ONE of the most successful features of the recent European conference to build the May 28 demonstration in Cologne was the major participation of young people - this time much more significant than at previous events organised by the Euromarches.
Perhaps this is not surprising with increasing mobilisations of young people to defend education in places like France and Greece.
There was a particularly sizeable delegation from Denmark, but there were young participants from most EU countries including from the Campaign for Free Education here in Britain After a lively workshop, young people decided to support the general call for the demonstration but also to organise around there own specific demands. Below we print the statement they drew up.
"Young people are one of the social groups who suffer most from unemployment, flexibility and social exclusion. Today right across Europe, young people are systematically under attack in relation to their right to a decent job through short term contracts, part time work, undeclared work, unemploymen. and so on. This is why we fully accept the demands of the general platform calling for the demonstration in Cologne on May 29th: reduction of working time without reduction of wages and without flexibility; massive creation of secure jobs, minimum income enabling everyone to a decent standard of living.
In addition as young people we put forward our own demands:
• The right to education and training for men and women without discrimination • Against privatisation and the destruction of public education which has ignited student strikes all over Europe.
• For a real democratisation of public education that necessitates free access to education; a massive financial investment by the states to allow everyone access to free education; a greater participation of the students to the life of the schools and universities.
• Social right to autonomy of every man and woman without discrimination • Right to decent housing • Free access to culture • Free access to public transport • Free access to health care • The right to choose freely his/ her sexuality and against discrimination on the ground of sexuality On the basis of these demands, we appeal to all young people, all youth organisations, associations and students trade-unions to fight for a social Europe based on solidarity, anti-racism, antisexism, anti-fascism, ecology, anti-militarism and therefore to mobilise for Cologne on May 29 1999."