By: Indira Ferrer
12th UJC Congress: More than the motto of the 12th Congress of the Young Communist League (UJC in Spanish), «Create your happiness» is an invitation to revolutionize things with the essential role of the Cuban youth, it is the call to build for themselves and for others a better country.
That is why it is not surprising that this incitement to personal fulfillment and contribution to the common good is the lead for the debates of the assembly process of the youth meeting, which is taking place throughout the country, and which in Santiago de Cuba has already passed through municipalities and districts.
It is worth saying that this congress takes place at a very difficult time for the country: the intensification of the economic asphyxiation policy of the U.S. government against Cuba has increased the problems, and inefficiencies inside the island have increased the exodus of young professionals to other sectors of the national labor market, to other territories in the country, or to other nations.
In this complex scenario, where the formulas of cultural colonization and ideological subversion against the Cuban Revolution are becoming more effective, the support of the youth is vital to support the effort of the nation to resist, create and advance.
Precisely, the debates that have taken place in Santiago de Cuba as part of the assembly process prior to the national meeting of the 12th Congress, show how much more the new generations can do to promote the advancement of social and economic programs.
That has been the guiding theme of the debates in each of the meetings held in the province.
Issues such as the necessary improvement in the application of the policy of cadres, and the formation of young people in the principles of loyalty and dedication to the UJC and the tasks of the Revolution have been examined.
In this regard, Yasmani Brito, member of the National Committee of the UJC, who accompanied the debates in each point of the Santiago geography, reflected with the young people on how to intensify -with more attractive and effective methods- the ideological political work with the youth. He explained that it is urgent to strengthen the exemplarity, commitment and unconditional attitude of the militants towards their organization and the homeland.
Several interventions dealt with the values that should characterize the youth vanguard, since being an example for others is a way to strengthen the UJC. They spoke about the pride of belonging to a decisive organization in the construction of society, and how to get other young boys and girls to join its ranks.
Experiences were shown on the contribution of young people from the non-state sector to tasks prioritized in their territory, such as food assistance to families in vulnerable situations.
Issues such as the responsible use of social networks and the participation of young people in initiatives to combat dengue, the prevention of teenage pregnancy, the fight for energy saving and the rational use of resources, as well as food production, were also analyzed.
The Young Jose Marti
The municipal and district assemblies favored the exchange of delegates with the political authorities at those levels and at the provincial level. The member of the Central Committee and First Secretary of the Party in Santiago de Cuba, Jose Ramon Monteagudo, and the member of the Bureau of the Provincial Committee of the Party, Yudelkis Ortiz, urged young people to create their own happiness, and not the one that is intended to be imposed through cultural colonization, with foreign models, based on consumerism.
«Happiness must be created individually and collectively. What should young people concentrate on? On study, work and the defense of our sovereignty; on contributing to strengthening and perfecting our economic, political and social model so that it is increasingly fairer, more inclusive, and so that every young Cuban can be happy and satisfied in his or her country.
«Those were the motivations of the young people who made this Revolution, and to which we are giving continuity. We are counting on you,» Ms.Ortiz emphasized in one of these meetings.
In the meetings, the call prevailed not to forget that the history of Cuba has been led by young people, who have been the driving force of each era, therefore the urgency now is to create and overcome -through knowledge, unity and the efforts of all- the great challenges of today. This country is its youth. It has always been. Each generation has woven its dreams and its struggles for the good of the nation. That is today’s call.
12th UJC Congress: Challenges Ahead
