CSOs_statement_ILC.pdf

The undersigned Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) had the joy of virtually attending the 110th session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) that took place from May 27th to June 10th.

The CSOs wish to extend our welcome and felicitations to Mr. Gilbert Houngbo for being appointed as the new Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO). We are sure that this new stage will come with many successes for ILO, and all partner organizations. We would like to express our hope for the continuation of the excellent collaboration between the ILO and the CSOs, as has been the case for so many years.

The importance of the topics discussed has increased our awareness of the seriousness of this subject and its impact on the lives of workers around the world. We were highly privileged to have been able to participate in this Conference, as observers, to examine and contribute to each theme through our allies in the various delegations, and to deepen our understanding of some of the issues that workers in particular experience on a daily basis.

Cardijn was born on November 13, 1882. The 140th anniversary of his birth will be celebrated in the church of Our Lady of Laeken, Belgium on November 13, 2022 at 11:15 am. You are welcome to attend! You could also organize a celebration wherever you are!

In the church of Our Lady of Laeken, there is a very simple tomb: the tomb of Joseph Cardijn, the founder of the YCW, who died in 1967 at the age of 85.

A sentence is written on the wall: A young worker is worth more than all the gold in the world. It is a CRY, a CRY of denunciation of a dominant system that destroys personal dignity, solidarity, the environment...

It is a CRY of demand, a goal of action and struggle, a rallying CRY. That sentence sums up the feeling that drove Joseph Cardijn deep inside.

The International Young Christian Workers (IYCW), together with YCW Peru, will be organizing its XV International Council and exchanges of actions and good practices on engaging young people in Lima, Peru, from 23^rd October to 8^th November 2022 with the theme, “Called to Act for Just Work”.

This will be the first event we are holding in person after the spreading of Covid-19 and the many challenges we had to face, and we will count on the presence of 14 national movements and more than 45 delegates from Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe and Latin America.