Conferences

The 18th World Festival

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Report on the 18th World Festival of Youth and Students

The 18th World Festival of Youth and Students took place between 7 – 13 December 2013 in Quito Ecuador, in which participated youth and student delegates from organizations on five continents.
More than 9, 000 youth and students participated in this festival.

Since 1947, the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) has been working to organize a World Festival of Youth and Students every four years.

WFDY is an international organization which has consultative status in the United Nations (ECOSOC) and operational relation with UNESCO.

 The World Festival of Youth and Students has brought together progressive youth to share experiences and build their international struggle for peace and justice.

All delegates in this festival are involved in 3 events:
•    The opening ceremonies on the first day where all delegates march together under the flag of their countries.
•    Anti imperialist court runs on the 5th and 6th day of the festival.
•    The closing ceremonies on the last day of the festival where all countries march together and a final declaration that was issued.

The agenda of this festival includes the following:
1-    European Day : 
The struggle for peace and solidarity against imperialism, religious and ethnical conflicts, youth unemployment Europe 

2-    Middle East Day :
Youth, unemployment and capitalist crisis.
Workshop on -Palestine "Zionist occupation, apartheid wall and the danger of settlement"
-Current and future situation of the Palestinians 
-the firmest of Syrian nation.

3-    Africa Day :
Public, free of charge and full access to education, science, culture and information.
Solidarity for the African Unity 
World Festival of Youth and Students: 68 years serving Youth


4-    Asia Pacific Day :
Democratic rights, freedom and human rights 
Anti –imperialist Court 
The United States intervention in the Asia Pacific region.

From Egypt I was the only delegate who attended this Festival, I represented the Afro Asian People's Solidarity Organization (AAPSO) headquarter Egypt.
 
I presented a paper on behalf of AAPSO on the peace process in the Middle East.

Angolan Journalist had a discussion with me and some other Arab representative , however they asked me about the situation in Egypt especially after 30 June revolution , and I emphasized that this revolution is a popular revolution and a continuation of January 25th revolution , which was supported by overwhelming majority of the Egyptian people . 

During this festival the president of the Republic of Ecuador, hosted a reception and I was invited to have seat at the table of the president.

I also met the Egyptian Ambassador in Ecuador, and he invited me to have a dinner in the Egyptian Embassy, he informed me that he wrote a report about this festival, and say that from Egypt Christine Gamal from AAPSO who attended this festival.

This world festival of youth and students convene every 3 years, many delegates and international organizations from the whole world keen to attend these world festivals.

The World Federation of Democratic Youth WFDY is the international organizations who prepare and organize for these world festivals of youth and students with cooperation of the hosting country, earlier the international Union of Student was also coorgaizeer.

Through AAPSO participating in such festival, we are re - affirming our commitments towards the youth rights, developing together our struggle for peace, sovereignty and independence
Attending such a large event reflect internationally our strong believe in the interests of youth , especially after our commitment in the last extended secretariat in April 2012 to activate the youth role in AAPSO .

I mustn’t also forget to say that in April 2011, we have made an international conference in our headquarter here in Egypt , in cooperation with WFDY on " the role of youth in 25th January revolution in Egypt " , which attended about 10 foreign delegates  from different countries .

As the young generation playing tremendous role in changing the world, so it's imperative to strengthen AAPSO role with the youth movements in its broader concept.