What is WFDY?

As the Axis armies entered and occupied country after country and the ruling classes of those countries showed not only a disinclination to resist but an active desire to collaborate, the peoples themselves gradually began to organize resistance to the invader. This resistance grew into the great movements which characterized the struggle. After the final defeat of the Axis Powers we witnessed a vast organization of freedom-loving peoples with a positive will towards democracy and a lasting peace. From these sprang many federations of peoples who in their own sphere wished to implement the clauses of the Atlantic Charter and other programmes of our wartime leaders, promising, the final eradication of Fascism, the four freedoms, self-determination of nations, etc. Among these federations we find the World Federation, of Democratic Youth (W.F.D.Y.) to which are affiliated 45 millions of young peoples of all nations. Each year since the end of the war the Federation has-held a conference in one of the European capitals, at which policy has been established and past work appraised. The organisation has established several bureaux, viz., Peace Bureau, Colonial Bureau, Needs of Youth Bureau, Publicity Bureau and Travel and Exchange Bureau which give some indication of the work engaged on. The Federation is in the lead in the fight for peace. Democracy and the Unity of Youth and because of this it is attacked by those forces wishing to destroy democracy and pave the way to a new war. During the last period several member organizations have been declared illegal or forced to work under oppressive conditions. Such was the case of "EPON" in Greece, "The New Democracy Youth League" in Malaya "The League of Democratic Youth" in South Korea. "Trade Union Youth" in Brazil and "American Youth for Democracy" in U.S.A. The Federation has sent a commission to the countries of South-east Asia which has reported on the terrible conditions in those countries. A commission is also proposed to visit Spain to study the conditions of youth in that country. The Federation aims at unifying the youth of all countries in the struggle for better-conditions for youth in all spheres, for the protection of democratic rights, for the maintenance of the United Nations Organization and the furtherance of its aims and for the rigorous suppression of the anti-democratic forces which are even now making alarming inroads into our avowed peace programmes.