It is with great sadness that the International YCW announces the passing of our brother, friend and comrade in arms, James Denteh.

James, a member of the YCW Ghana national movement, outgoing member of the IYCW International Team who assumed responsibility in the African continent over the 2012-2016 period, contributed to the dreams of many working-class youths around the world through his experience as an activist, and he leaves his footsteps and thoughts so that we can continue our struggle for a world with more dignity and more justice.

James, you are not gone; you are here in our lives and in the heart of each YCW member.

James, you are not gone; your ideas, your thoughts and your dreams are with us in our day-to-day struggles.

James, our YCW brother yesterday, today and forever.

While the International Week of Young Workers comes to an end, young workers and activists in the IYCW carry out actions against precarious and unsteady jobs in the world, against inequalities in all aspects of life. Today, on the occasion of May First, we raise the flag of struggle together with popular and worker organisations and other groups acting in favour of promoting a new society where people are equal.

The International Young Christian Workers (IYCW), a young workers’ movement of education through action, present in over 40 countries around the world, has released the following statement regarding the difficult social, political and economic situation of our brotherly people of Venezuela, in particular the working class.

1.    We want to express our full support and solidarity for all social movements in Venezuela that are calling for a strengthened dialogue, the only mechanism to solve the internal problems within the limits of the democratic powers under the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the international law, to make people’s living and working conditions more dignified.

2.    We reject the international interference, the unilateral sanctions and the freezing of assets abroad imposed outside the framework of international law against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. They are affecting the Venezuelan population and undermining the social protection policies established for young people and for the society as a whole.

3.    Under the constitutional democratic principles, in order to prevent a further deterioration of the difficult situation and to avoid jeopardizing the national sovereignty, we reject any military action that any nation might carry out in Venezuelan territory.