Speech by the General Secretary of the Central Council of EDON Christos Christofias to the 19th Pancyprian Congress of EDON
Nicosia Conference Centre, Friday, 4th January 2019
Comrade General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL Andros Kyprianou,
Comrade, former President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetri Christofia,
Your Excellences Ambassadors,
Comrades, members of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of AKEL,
Comrades, Leaders of the mass Organizations of the Left,
Comrades and friends Members of Parliament,
Dear Mayors friends and comrades,
Dear friend and President of the Council of the Youth Organization of Cyprus,
Dear friends and representatives of Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot Youth political organizations,
Dear guests,
Dear friends and comrades,
On behalf of the Central Council of EDON, we welcome you all to the opening of the 19th Pancyprian Congress of EDON. We wish everyone a creative and productive New Year. May 2019 be the year of peace, liberation and reunification of Cyprus; the year of social justice, prosperity and progress for the whole world.
We particularly welcome our Turkish Cypriot compatriots. Their presence at the Congress reaffirms that we have never stopped the common struggle for our common goals, for peace and reunification.
We also welcome and thank from the bottom of our hearts the representatives of fraternal youth organizations from abroad for accepting our invitation to attend our Congress and who have honoured us by travelling to Cyprus from Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, North America and Europe.
We have the great honor of holding the Presidency of the World Federation of Democratic Youth for the past seven years. We salute its millions of members through the presence here of our comrade Iakovos Tofaris, the President of WFDY. We pledge that we will do our upmost for the remainder of our term to strengthen the international anti-imperialist struggle of youth.
Comrades,
EDON, the biggest mass democratic youth organization in Cyprus is present in the struggles being waged. The militant youth of our country have gathered here in our Congress. We welcome the hundreds of Congress delegates from all over the island who were elected after dozens of local EDON general assemblies to represent our thousands of members. Let us discuss, exchange thoughts and set our goals for the next three years. Let’s democratically elect our new collective leadership. This is EDON because when we talk about democracy, we mean it. When we talk about collective work, we translate our words into actions.
Dear friends,
The global crisis of the capitalist system leaves behind the scourges of the full-scale attack unleashed by capital against the peoples. Our assessments that through the crises, the ruling class finds the best opportunity to redistribute wealth for its own benefit has once again been vindicated. That’s precisely why last year we had the biggest increase in the number of billionaires in history. That is why the rate of growth in workers’ income internationally is about 2%, whereas at the same time billionaires’ income growth rose by 13%. About 43% of young people regardless if they are working or not are living in conditions of poverty. More than 500 million young people live today on less than $ 2 a day. In developing countries, more than 260 million young people, and one in three young women live without work and education. And although the consequences of the crisis are various and different, there is a common characteristic everywhere: young people have been the ones who are affected the most by the crisis.
The tools given to us by the classics of our ideology, namely Marxism – Leninism, help us to understand how and why our societies are being driven from bad to worse. Capitalism, at its highest stage, that is to say imperialism, inevitably leads to an increase in social inequalities, to an increase in the competition for the control of energy sources, to new hotbeds of war and disaster. The dominant neo-liberal policies, which serve capital’s need to increase its profits excellently, are part of this imposition.
The European Union, is steadily proceeding towards the institutionalisation of neoliberalism. The deregulation of labour relations, the dismantling of the welfare state, the selloff of public wealth and property and the imposition of anti-social policies are high on its agenda. The widening of the gap between the rich and the poor is taking place as the official policy of this advanced organization of capitalist integration. The European Union’s drive to maximise the profits of the multinationals and monopolies and to redistribute wealth through the crisis renders the peoples as the sole victims. Within this context, human rights, individual and collective freedoms, people’s privacy are all being curbed.
The European Union is increasingly becoming more and more militarized by adapting its foreign policy objectives in full engagement with those of NATO. The implementation of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (known as PESCO) and the approval of many billions of euros for investment in the arms and war industry are moving precisely in that very context. At the same time, interventions in the internal affairs of other countries, particularly of the Middle East, are continuing unabated, and together with NATO, they are both to blame for creating the vast refugee current in recent years.
This orientation is not accidental. It has to do with the intensification of the competition for the control of the rich energy resources and markets. The enlargement of NATO to the east, the US-inspired plan for a “New Middle East”, the EU’s penetration in Eastern Europe and the plans for the geopolitical encirclement of Russia and China respectively, reveal the intentions of the imperialist centres.
For the imperialists the wider region of the south eastern Mediterranean holds the greatest interest, due to its geostrategic position, the control of energy and commercial routes, as well as the concentration of large energy deposits.
In the face of this terrible and tragic situation that compose the system and form the current balance of forces, there is only one weapon at the disposal of the peoples and youth – International solidarity. How long will the peoples be killed for the interests of the ruling class? From the podium of this Congress, we once again declare that we stand by the side of all struggling and suffering peoples. We stand on the side of the peoples of Latin America against the blatant interventions in the internal affairs of their countries, as well as on the side of the peoples of Asia; on the side of the peoples of Africa against hunger and conflicts; on the side of the peoples of Europe against austerity and poverty. We also extend our solidarity to the Middle East that continues to be up in flames. Through our actions, we give strength to those who struggle and draw examples from struggles, such as those of socialist Cuba, and defiant and unyielding Palestine.
We are creating the resistance which we need in an international environment that persecutes Communist, anti-imperialist, anti-fascist parties and strengthens neo-fascist, nationalist and racist formations. In various countries, our comrades and co-fighters are being persecuted. This is happening because we are the only ones who truly challenge the power of capital. On the other hand, the ruling class through its policies, mass media and wars, even through the funding it provides, is strengthening neo-fascism that is now participating in parliaments and governments. Anti-communism is being transformed into official state policy, while nationalism and fascism are considered as “another point of view within democracy”. Brecht wrote about what is taking place now after the end of the Second World War, “Don’t rejoice that you have killed the beast in his defeat, you men! Although the world stood up and stopped the bastard, the nightmare that gave birth to it is again fermenting.” That’s what happened. Fascism is again threatening the future of humanity.
In confronting all types of populists and demagogues like Trump, Bolsonaro, Le Pen, Salvini, Orban, Mihaloliakos and others who sow hate, we project our struggles; struggles against imperialism, war and neo-fascism; struggles in favour of the friendship of the peoples, for Peace and International Disarmament. We project organized struggle, which builds bastions of resistance to fascism. We project class struggle, with which the peoples will once again emerge at the forefront to parade in the avenues of the future. The future that is certain, but one that will not come by itself if we ourselves do not take measures as well, as the Poet wrote.
Friends and comrades,
In such an international environment, one would have expected the government of a semi-occupied country that is waging a struggle for survival to adhere to solid principles in its foreign policy. Nevertheless, the Anastasiades-DISY government, clinging to its ideological obsessions, is resurrecting the “We belong to the West” slogan, despite its declarations to the contrary. It is strengthening its military co-operation with the United States, integrating the Republic of Cyprus into PESCO and undermining long-standing relations with traditionally friendly countries. It is even opening issues in relation to the solution of the Cyprus problem being sought, about a possible involvement of NATO. For us, any provision in the solution of the Cyprus problem for NATO guarantees is unacceptable. We repeat our timeless opposition to any attempt for Cyprus’ accession to NATO or its branches, such as the so-called ‘Partnership for Peace’.
Since our previous Congress, a lot has changed in relation to the efforts to resolve the Cyprus problem. The 19th EDON Congress is being held at a very critical period for our country’s future. When Mustafa Akıncı assumed in 2015 the leadership of the Turkish Cypriot Community, who decided to put an end to Eroglu’s policy and stated that he would proceed with the Christofias-Talat convergences, Mr. Anastasiades basically followed. Progress was subsequently recorded in the talks, even though with reciprocal regressions.
Through the progress recorded at the negotiations we reached an intensification of the effort at Mont Pèleran, Geneva and we arrived at the Crans Montana Conference. Our sole concern as the Left throughout the Crans Montana Conference in the summer of 2017 was to support as much as we could a decisive step forward to be taken, opening up the prospect of a solution.
The collapse of the negotiations at Crans Montana led the Cyprus problem into a dangerous stalemate. Turkey’s illegal and provocative actions in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus, the negative statements made by the Turkish Cypriot leadership, as well as the report submitted by the Secretary General of the UN subsequently followed; a Report which relieved Turkey of responsibility and apportioned the responsibility for the collapse of the negotiations on both sides.
The situation today can only be described as extremely critical. That is why Mr. Anastasiades must very clearly declare his support for the resumption of the negotiations without terms and preconditions. He should make a constructive contribution to the successful agreement of “the terms of reference”; work to continue the negotiations from the point they had remained and on the basis of the Secretary-General’s Framework. If the Turkish side responds positively, then we will have a continuation of the negotiations. If not, then the responsibility for any failure should be assigned on the Turkish side and it will remain exposed to the international community.
We will continue to struggle with all our forces for a peaceful solution to the Cyprus problem within the framework of the United Nations and on the basis of the UN resolutions and the 1977 and 1979 High-Level Agreements, providing for a bizonal, bicommunal federation.
For a united state with a single sovereignty, a single citizenship and a single international personality.
For a solution that will be in line with International Law, international human rights conventions and European law.
For a solution that provides for the withdrawal of the Turkish occupation troops and settlers and the demilitarization of the Republic of Cyprus.
The ultimate goal remains the full demilitarization of our island, with the dissolution of the British bases, a goal that will be realised through the common anti-imperialist struggle of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
For a solution that will restore the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, without giving any rights of intervention to any foreign country. For the safeguarding of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Cypriots, including the right of return to the refugees to their homes and properties.
We support with consistency the political equality of the two communities within the federation, as this has been defined in the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and which means effective participation in decision-making centres. We disagree with the novel and dangerous positions about a “loose federation”, “enlarged talks” and “negotiations from scratch”. These positions serve foreign interests and lead to the same end result: partition.
We, the young people of this country, are struggling intensely for what our future will be here. That is why we will not stop struggling to reverse the path to partition – either in an agreed manner or gradually through the passage of time without the achievement of a solution.
Partition is a disaster for our homeland and people, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.
Partition means borders with Turkey, with bad neighbourly relations.
Partition will mean we will lose 40% of the land and 60% of our coastline forever, as well as the EEZ which President Anastasiades seems to have already granted through his statements.
Partition will mean uncertainty and insecurity for the future generations, given that the danger will always remain likely that Turkey will covet the rest of Cyprus as well.
This is the dilemma facing us today. That was the dilemma all through these years: Federation or partition.
All those forces and circles who are accussing us of supporting any solution, who more or less call us traitors who want to sell Cyprus off to Turkey, should themselves make their self-criticism first. They should reflect on who are the ones that have moved from their position dozens of times in recent decades, and who are the ones who have remained consistent to the agreed basis of the solution.
We will not give in and yield. We shall continue to struggle by all means together with our Turkish Cypriot compatriots to be free from the occupation and for the reunification of our country and people. We know that what unites us is much more than what separates us. We know that a future of peace cannot be prevented, if we struggle to the very end. With marches, mobilizations, political gatherings, cultural events, exchanges of experiences and joint actions between the youth of the two communities, we break the chains of division.
That’s the only way the advocates of partition, the nationalists and neo-fascists on both sides of the barbed wire of division fear us. They fear mass and united struggles. As young people, we need as never ever before to give a reply to nationalism which is once more rearing its head. We must isolate and crush it. If we allow it to do harm again, this time the danger is that the damage will be irreparable.
Let’s make the barbed wire of division that separates us, an exhibit that the future generations will see in museums as a memory of a bygone age that has gone unremittingly.
The Right and the so-called political spectrum of the centre are also responsible for the rise of the ultra-right. They shouldn’t pretend to be shocked every time society encounters neo-fascist phenomena. Every time they engage in outbursts of pseudo-patriotic statements, they feed the monster. Every time DISY honors Grivas and those who participated in the coup d’état, it gives life to chauvinism. Every time they support nationalist slogans in school student associations and student councils, they are strengthening the nationalist organizations that still dream of Enosis (the Union of Cyprus with Greece). It is no accident that there is a rise of nationalism – chauvinism in recent years. There are morally responsible forces who are arming the hand of every fascist who attacks Turkish Cypriot cars, handing jackets “only to Greek children”, who torture an African immigrant taking his teeth out with a plyer, who are vandalizing our offices and writing hate slogans on the street walls.
We have denounced the schizophrenic attitude of the Greek Cypriot Right for some years. They cannot invoke the patriotism of all of us calling for the formation of a united domestic front, while at the same time continuing to nurture and educate their youth with the ideals of Grivas; at the same time as their leadership is consumed in supposedly rapprochement actions, their own youth are organizing fiestas with Enosis symbols from the past. They can’t at the same time as their leader is negotiating at the talks their own future, be supporting the provocative proposal submitted by ultra-right ELAM party in Parliament for celebrations in schools for the Enosis referendum.
Who is responsible that we have reached the point that it is normal to see the walls of our streets filled with swastikas and other Nazi symbols?
Who is responsible for the increasingly frequent threatening phone calls to EDON militants from fanatic neo-fascists?
Who is responsible for the attacks waged against our members in schools?
How did we get to the point where a representative of a nationalist student faction openly and officially stated from a student’s assembly that in the event of a war, he will first turn his weapons against his communist compatriots and then against the enemy?
Comrades,
We don’t fear anything and no one. The historical truth is there and shining like a star that guides us. In the face of the falsification and distortion of history, we project the heroes of EDON who sacrificed their lives defending freedom and democracy. Against the hatred being spread by fascism, we cultivate the friendship and unity of our people, but also with the peoples of the whole world. Confronting the nationalist pseudo-bravado, we project the strength of organized struggle, mass involvement and collectivity. Even if we do not agree on all issues, we call upon every democratic young person, to fight with us against fascism. Every young person who wants to be called a human being has a position in the antifascist front of youth. We must stop them before it’s too late.as we had pointed out
Dear friends,
Today we are living in the post-Memorandum era which has anything but come to an end. With the re-election of Anastasiades-DISY, the government and ruling forces are seeking to carry through and fulfill all their plans. The image portrayed of an economic recovery, as presented by the government, cannot change the deterioration of the social conditions in our country. Exactly the opposite is true: officially Cyprus has exited the Memorandum, but we have not escaped from the anti-social policies and austerity.
Over the last six years, this government’s anti-social policy has led to the closure of thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises, to a very sharp increase in unemployment especially among young people. It has also led to an increase in young people migrating, to cuts in wages, pensions and benefits. It has led to the impoverishment of the Cypriot people, the dismantling of our society, to widening of the gap between the few rich and the many poor, as a result of which Cyprus tops the relevant tables across Europe.
All these problems create huge dead ends for young people. However, the worst of all is that the economic policy pursued by Mr Anastasiades’ government does not create any prospects whatsoever for the young generation, because it simply has no vision. It merely pursues a ‘get rich quick’ philosophy. It bases its policy on a short-sighted approach for a casino economy, on the policy of selling passports and the completely illogical and unplanned construction of numerous luxurious projects and developments. This approach has resulted in a sharp increase in rents and the price of purchasing a house, with young people again the first victims. Particularly in Limassol, and the whole of the free areas of Cyprus, the level of prices for housing is such that the young generation of uninsured labour, on low wages and working in flexible forms of employment, cannot under any circumstances have hope to acquire its own home. As if these problems were not enough, there is no state policy to provide support to young couples, no house allowances or any social welfare schemes. Despite the huge problem that exists and even though we have reached a point that there are now homeless people in a small country such as Cyprus, the government is still not implementing the Single Housing Scheme.
Unfortunately, the government’s socio-economic policies, which are against the majority of the people, will become even more intense. For example, the deregulation of labour relations, the selloff of the Cyprus Cooperative Bank, the privatization and closure of semi-governmental organizations, the foreclosures of homes, the reactionary changes in Education, the dismantling of the Public Health system, the scheming and plans for the selling off the sector to private interests and many others, are forcing the majority of the people to struggle to survive and make ends meet.
With the policies being pursued, they are promoting a school that doesn’t provide an all-round education, but instead destroys education. For the government and ruling forces their vision of education means exams every semester, private tuition lessons and ends in the supression of democratic functioning and expression. With the new rules of operation that the government is seeking to apply in the new school year, we are increasingly heading towards an inhumane and undemocratic school.
With their policies, more and more students are being forced to stop their studies. They have cut the Student Care scheme and reduced funds/expenditure by many millions of euros the studentgrant. For that reason, students from working class backgrounds, with the cost of studying extremely high (books, materials, rent, fuel and others) and without any state support whatsoever, are the victims of the indifference of the government and ruling forces in tertiary education as well.
With their policies, they have made a large section of society consider young people as the lost generation. The fact that unemployment has been reduced doesn’t tell the whole truth. The reality is that young people today are working endless hours for next to nothing. It is unprotected due to personal contracts on low wages, without having the right to get organized in trade unions and assert improvements in their terms of employment. This generation is the generation which is experiencing in all its magnitude acute capitalist exploitation.
Comrades,
The new generation of this country is entitled and deserves much more than what the Anastasiades government is preparing. With the upgrading of technological development and of the productive forces, the young generation can and must conquer its future, so long as we organize our struggle. A class, mass and coordinated struggle cannot but be victorious. We have to conduct political work everywhere so that the voice of EDON reaches every school, university, work place and youth recreation and leisure area. Young people should come into contact with our proposals on all issues that affect and concern them, joining us in our difficult but wonderful struggle.
How long will the youth of this country tolerate the acute unequal and exploitative society we live in?
How long will youth tolerate fatalistically the anti-social policies of the government and ruling forces?
How long will we allow our lives to be at the mercy of the lust of capital and the employers?
The deeply class character of the problems affecting all levels of life cannot and will not be the future of the young people of Cyprus: the complete lack of meritocracy, cronyism, culture viewed as secondary marginal need, the authoritarian ‘Football ID card’ law, drugs, social deadlocks, the destruction of the environment, racism and discriminations, local authorities abandoned by the state, gender inequality and many others.
If we become aware of the power in our hands this will not be our future. If we transform our will for change into organized struggle and daily action.
We are the bearers of social change. Regardless of any temporary defeats we may face, the final victory will come, even though it isn’t imminent!
Dear friends,
EDON is the broad, mass political and cultural organization of the youth, embracing with its action every young person that doesn’t compromise with exploitation and injustice, the occupation and division of our homeland.
It embrace every young person that is moved by the plight of the millions of refugees, who is outraged by the ongoing imperialist wars, who wants to fight for peace and friendship between the peoples of the world.
It embraces every person who does not succumb to the prevailing subculture and is searching for the truth through cultural values and aesthetics, which turn darkness into light. Any young person that resents this reality and reacts and struggle against it can join the ranks of EDON.
This is EDON, bon of the need and the mature child of rage. Throughout the 75 year path of struggle of AON – EDON, we have experienced many difficulties: Illegality, persecution, assassinations and murders, assaults, lies, slander, indifference and apathy. Each time we went through difficult times, the just cause of our struggle lifted us. That’s the case today too
At our previous Congresses, we concluded that the all-attack launched against the Left and the People’s Movement, as well as the depoliticization and deprecation being promoted systematically, has contributed decisively to the temporary weakening of our organizational strength. The goal of the previous 18th Congress in relation to Organizational Development and Mass Growth has not been achieved so far, given that the organisational weakness we faced during the 3 year period 2013-2016 led in a rolling effect to the transfer of problems from Department to Department. Despite all this, today we have stabilised the organisational level of our members since 2016 until today at the 19th Congress.
The basis of EDON’s structure is the Local Organization. Depending on whether we succeed in maintain local organizations with an active presence, with our broad contact with young people in local neighborhoods, schools and universities we manage to renew and replenish our strength. Our goal is for our Local Organizations to develop such significant actions that would meet the most burning needs and concerns of the young generation in a way that would enable us to represent a pole of attraction for a young person to get involved in one of these organizations. It’s through such actions that we shall manage to involve as many of our members possible each time. Through our initiatives, disposition and enthusiasm to implement a plan of broad activity our Organisation’s militants can do great things. By improving our cooperation with the Local Clubs and mass organizations of the People’s Movement of the Left, and above all with our Party, AKEL, we can and must realise what we envision.
The nature and character of EDON makes frequent renewal imperative which is the reason why the long-term planning of renewal and strengthening of our guiding bodies with new militants, as well of our local organisations, is required. The involvement of young people in the Organization’s daily activity and the engagement in the arena of struggle to assert solutions to problems are prerequisites for creating the objective basis on which we can support the policy of promoting militants. We want volunteer militants who can achieve even more than what the Organization is proud to present with the Pancyprian Festival each summer, with the thousands of local, regional, provincial and Pancyprian events, the anti-occupation and anti-imperialist demonstrations, the anti-fascist actions, our summer camps, trade union assertions and many more. The goal of every member of EDON must be to deliver to the next generations a bigger and more active Organization than it has bequeathed from the previous generations.
The rotten world that has been decaying is now revving. That’s why, our Provincial Organizations and every and every EDON militant deserve warm congratulations, who in these very hostile conditions is standing firm shoulder to shoulder with his/her comrades; who is dialectically combining theory with practice; who is studying, self-educating himself/herself and understands that organizational and ideological-educational work are inextricably linked; who doesn’t give up; who doesn’t compromise with difficulties. We are proud of these militants and our members; proud that we remain clear unblemished in the immorality that surrounds us; proud that we remain steadfast despite the fatalism and compromise that is being cultivated.
Comrades,
The Pancyprian Children’s Movement of EDON, through its multifaceted activities, aims to educate children with the ideals of democracy, equality, peace and social justice. It aims at cultivating the feeling of solidarity and friendship among the peoples of the world. We must continue to set among our priorities the mass growth of our children’s movement. This will be achieved through the enrichment of its activities, but mainly through the better cooperation with our Local Clubs of the mass organizations of the Left and the wider People’s Movement, as well as through the development of actions that should address and have an impact on local communities.
Today, we face our greatest difficulties in the School Student Department. Together with our school student militants, a greater intensity to try to overcome the obstacles that lie ahead of us, mainly the depreciation being promoted towards political engagement. We must continue the very good work being done in various Local Organizations and schools. We must do everything possible to get better organised in many other local organizations, since this is now a historical necessity and prority. The School Student’s Department is the future of our Organization and that is why we must address the problems and deal with them before it is too late. The School Student’s mass organization of PEOM in schools should intensify its effort in the Central School Student Councils, the District and Pancyprian Committees of School Students (ESEM and PSEM respectively) for the school that we are envisioning.
As far as EDON’s Students Department is concerned, we have in very adverse conditions managed to stabilize the number of our members and electoral strength. However, a lot of work to achieve the desired results is required that will enable us to achieve the sought quantitative growth in the future. Through our broad actions in student areas and ‘Proodeftiki’ student movement organization, we must become even more assertive by strengthening Student Unions and the Pancyprian Federation of Student Unions (POFEN).
As to the Young Workers Department, Local Organizations have stabilized their number of members, despite all the problems they faced after the 18th Congress. It seems that there is still some way towards achieving our goals for the Departments intervention in local self-government and society in general. The Deprtment is taking initiatives and conducting campaigns, however there is much room for improvement. The further involvement of young workers in the Organization’s everyday life and activity remains the sought goal, given that such a development will add to District Organizations’ actions.
Our monthly newspaper “Youth” (NEOLAIA) is our weapon and steady guide. EDON remains the only political youth organization that publishes a newspaper on a regular basis that addresses young people exclusively. Our fundamental duty remains that our newspaper should be embraced first and foremost by all our members. This will greatly contribute to our efforts to strengthen our educational work, given that in our newspaper there is a commendable effort with texts of a political, ideological, historical and cultural content that isn’t found elsewhere.
Dear friends and comrades,
Our principal task is to convince young people that there is an alternative and that they themselves have the power to open up the path. The next stage in this process is the upcoming European elections. Cypriots in particular, who woke up one morning and they informed us that the Eurogroup and Mr. Anastasiades had deprived us of our future, learnt very well how much the decisions being taken in Brussels affect to a great extent our lives. That’s why we musnt let others decide for us, without us. We decide for ourselves. We will choose the forces that are struggling for the majority, for human rights and the environment, for the progress and prosperity of the peoples. That is precisely why we will strengthen the voice of AKEL, the voice of the Left in the European Parliament
Yes, the great battle of our era is the battle against depreciation, apathy and depoliticization. Recently, at one of our Provincial Conferences, a school student, a militant of EDON’s school student department took the floor of the Conference to explain why he chose to join our Organization. He said that in his school some of his classmates attacked some other of his classmates because they were not Greek-speakers, because they were not Orthodox Christians, because they were “foreigners”. And then, he wondered what he was doing and what could he do to prevent all of these actions from happening. So, he took a stand.
This school student taught us in the simplest way the most important lesson. That is to say, the lesson that each and every one of us must take a stand. If we want to change things, we must take a stand. The anger expressed in Facebook, the rage on football terraces, the voices that claiming that supposedly everyone is the same might let off steam, but they do not correct anything. If we do not want to be the lost generation, then we must fight not to get lost. We must take a stand.
Are we outraged by inequality, exploitation, and 500 euro wages, unemployment, authoritarianism and arrogance, racism, the destruction of the environment and social indifference?
Are we angry about high rents?
Are we enraged with all those who decide That we should live a life full of anxiety, not knowing if we’ll manage to make ends meet for the month, whether we’ll manage to study and have a prospect in life?
We must take a stand. We should take a position on the side of EDON in the struggle for the reunification of our country, for our rights in education, health and work.
We must take a stand with EDON, for our right to a dignified life! Because a strong and mass EDON is a force in the struggles of the youth!
Long live the 19th Pancyprian Congress of EDON!
Long live EDON!
Long live AKEL!
Long live our Cyprus!
