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IYCW Urgent Appeal - Early in the morning of 14 August 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti, causing hospitals, schools and homes to collapse, claiming thousands of lives, and leaving communities in crisis. An estimated 1.2 million people, including 540,000 children, have been affected by the powerful earthquake.
YCW Haiti is appealing for our support!
There are 300 YCW members living in the affected region of Les Cayes in the south of the country who, thank God, have all survived. After a first visit to the region, they reported 250 affected YCW members whose homes were destroyed and who are now living and sleeping on the streets. They are therefore directly exposed to street violence and urgently need new accommodation. Many also have to cope with the death of a family member. The Haitian YCW leaders have already been able to provide initial support in the form of emergency packages with soap and other items, as well as food such as rice, because the other YCW members in Haiti who are not directly affected are also showing solidarity.
The IYCW, the ICA, YCW Haiti and Weltnotwerk are sending this urgent appeal together, calling for your donations.
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Basma Louis, IYCW leader
IYCW News - On 12th July the NGO-UNESCO liaison Committee organized a preparation meeting for the 75th anniversary event which will take place this coming September by virtual means.
The NGO-UNESCO liaison committee works with more than 240 NGOs, but only 40 attended this meeting when asked to delegate young people under the age of 30. It is obvious that the NGOs need to include more young people in their organizations and structures.
The objective of the meeting was to develop a Position Paper on Youth and Guidelines for Advocacy to be presented at UNESCO’s 75th Anniversary celebrations. During the meeting, the delegates split into 4 different breakout rooms to discuss more specifically the position paper and the launching of the event.
The IYCW leader Basma Louis attended the meeting and brought the proposal of the movement to be included in the position paper.
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Don’t let Covid or dengue break the strength of people who struggle!
Our friends of the Amazon urgently need drugs, sanitizers and non-perishable food.
If you want to help the Peruvian movement, your financial contribution is welcome. You can make a bank transfer to the Belfius account of the International YCW indicating “Solidarity Peru YCW”. We will send them your donation.
Bank details: Belfius Bank, chaussée de Helmet, 218 - B-1030 Schaerbeek, Belgium
IBAN: BE22 7995 5015 9447
Swift code: GKCCBEBB
“A young worker’s health is worth more than all the gold in the world”
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The Australian YCW held its national council last January. It brought together 34 young leaders from around the country to discuss the reality of young people in their cities. Their recently elected national president, Marilyn Bellett, gives us an update on their new national campaign called “Generation Connection.”
What they learned from the situations they discussed at the council is that “there is a real sense of distrust and disillusionment in young people, especially when it comes to institutions, whether that be schools, governments or church-based institutions.”
Some of the key areas they wanted to focus on included young people experiencing precarious work and wage theft, migrant young workers and refugees, asylum seekers and international students, young women, young men, as well as student realities in high schools and universities. With that last group, they have been developing their relationship with the Australian YCS (Young Christian Students).
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A Campaign by the Walloon YCW to "Stop Repression"
The Liege (Walloon) YCW is holding an annual event called "Stop Repression" to promote peace and demand social change in Belgium on 22-23 February 2013.
"Repression has been ubiquitous in our lives, our organization, and our society for quite a few years. In short, it has become part of young people’s reality everywhere," said Slim Essaker, a YCW activist in Liege.
Slim explained that there are actually various forms of repression such as abusive stop and check in neighborhoods, administrative arrest for anyone who might disturb public order, municipal administrative sanctions, installation of surveillance cameras everywhere, expulsion of undocumented migrants, etc.
Taking into account these various forms of repression and the negative impact on the public, the Liege YCW is organizing a seminar titled "Stop Repression."
Several social activists concerned with police violence are scheduled to attend the event.
Christy Nodin (YCW activist from Liege involved in the “Stop repression” campaign). He is one of the initiators of the campaign and of the 15th March annual event against police brutality.
Mark Monaco (Euromayday - Precarious United). He will draw a comparison between activism and repression in Genoa-Italy in 2001 and today, especially in the case of Belgium and “No Border Camp 2010”.
Ludovicus Mardiyono (Indonesian union activist - International president of the IYCW) will talk about strikes, factory occupations, imprisonment and repression beyond borders.
Olivier Stein (lawyer) will talk about civil rights when arrested by the police.
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The International Week of Young Workers is celebrated every year by the International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) from the 24th of April to the 1st of May. It was first celebrated in 1970 as the National Week of Young Workers by the Brazilian YCW.
In 1983 during the International Council of IYCW in Madrid Spain, the International Week was adopted as one of the main events at the international level. Since then, the IYCW promoted it in all countries where it is present as a training, organizational, and demanding means for young workers. During this week, the young workers conduct different activities to share and analyse their situations, express their convictions, strengthen friendship, and participate in actions to claim their rights. Therefore, this week ends up with May 1st demonstrations, which will be organised virtually this year.
The working class in Brazil is suffering from serious setbacks that affect everyone especially the youth. Facing the current scenario, we are called to unify our voices and actions. As a mark of this challenge, we invite all young people and all people in solidarity with our struggle for life and decent working condition to join us in prayer:
"Jesus, I offer you this day, my work, difficulties and struggles, my joys and hopes. Grant us, as young people who are training for professional life, that we are looking for work or have work, awareness of our dignity, rights, and our responsibilities. Grant us the grace to witness our love for life and for what is honest and just, the daily dedication to our union and organization, and wisdom to act collectively for a dignified life and working condition. Grant us, at last, fidelity to the mission of working for the Kingdom that is yours, today and forever" - Reginaldo Andrietta, Bishop of Diocese Jales Brazil.
As described by Bishop Reginaldo Andrietta, after 36 years since the establishment of the International Week of Young Workers in the 6th International Council of IYCW in the city of Madrid, today the International YCW continues to develop its struggle through actions " by, among and for young workers, with the aim of achieving a more just and dignified world. During this International Week from April 24 to May 1, we, the activists of International YCW, would like to invite all young workers around the world to continue our struggle and resist against the new challenges we will face after the spread of the COVID19 global pandemic.
Once again, the International YCW is raising its voice to have a:
"Just work, equality, and a dignified life for all young workers around the world."
The International Secretariat of the IYCW
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European, legislative and regional elections were held in Belgium on Sunday 26th May 2019, in which Belgian citizens elected their representatives for the European parliament, the Belgian parliament and regional parliaments.
“Black Sunday”, “Brown Plague” (the name given to Nazism during the Second World War) are the words most frequently used after the results of the ballot. The far right has progressed dramatically in the North of Belgium, causing deep concern among democracy advocates.
The European elections were held in the 28 countries of the Union, and far-right parties were also winners in France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Hungary and Poland. Those parties are spreading racist, sexist, homophobic and anti-immigrant ideas across the continent.
