This weekend, the FIR’s 20th Regular Congress will take place in Lisbon. Delegates and guests from 15 countries will be in attendance as the organization addresses issues concerning the future of the FIR. We are delighted that this congress, with the tremendous support of our Portuguese member association URAP, can take place in a fitting venue in the city of the 1974 “Carnation Revolution.”
The special nature of this Congress will be evident right from the opening on Friday evening, when the FIR will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a ceremonial event. Founded in 1951, at the height of the Cold War, this organization—with member associations in both the West and the East—was established on the basis of the common ground shared by survivors of the Nazi regime and the resistance movements in all occupied countries. Despite political differences, the legacy of the survivors—as articulated, for example, in the “Oath of Buchenwald”—was the common ground on which the associations could agree during all periods of international conflict. Not even the dissolution of the blocs in 1989–90 and the political transformation have been able to sever the ties among the veterans’ associations, which for several decades have also included younger generations of anti-fascists. Although the work of many member associations is made more difficult by the loss of government support, the solidarity among the associations endures.
The effects of current political tensions and the aforementioned problems are also evident at this congress. Delegates from Ukraine, Belarus, the Russian Federation, and Israel are unable to attend. Small associations—particularly those from the Balkan states—lacked the financial resources to travel to Lisbon. However, to ensure they are also included in the political debate, they were informed in advance about the proposals for the new bylaws and the planned political resolutions. This enabled them to share their thoughts.
The draft of the main resolution addresses the future tasks and, consequently, the future of the FIR. It identifies four key areas:
The FIR and its member organizations must make an active contribution to limiting and preventing wars. As “ambassadors of peace” for the UN, they bear a great responsibility in this regard. This issue will also involve reconciling the diverse positions within the FIR member organizations in a way that enables coordinated activities.
No one would have expected 75 years ago that the slogan “Never Again Fascism” would once again be on the agenda in nearly all European countries. Together with forces of civil society, the FIR stands against this dangerous shift to the right. However, we also recognize that the FIR has not yet been successful enough in effectively countering this shift at the international level.
One “unique selling point” that sets us apart from other democratic organizations is our work of remembrance. It is based on the legacy of the women and men who founded the FIR 75 years ago. In many countries today, we must work to combat historical revisionism and the erosion of memory. In this regard, we can look to the impressive contributions of our member organizations. Even small federations are doing outstanding work in this area.
The FIR and its member federations—and this is the fourth point—can only accomplish all these tasks in collaboration with today’s generations. It is therefore a central task for all federations to develop a vibrant connection with today’s generations, to convey the legacy of the survivors to them, while at the same time providing space for the questions and perspectives of today’s generations. Consequently, the Congress has also on its agenda a declaration of solidarity with the current struggle of young people in many countries.
What certainly no one in the FIR had anticipated 75 years ago is the subject of another resolution: the U.S. government’s political denunciation of anti-fascism as “terrorism,” which is already having practical consequences in Europe. The Congress’s message in response will be: “Anti-fascism is neither criminal nor terrorist; rather, it stands for democracy, peace, social justice, and human rights.”
An important decision for the future of the FIR is also on the agenda in Lisbon: the election of a new Executive Committee. The goal is to appoint a functional governing body that will actively shape this process of the FIR’s further development.

International Federation of Resistants Fighters (FIR) – Association of Antifascists

Stavovi izneseni u kolumnama i komentarima su osobni stavovi autora i ne odražavaju nužno stav Uredništva portala sabh.hr