Follow up on the IUS informal meeting in Havana
Where are we?
On the 1st of August 1997 an informal IUS meeting was held within the framework of the 14th World Youth and Students Festival which took place in Havana - Cuba from the 28th of July to the 6th August 1997. A considerable number of IUS member and friendly organisations attended the meeting where they discussed and analysed the current IUS situation and the way forward. The preparation and the holding of the meeting had not been easy because of serious limitations. The presence of members of the Executive Secretariat (ES) was doubtful but was finally achieved with the support of the Federation of University Students in Quebec (FEUQ) and the National Union of Students in Germany (fzs). Only the good will and commitment of some people and organisations made the meeting itself finally possible. Subsequently there was massive enthusiasm and commitment during the meeting with a resolve to revitalise the IUS. The proposal of FEUQ to host the 17th IUS Congress was broadly welcomed, as well as the same indication from Indian member unions. Leaving the door open for other organisations willing to hold the Congress or Council, the meeting set the end of December '97 as a deadline for submissions. |
To facilitate the process an agreement was reached to establish a preparatory committee for the IUS Congress. The committee is open for the member unions of the Executive Secretariat, the regional platforms, as well as organisations willing to assist in this process. More detailed information on the meeting might be found within the report of the IUS Executive Secretariat, the circulation of which has been made possible with the kind support of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). Shortly after the meeting some unions manifested positive reactions towards the recommendations and resolutions of the meeting. Beside nominating Jennifer Story for rejoining the ES, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) announced to pay its membership fees. They have also pledged to support the work of the Executive Secretariat wherever their possibility permits. The General Union of Great Jamahiriya Students (GUGJS) is also expected to pay its membership fees. To acquaint themselves with the situation in the office the Namibian National Students' Organisation (NANSO) is expected to pay a visit to the IUS headquarters in Prague around October-November 97. NANSO likes to contribute to the improvement of communication and to draw up a fundraising strategy together with the ES. Last but not least the "Organizacion Continental Latino-Americana de Estudiantes (OCLAE)" indicated that they are making efforts to finance the travel costs of some members of the IUS Executive Secretariat to attend the Congress of OCLAE in Spring '98. Such reactions have been encouraging but given the size of the IUS, its aims, objectives and policies coupled with the recent enthusiasm shown by member and friendly unions in Cuba the ES expects a lot more to come from the bigger majority. "Time is not on our side, so let us break away from the practice of keeping resolutions and decisions in the drawers and to act in a way that our plans and objectives will come to fruition," appeals Zakaria Abdourahamane, acting president of the IUS. |
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