9 May calls on the peoples of Europe to remember their History

 

AKEL to hold an event tomorrow at the monument to the Cypriot war fallen dead of the Second World War

8 May 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The 9th of May is the day that marks the Anti-Fascist Victory of the Peoples, which put an end to the Second World War and crushed Hitler fascism. Eternal honour and glory is due to that generation of humanity that rallied their forces in the anti-Hitler coalition and saved the world from the monster of fascism, the Holocaust, the concentration camps and the atrocities that were committed in the occupied countries.

AKEL pays tribute to all those – of all nationalities – who fought or/and sacrificed their lives on the battlefields, the fighters of the anti-fascist Resistance movements, as well as the thousands of Cypriot volunteers – both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots – who fought and sacrificed their lives so that fascism would not pass.

The call issued by AKEL – with the historic decision taken by the Central Committee of the Party of 16 June 1943 – for the voluntary conscription of Cypriots is a special page in the contribution made by Cyprus and the Cypriot Left to that world-historical battle.

At the same time, we also honour and commemorate the role played by the leading power of the Anti-fascist Victory, namely the Soviet Union, which with the sacrifice of tens of millions of its people, sealed the triumph of the peoples of the world.

This 9 May finds Europe facing a new onslaught of the far-right and fascism, which has already come to power in some European governments and is lurking to become a bigger force in the European Parliament. It is well known that the Nazis elections came to power in Germany through elections too, but this did not nullify their inhumane ideological concept and murderous actions against the whole of humanity.

The peoples of Europe are called upon today to remember their History and to create – by casting their vote – a bastion of resistance against the far right which is threatening democratic freedoms and human rights, working people’s gains and peace.

The iconic image of the Red flag over the German Reichstag will always stand as one of the momentous occasions in humanity’s history because it encapsulates the power of the peoples against any enemy that appears invincible but, at the same time, because it represents an enduring alarm calling for the defence of democracy and social progress.

AKEL is organizing, in honour of the Antifascist Victory of the Peoples, a symbolic event tomorrow, Thursday, 9 May at 10:30am, at the Monument dedicated to the Cypriot fallen of the Second World War (next to the PASYDY building), where wreaths will be laid.

08.05.2024