free – until everybody is free!

Johan Hassel
IUSY Secretary General

Lying ahead in the first weeks of 2011 is a meeting of the East African Committee in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, focussing on democracy and human rights and following thereafter the IUSY Presidium meeting in Delhi, India, mainly discussing and planning this year's activities such as the World Festival and setting the agenda for internal organizational matters.

IUSY will also be present at the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal, in early February using the opportunity to bond with other international progressive movements and increasing the visibility of IUSY within the global progressive community.

For more information on upcoming events and IUSY activities keep checking our website www.iusy.org regularly.

IUSY wants to thank all its member organisations, all our partners and all activists for a great 2010. We hope you, just as we, whether you are enjoying the snow in Europe or the heat in Latin America, will have relaxing holidays!

We are looking forward to see you in IUSY activities "All Over the World to Change it" in 2011!

Best regards,

Viviana Piñeiro & Johan Hassel

IUSY President & IUSY Secretary General

For three days delegations from IUSY member organisations from Israel, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Greece, Italy, Sweden and Norway exchanged their views and experiences with regard to the peace process and their daily political struggle both within their respective organisations and mother parties as well as with regard to the broader public. Other major issues debated at the Mediterranean Committee meeting were the situation in Iran and Iraq as well as possibilities to strengthen the EU-Arab Dialogue.

Read IUSY's latest resolution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (PDF)

For the last week in July 2011 young people from around the world are coming togehter in Austria for friends, fun and politics. The World Festival offers a space for debating, learning, getting to know each other, developing new ideas for future action, and simply having a good time together.

The World Festival 2011 takes place from 25th to 31th of July 2011 at Eurocamp,  Attersee (close to Salzburg), Austria.

For more information on the World Festival please check out the official website www.iusyworldfestival.org.

IUSY would like to thank the Olof Palme International Centre in Sweden for their invaluable support in the realization of this activity.

Besides the election of a new leadership, the General Assembly adopted the work plan of the YFJ for 2011-2012, with a special focus on strengthening the support and the consolidated background of youth organisations in Europe.
IUSY was represented at the General Assembly by Johan Hassel, Secretary General and Ákos Komássy, Vice-President. Petroula Nteledimou, IUSY President and Katarina Nevedalova, IUSY Vice-President, also participated in the GA as delegates on behalf of ECOSY.

For a comprehensive summary of the EYF General Assembly and its main topics please see the report by Ákos Komássy, IUSY Vice-President.

For more information on the European Youth Forum check out its website: www.youthforum.org

We also raise our alarm to the distressing and deteriorating situation between ethnic armed group, DKBA (The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army) and Burmese military alongside Thai-Burma border, which caused at least three people dead, 10 injured and more than 20,000 refugees, mostly women, children and elderly fleeing from Myawaddy city to Thailand. We fear that this circumstances coupled with the prejudiced outcome of the election radically rollback efforts geared towards the realization of freedom for the Burmese people. We also believe this would usher the possible return of bloody armed conflicts, particularly in northern part of Burma.

The high disrespect of the military-backed regime to human rights, the international community and to human dignity deserves our utmost condemnation. We reiterate our call on governments to urgently support the creation of the UN Commission of Inquiry to Burma's humanity and war crimes as recommended by UN rapporteur Tomas Quintana. We also urge the Thai government and pertinent international bodies to prioritize protection and aid to the refugees in the Thai-Burma border.

As an enemy of democracy, we call on the ASEAN to veer away from its non-interference principle and to disaffiliate Burma as its member and to different governments and international bodies not to recognize the junta-orchestrated elections and their so-called elected leaders in government.

Lastly, we join in solidarity with the Burmese people in anticipation of the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the 13th of November. We renew our commitment to support the Burmese people's struggle towards genuine democracy and freedom.

//
President Viviana Piñeiro
Secretary General Johan Hassel
Vice President Machris Cabreros
Vice President Pimsiri Mook

European Committee Meeting in Rome

All of Europe's young Social Democrats and Socialists will this weekend meet up in Rome. Today, on Thursday, it starts of with IUSYs European Committee Meeting. On Friday when the IUSY meeting ends, ECOSYs Employment Conference starts off. 

On the agenda for the IUSY European Committee meeting is the political situation in Balkans and Black Sea Area Region. There is an upcoming IUSY/ECOSY Conference in Slovenia the 12th-145th of November and the European Committee will discuss and prepare the agenda for the Balkan Round Table taking place at the same time. 

Fighting Right Wing Extremism is unfortunatly getting more and more needed since racism is getting more and more spread around Europe. We as young politicans have an important role to play in influencing our societies and parties on how to move ahead. We need to talk about Human Rights, injustice, equality and fair chance for all. 

European Social Democracy is not at it's best, to be nice. It is time for us to take the lead. In Britain Ed Miliband has launched the "New Generation" and we are, not only in Britain  bur around all of Europe, ready to take the lead in the work of change and renewal that is needed. Therefore IUSY will start of a discussion on what it is that Social Democracy needs to be about today and the 10 years to come. 

One of the main points in the needed renewal of Social Democracy is our political agenda for more and better jobs and there IUSY is very much looking forward to ECOSYs Employment Conference. Read more at www.ecosy.org

IUSY and ECOSY are hosted by Giovani Democratici and our IUSY Vice President Federica Mariotti.  

Program European Committee

American Committee Meeting in San Jose

America will gather in Costa Rica to focus on Central America and the Carribean. It has for long been a wish that IUSY should hold a meeting in the region to be able to reach out to new members and get a better look at the political situation. 

Democracy and Human Rights is to other main topic on the agenda. IUSY Presidium decided in June at it's meeting to focus on six political topics and to develop a political global manifesto to the World Council and World Festival to the next summer. At the IUSY American Committee meeting this work will be started off. 

Climate Change have after Copenhagen step by step been falling from the global political agenda. At the Climate meeting in Mexico the world has another chance. IUSY will give it's inputs and state what is needed. 

See you in San Jose!

In December IUSY will meet up in Israel and Palestine for the Mediterranean Committee. The World is watching while Israelis and Palestinans is holding peace talks under the pressure from the Obama administration. IUSY will come to Middle East in the will and hope for a long lasting peace. The road ahead is difficult. However IUSY have for a long time had road maps and resolution that is stating how peace can be possible and how it should look like. It is clear that if it was up to the young generation peace would be possible. 

It is time to leave the era of politics of fear and start an era of politics for hope in Middle East.

IUSY will for sure take the lead. Join us, in Israel and Palestine in December!

IUSY Statement on the Middle East Peace Process

With the continuation of the illegal settlements expansion there won't be a chance for the two state solution as a choice for the future. Therefore IUSY demands:

- In accordance to its obligations under the Road Map, The Government of Israel must put an end to all settlement activities within the Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.

- The illegal blockade against 1.5 Million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip must be lifted.

- We deplore and condemn the idea that the displacement of population should replace the internationally recognized principle of "land for peace" as recently stated by the Israeli Foreign Minister in his speech at the UN.

- We call on our partners in Shabibe Fateh, Young Labour and Meretz Yachad to cooperate in the spirit of non-violence to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.

- We call on the International Community and our friends to exercise all the needed pressure to ensure that all parties respect international law, particularly regarding settlements, and continue a process that must lead to a Palestinian sovereign and viable state within the borders of 1967 living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.

// IUSY Presidium

Given the events during the last hours in Ecuador generated by certain groups of the Armed Forces and Police which led to declare state of emergency in the country,

And considering: 

That nothing justifies promoting a state of insecurity and risk of democracy in a country,

That IUSY promotes political solution to the problems,

That any action justifies disrespect to the highest authority of the state to the point of violating her/his freedom and personal integrity.

That developments in Ecuador are serious indications of coup attempt because what happened in Ecuador are not simple acts regarding public protests.

The Presidium of the International Union of Socialist Youth resolved:

1st. To reject and repudiate any attempt to destabilize democracy in Ecuador,

2nd. To strongly admonish the public force in Ecuador to control and reestablish the social and political order that has been altered by certain groups belonging to its ranks, 

3rd. Calling the political sectors of Ecuador and the world to defend and monitor that democracy remains intact in Ecuador.

Presidium IUSY apoyo Dilma Vana Rouseff a la Presidencia de Brazil

VISTO:

El proceso eleccionario convocado en la Republica Federativa del Brasil, donde el pueblo deberá elegir soberanamente sus autoridades nacionales el día 3 de octubre de 2010.

Y CONSIDERANDO:

Que reconocemos que el profundo proceso de cambios sociales, económicos y culturales llevados adelante en la Republica Federativa del Brasil desde el 2003, bajo el liderazgo democrático de Presidente Luiz Inácio Da Silva, es el fruto de años de una lucha política que encuentra sus raíces en las luchas obreras que combatieron la dictadura en Brasil.

Que fueron los movimientos sociales y los partidos políticos que forman parte de la actual coalición gobernante en el Brasil, quienes opusieron resistencia durante la etapa de imposición de las políticas neoliberalismo en Sudamérica en desmedro de la justicia social.

Que los resultados de la política económica llevada a cabo por el Gobierno del Presidente Luiz Inácio Da Silva, dejan en claro que cuando existen pautas programáticas firmes, basadas en concepciones ideológicas profundas, se pueden llevar adelante políticas progresistas en beneficio de las grandes mayorías populares, sin que esto implique desvincular la ética de los principios de la ética de la responsabilidad.

Que es innegable el liderazgo que ha consolidado la Republica Federativa del Brasil en los últimos años entre los países en desarrollo, como también su formidable aporte en los procesos de integración regional en Sudamérica, particularmente a través de MERCOSUR, patrocinado el fortalecimiento de los vínculos democráticos en el continente americano.

Que sin lugar a dudas las activas políticas sociales llevadas adelante por el Gobierno del Presidente Luiz Inácio Da Silva, dirigidas a combatir las desigualdades sociales y la pobreza, a partir de las medidas adoptadas en materia de salud pública, educación, trabajo decente e inclusión social, anuncian un país más justo y equitativo.

Que reconocemos en el Gobierno del Presidente Luiz Inácio Da Silva los esfuerzos por dotar de contenido social a la Democracia en Brasil, los cuales impactan positivamente en una de las regiones con mayores tasas de desigualdad en el mundo, y en el entendimiento de que estos objetivos alcanzados se condicen con los postulados ideológicos de nuestra Internacional Socialista de Juventudes, deducimos que la consolidación y profundización de este proceso en la Republica Federativa del Brasil amerita nuestro pronunciamiento frente a las elecciones nacionales convocadas en dicho país para el próximo 3 de octubre de 2010.-

El PRESIDIUM DE LA UNION INTERNACIONAL DE JUVENTUDES SOCIALISTAS RESUELVE:

Expresar nuestro apoyo a la compañera DILMA VANA ROUSEFF en su candidatura a la PRESIDENCIA de la REPUBLICA FEDERATIVA DEL BRASIL, formulando nuestro acompañamiento a las fuerzas políticas juveniles que impulsan dicha candidatura.

23 to 27 August. Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico.

From 23 to 27 August a delegation of IUSY attended the World Youth Conference. From the official delegation participated the President Viviana Piñeiro and the comrade Isaac Almiron (Juventud País Solidario, Paraguay) as delegates to the NGOs Forum, and the Vicepresident Nela Celik as Advisor. Without any doubt, the presence of IUSY and other progressive organizations made it possible for the conclusions of the meetings of civil society have a strong progressive content to defend youth rights.

The conference was organized by the Government of Mexico with the support of United Nations and attended by representatives of youth organizations and government representatives from more than 150 countries.

During the first two days of the Conference convened the Forum of NGOs, which, starting from the premise that the challenges of this generation of young men and women from five continents converge, worked high on the agenda for the development of global youth, generating recommendations that were adopted with respect and democracy by a large majority of all delegates present.

The recommendations of the meeting of the Social Forum were on Poverty, Education, Health, Employment, Gender Equality, Technology and Innovation, Culture, Justice and Security, Participation, Sustainable Development, International Migration and International Cooperation. These recommendations were given as inputs to the discussion of Government Forum, which met from 25 to 27 August.

In addition to making recommendations around the 12 themes of the Conference, the declaration of NGOs encourages Governments to accede and ratify the Ibero American Convention on Youth Rights and the African Charter on Youth, and urges the creation of a framework legal of protection through the promotion of a UN Convention on Youth Rights, which is binding on all governments.

We regret that during the conference will not result in the "Dialogue and mutual understanding" between civil society and governments, along with the slogan of United Nations International Year of Youth. We believe that the attitude of the Government of Mexico, host of the activity, was not the best, since it did not ensure the transparency and democratization of decision-making processes during the Conference, and since at all times tried to influence the final document emanating from Government Forum, and what is even more serious in the Declaration issued by the NGOs Forum, lobbying in all kinds.

However, it is important to highlight the role of the Ibero American Youth Organization (OIJ) and Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and in particular the delegations of Brazil, Guatemala, Uruguay, Paraguay, Jamaica, South Africa and Jordan, for their decisive commitment to youth participation in their participation during the Government Forum.

It is now essential that governments comply with the commitments they have made during the World Youth Conference, and the recommendations of the NGO's statement are lines governing for its implementation and priorities for their agendas on youth, as they reflect voice and demand for global youth.

At the United Nations system corresponds to urge governments to ensure that processes and participation of youth in a democratic way and to strengthen opportunities for dialogue and cooperation through the creation and promotion of youth networks.

Meanwhile young people will continue saying it loud!

Final Statement of the NGO Global Meeting World Youth Conference 2010

Guanajuato Declaration World Youth Conference 2010

* More information www.youth2010.org

We are glad to be able to present to you the new IUSY website. As you can see we have moved in to an new format. The websit is still under development, we are in the process of uploading information. In the future you will be able to find all relevant and not so relevant info about IUSY:)

We are also happy that iusy.org is back. Contact details will in the near future change, more info about this later. 

We would like to thank Kristofer Åberg from SSU in Sweden who has been helping us with developing the site. 

Stay tuned!

In the process of developing our organisation the IUSY Presidium decided it was time for a new IUSY logo. The process have been on-going the last months and at the Presidium Meeting in New York in June the decision was finaly taken to launch the new IUSY logo. We are now proud to present it to you.

The old logo was out of style for many reasons. The last years the development in design have rushed forward and for any organization who wants to be able to reach out in todays busy landscape of media, social media and all there is it is important to have an updated IUSY logo. It was also important to have a logo that you can use in a more flexible way. The last years the IUSY logo have been presented in many different ways - now you will be able to fit in the new logo anywhere anyhow.

As we have developed the new logo it has been important to keep the fundaments of the logo: the Globe and the Rose. Of course we have also keept the IUSY text in the logo. The Globe symbolises that we are a global movement. The Rose is the clear linkage to our ideological history, but in a new format that takes us into the future. The text of IUSY is stretched out around the globe to symoblize how we are all around the world. With the logo we also want to symbolise that we are a progressive, modern and young movement that is ready to take the lead.  

Soon you will be able to get all your IUSY stuff with the new logo. We are working on getting new flags, posters and a lot more. As soon as we have it you will be able to find it at iusy.org

The Logo have been developed by Gerd Beck. Gerd Beck is a designer from Germany and has a background within our movement. If you want to get in contact send a mail to post@beck-designer.de. Many thanks to Gerd!