In September last year thousands of  monks took to the streets of Burma in protest against the military junta that has ruled over them and the people of Burma for decades. This was not the first time such protests have taken place, but through the power of technology, it was the first time that so many members of the international community sat up, listened, and watched.

There are two lessons that activists can learn from the events in Burma. Firstly, we must never underestimate the power of solidarity, and secondly, we are surrounded by injustices both domestically and internationally- it is our job to make sure people notice and act.

Last year IUSY celebrated its 100th year. IUSY has witnessed and emerged from some of the most horrendous and unsettling world events, but we continue to struggle for our most basic of principles. Our organization may be old, but it is no excuse to sit back and reflect.

I believe we must begin our 101st year, as though we were at the beginning again, for in many ways we are. What kind of organization do we wish to belong to, what do we want to achieve, what are the battles we must fight, and how should we fight them. And most importantly, who do we take with us in our struggle?

We must start with our principles. Through everything we have seen, these remain universal to us. Democracy, social justice, equality and peace. Regardless of whether we have achieved, or come close to achieving some of these goals in our own countries, our final principle, international solidarity, means that our struggle continues until each and everyone one of us lives with these rights. The revolution then has only just begun.

IUSY is the largest political youth organisation in the world. We have over 140 members spanning over 100 countries. We represent millions of young political activists. We are privileged to be members of IUSY, but we also have a responsibility. As members of IUSY we have access to information and networks in every corner of the world. We must make better use of these if we are to meet the challenges we face today.

During the recent IUSY congress in Santo Domingo, we held a debate on the future of IUSY. Members raised several areas they wished the presidium to pay special attention to reforming or improving over the next 12 months. This included communication, regional committee work, the nature of our campaign work, and how we can put debate back into the heart of our organisation.

The newly elected presidium has already begun work on these issues, and you will hear more about IUSY reform in the coming months. We hope by the time we reach the next IUSY council, the presidium will be ready to present to you a set of ideas that will make the most of the potential we have as an organisation. But reforming IUSY as an organization is only the beginning. At the end of the day, we are nothing without our members- without you. In IUSY, we have always fought our battles together, and this is what I ask for now. As an organisation, IUSY can show you what is needed, whether our members in Burma have asked for letters to all embassies or mass petitioning, whether Akbayan in the Philippines call for protests in solidarity - we will show you the how, but you at the end of the day it is you who must act. Over the next two years, it is my hope that IUSY will lead the way in highlighting the many injustices that surround us; so that the international community is awakened to even more of the battles IUSY continues to fight.

Jacinda Ardern
IUSY President

Trotzdem Februar 2008