THE 21st general assembly of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) concluded on May 25 2025, with anti-imperialism and liberation struggles reaffirmed as core priorities of the federation.

The consortium of leftist youth organisations met in Windhoek, Namibia, where over 150 delegates from more than 60 countries were hosted by the governing South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) party.

Swapo was founded on April 19 1960, emerging as the key organisation battling apartheid and occupation in the region, clashing with the significantly better-resourced South African Defence Force and Air Force from 1966 until the country’s independence in 1990.

A key component to Swapo’s success has been its trade union militancy. Notably, it conveyed the exploitative labour conditions which led to the 1971-72 Namibian contract workers’ strike during the apartheid regime as being integral to the struggle for self-determination.

The country’s pride in independence is set against the wounds inflicted by the imperial German genocide, which saw tens of thousands of people killed through mass displacement and concentration camps at the turn of the 20th century.

The enduring struggle for the liberation of Namibia set an empowering tone for the general assembly.

The general assembly saw first-hand accounts given on the struggles against occupation in Palestine, West Sahara and Cyprus. Also at the forefront of discussion was the arbitrary nature of crippling sanctions imposed upon Cuba and Venezuela. Such advocacy unleashes unbound solidarity.

The internationalist spirit is visceral at WFDY. As the federation’s political resolutions were decided upon, keffiyeh-draped delegates from all corners of the world planned future actions and international collaborations to set in motion those resolutions.

A delegate from the Jordanian Democratic Youth Union (UJDY) explains: “As a communist from the Middle East living under imperialist rule, being represented at WFDY is essential. It is not just about presence, it is about building real connections with comrades globally, sharing our struggles, and standing together in common cause.

“The political declarations ratified by over 152 delegates are not symbolic; they are acts of collective resistance. WFDY is a space to learn, remember, and organise, where we do not just speak, we build power.”

On the importance of attending WFDY, a representative of the Syrian Democratic Youth Union, an organisation that has been driven underground by the new Islamist regime in Syria said: “It’s important for us to attend so the young people of Syria understand that they are not alone and to reflect the struggle they are going through to the federation, which is composed of young leaders and politicians in their respective countries who can stand in solidarity with us.”

WFDY epitomises solidarity in the face of imperialism. Organisations with differing analyses and lines are able to unite over shared aims of anti-imperialism and internationalism.

Eduardo Matos, a delegate on behalf of Uniao da Juventude Comunista (UJC) of Brazil on the importance of uniting for common aims notes: “The WFYD is an important mobilisation tool so that youth have an international forum for debate and action on globally relevant issues and on those that specifically affect them. A space made by young people, for young people from all corners of the world to decide and work together for the world we want.”

The general assembly is a springboard, an opportunity to take what has been learnt, cultivate the connections that have been made and strive together in tandem towards a future of peace, dignity and liberation.

In her address to delegates, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia’s first female president, proudly professed: “We are a living testimony that when you fight for a just cause, you have nothing to lose.”