We intuitively know that connecting young liberals from all over the world is meaningful. But we should ask ourselves, why do we, as young liberals, travel across the globe to meet in a conference room?
One might attempt to answer this by reflecting on everything that happened in Abidjan. We could argue that the endless political debates and discussions about rules and statutes were necessary. We might think that liberalism needed a few extra political resolutions to finally work. However, if we critically examine ourselves, we believe we know that Abidjan did not capture why IFLRY is important.
We, representing two member organizations of the International Federation of Liberal Youth, are concerned about what transpired in Abidjan. We believe the way we conduct our General Assemblies needs to change—going far beyond merely altering a statutory rule or passing another political resolution. What we are proposing is something we all have to contribute to and cannot expect the IFLRY Bureau to do alone.
In each of our countries, we fight our own battles, face unique challenges, and confront different problems. In some places, our mother parties are in government; in others, liberals are persecuted for their beliefs. Yet, we all share a common fight against populism and a commitment to freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Even more, we are youth organizations uniquely positioned to think long-term and shape our future leaders.
Imagine the potential when a young liberal from one corner of the world meets someone from the opposite side. Imagine them exchanging lessons learned in their respective organizations. Picture bringing together the brightest minds of our time to solve our most pressing issues.
With this potential in mind, IFLRY was founded. It’s even stated in the IFLRY Manifesto:
“We, therefore, empower young liberal leaders to take responsibility to advance freedom for all, anywhere in the world.”
Given this mission, should we spend the entirety of our next General Assembly arguing over yet another political resolution? Or should we finally focus on how we will change the world?
Changing the world often involves unglamorous tasks like getting the finances right, having the right people in place, and educating them to become our future leaders. Change is about addressing the “now” but also about crafting a long-term strategy. We see General Assemblies as the perfect platform to exchange ideas and solutions that will propel each of our national organizations forward.
From sharing strategies on how to win an election to discussing what to do when your country doesn’t hold elections, there’s much to do. Within and beyond the realms of IFLRY, youth liberal organizations should work closely together, regardless of our political differences. The principles that unite us far outweigh the issues that divide us. If we want liberalism to succeed, each of us must succeed.
Political resolutions matter, but they will never have an impact if we don’t consider ways to implement them. Even though our numbers are small, we, through our national organizations, have the potential to influence the lives of many. It’s important that we see each other at least twice a year. General Assemblies are among the most significant events IFLRY can organize. It’s now up to us to demonstrate why.
Our mailbox is open to anyone who wants to contribute.
Editor’s Note: This Op-Ed is written by International Officers Zachary Annis (Young Democrats of America) & Friso van Gruijthuijsen (Jongerenorganisatie Vrijheid en Democratie) wishing to express their views on IFLRY’s General Assembly sessions.