World Festival of Youth and Students Festival Preparatory Committee - Canada

World Festival of Youth and Students

December 7th to 13th, 2013
Quito, Ecuador Festival Preparatory Committee Canada
Dear friends and fellow activists, We are writing to you about a significant event for the youth and student movement in Canada and internationally, which is taking place this December. Three years ago, we were part of a delegation from across Canada who joined over fifteen thousand other young activists at the 17th World Festival of Youth and Students in Tshwane, South Africa -- the largest gathering of anti-imperialist youth and students in the world! Although not without its ups and downs, the festival in Tshwane was a unique experience which brought together fifteen thousand youth from over 120 countries behind the slogan "Let's Defeat Imperialism, for a World of Peace, Solidarity and Social Transformation!" For a week and a half, we participated in an almost non-stop flow of seminars and conferences, concerts and shows, meetings and bi-lateral discussions, and social events. We left the festival with new stories, contacts and friends. We left with inspirations, critiques, and perspectives that we would not have otherwise gained. And we left with a better understanding of the global character of our local struggles and political reality. The years since the last festival have seen a wave of protests across the country, particularly by young people -- like Occupy, the Quebec Student Strike, environmental campaigns against oil and gas pipelines, and Idle No More. There have been many significant international struggles like the Arab Spring, a host of strikes and protests across Europe, the continued Bolivarian Revolutionary process, and the massive Chilean student struggle. And there have also been renewed dangers from imperialism like the serious troubles with global climate talks, the aggression in Africa including the bombing of Libya, Mali and other countries, as well as the continued oppression of the people's of Palestine, aggression towards Syria, Iran, and now Korea. With all these important and serious developments, we think it is not too soon to start thinking about the festival in Quito, Ecuador which is coming together behind the slogan "Youth united against imperialism, for peace, solidarity and social transformation." It is taking place from December 7th to 13th, 2013 -- dates that are coming quickly! Some organizing has already begun in places like Montreal, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. The first step is to form a Pan-Canadian committee because that is the only group that will be recognized by the international organizers of the festival. Like

World Festival of Youth and Students Festival Preparatory Committee - Canada

before, for the Pan-Canadian Preparatory Committee we are seeking a coalition of local festival committee as well as groups with a basis either on the all-Canada level or an Aboriginal nation, Quebec-national, or pan-Acadian presence. We are also optimistic we will be able to arrange a good working partnership with the Marty Skup Memorial Fund Charity for donations, as we have in the past. Although many of us will not be going again, we are writing mostly as individuals to "bring together the threads of resistance" across Canada and help build an awesome delegation for the 18th WFYS. Maybe you participated in the last festival, or past festivals, and know someone who should go this year. Maybe you are just learning about the festival and would like to get involved. Whatever the case, lets get the ball rolling for this exciting event! If you would like to get involved to help build the 2013 WFYS write to 18wfys.canada@gmail.com or visit 18wfys.tumblr.com. In building the festival movement and a strong delegation we are also strengthening the internationalism of the youth and student movement here at home, and we need your participation! In solidarity, Drew Garvie Delegate to 17th WFYS from the YCL-LJC Canada Sandy Hudson Delegate to 17th WFYS from the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario* ve Robidoux-Descary Delegate to 17th WFYS from Qubec Solidaire* Pat Lenathen Delegate to 17th WFYS from the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 416* Federico Carvajal Co-chair of the All-Canadian delegation to 17th WFYS Saba Shahsiah, Delegate to the 16th WFYS, Communications Student's Guild, Concordia University Manu Narbonne Delegate to the 17th WFYS from the Association gnrale tudiante du Cgep du Vieux Montral* Marianne Breton Fontaine Delegate to the 17th WFYS and student at L'Universit du Qubec Montral
*Organizations listed for identification purposes, endorsers of delegation to 17th WFYS

World Festival of Youth and Students Festival Preparatory Committee - Canada

Frequently Asked Questions about the Festival, logistics and process

What is the World Festival of Youth and Students? The World Festival of Youth and Students is a progressive youth and students festival which takes place every four or five years in a country determined by the General Membership of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY). It was also co-organized historically by the International Union of Students (IUS) and now by regional groups of the progressive international student movement including the Continental Organization of Latin American and Caribbean Students (OCLAE). Youth participate in political workshops and sessions, as well as in various cultural programming including sports and music. The purpose of the festival is not just to celebrate youth culture, but to provide a space for youth who are active in their communities, campuses and organizations struggling for social change to exchange experiences and work to coordinate international action. What is the World Federation of Democratic Youth? The World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) is an organization with 67 years of history, recognized observer status in the United Nations with a membership of 180 progressive youth organizations from 110 Countries including the General Union of Palestinian Students, J-FMLN of El Salvador, Vietnamese Youth Federation, All-Indian Student Federation, African National Congress Youth League of South Africa, and the Young Communists of Chile.
South African delegates at 17th Festival

For more information on the World Federation of Democratic Youth, please visit wfdy.org

What is the contribution of student organizations? The International Union of Students was founded on the 27th August 1946 in Prague, by student organizations of 43 countries present at the World Student Congress (WSC). The act that inspired the creation of the International Student Council was the November 17, 1939 student resistance in the streets of Prague, Czechoslovakia, to the Nazi occupation. In 1941, by a declaration of the International Student Council (endorsed by the wartime coalition leaders), "November 17" became International Students Day. These lofty traditions laid the basis of the foundation of the IUS.

World Festival of Youth and Students Festival Preparatory Committee - Canada

The IUS organized 152 national unions of students from 114 countries, including the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) making the International Union of Students (IUS) the largest international student organization. The United Nations has granted the IUS consultative status in UNESCO. OCLAE, the Latin American and Caribbean regional organization of the IUS is home to some of the most active elements of the global student movement. Large, well-organized student federations in countries such as Chile and Brazil are boldly setting new directions for their countries and for their education systems. OCLAE has pledged its full support to the festival in Ecuador and sees the festival as a key step to coordinating the student fightback around the world. Why is this International Youth Festival important?

Canadian delegation marches at 17 Festival

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Currently, youth are facing challenges unlike any other generation previous. Education is becoming more expensive as neo-liberal policies push privatization and commercialization forward, making it harder for youth to get access. Poverty is increasing everywhere. The economic crisis has caused mass youth unemployment, while the danger of ecological problems especially global warming threatens the future. Young people are poised to inherit a world in a perpetual state of war, occupation and aggression to keep the unjust economic order afloat. But this situation is also being rejected by the youth. The festival is a place of connection between young activist from diverse countries, communities, campuses, and many groups to share experiences, strengthen bonds, reach agreements, get to know each other better, have a clearer and more global understanding of their problems and causes, and to assume the collective commitment of uniting all of our efforts. For an entire week, workshops, conferences, discussion, sports, dance, hip hop and partying will bring together progressive youth from all over the world. Some of those youth risked their lives traveling to the festival. Others face harassment by the police and military upon return.

World Festival of Youth and Students Festival Preparatory Committee - Canada

All those supporting a truly international meeting of youth and students confronting exploitation, oppression and war, and reinforces the struggle for peace, solidarity and social transformation should come. The decision taken in 2012 to host the 18th World Festival of Youth and Students in Ecuador was also a political choice. While governments are bringing in austerity policies in North America and Europe, the struggle in Latin America is giving rise to progressive policies and a process that is uniting the continent against centuries of domination from the North. President Rafael Correa and his PAIS coalition were elected in 2006 after several years of mobilization by indigenous and anti-neoliberal forces. Since then,
Canadian delegate speaks at Festival workshop

Ecuador has begun charting a new path through the removal of the US military, the elimination of tuition fees in public universities, joining regional progressive trading partnerships, and much more. This transformation, including in the area of the environment, recently led to Canadian David Suzuki to describe Ecuador as an exciting model toward a different kind of growth thats attuned with nature. What does the Festival Preparatory Committee do? The Festival Preparatory Committee represents this region on the International Preparatory Committee, which will co-ordinate the logistics and program of the festival. The first International Preparatory Meeting was held in South Africa, site of the last youth festival, at the end of April. The next two meetings will take place in Madrid, Spain and New Delhi, India leading up to the December festival. The Festival Preparatory Committee will also coordinate the logistics for the regional delegation including costs of travel, distribute information to interested youth and any other matters relating to the delegation from Canada.

Meeting of student activists from around the world

What about Costs? Lodging? Travel? Donations? The cost for the festival for delegates from North America is as yet unannounced, but is expected to be around $200. Costs for travel will be determined after group rates are secured from airlines, once a better idea of number of delegates is determined. A

World Festival of Youth and Students Festival Preparatory Committee - Canada

rough estimate could be $800 return. Regional equalization within Canada will also be factored in to the travel costs. Lodging and its costs will be included into the registration costs, which will be secured and determined by the local Ecuadorian youth and student organizations. In past festivals, most delegates were housed in University campuses. For youth interested in participating who may need partial or full subsidy in order to attend, the Festival Preparatory Committee and Regional committees will co-operate to determine criteria by which delegate subsidies will be dispersed. Financial supporters should be advised that donations to the Youth Festival are eligible for a tax receipt as the festival is working with a registered charity (make cheques payable to the Marty Skup Memorial Fund and send them to S. Skup, 56 Riverwood Terrace, Bolton, ON, L7E 1S4). How to get involved Write the Pan-Canadian Festival Preparatory Committee today to see how you can get involved. Individuals and local unions and organizations will be directed towards local committees. We will be doing fundraising and are determined to get a large and broad delegation of youth to the Festival. At the 2010 festival in South Africa, forty young delegates attended from across Canada, including youth activists from the Canadian Federation of Students, the Qubec solidaire political party, numerous local student organizations, several locals of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Palestine solidarity activists, queer youth, young Mtis and First Nations delegates, Qubequoise youth and the Young Communist League of Canada. If you are a member of a province-wide, national or cross-Canada organization we are also looking for members and involvement at the Pan-Canadian Committee level. Contact 18wfys.canada@gmail.com to join the festival movement! Check out 18wfys.tumblr.com for more info and updates.