FI youth camp in Greece 2013

The Fourth International’s 30th annual revolutionary youth camp took place in northern Greece in early August. Hundreds of young militants from five continents converged at a park in the Grecian countryside to share ideas, experiences, and plans of action for the world socialist movement.

Socialist Action Canada and SA-USA each sent two delegates to participate in the camp. Participants discussed topics ranging from the environment to feminism, to LGBT liberation, anti-fascism, anti-racism, macro-economics and imperialism, popular social movements, and of course, revolution. Through big forums and small workshops, delegates engaged with each other on the topics, commenting and intervening with their own opinions and experiences. Delegates also met with each other to report on movements, on gains and setbacks in their home country, and to build contacts.

While in Greece, we saw the extent of the effect that neo-liberal austerity has had on the country. Police roamed the streets looking for riots. There were signs of politicization everywhere- class struggle-themed graffiti, stories we heard at the camp about factories being occupied, and the rising threat of fascism (lest anyone stay complacent of it) was demonstrated with a big billboard on the side of a highway advertising the neo-NAZI Golden Dawn party. The stories we heard about what was happening from the Greeks, and others at the camp, were both sober warnings about what is in store for us, and educational lessons about how to fight back.

The camp was highly informative, fun, and engaging. In the age of global capitalism and imperialism, building networks of anti-capitalist militants is a crucial strength-building exercise. The world-wide austerity attacks on the working class show the necessity of working class political independence and permanent revolution, especially for young workers and students. Being surrounded by so many  dedicated young militants was inspiring, and it helped re-enforce the idea that international socialism is a vibrant, active movement in all corners of the world, from Philippines to Tunisia, from Latin America to Scandinavia.