Adam Barbato Shoufani is the new general secretary of the Swiss Communist Youth

On Saturday, March 8, the Swiss Communist Youth (SCY/GCS) - youth wing of the Communist Party (Switzerland) - gathered in Bellinzona for a particularly important general assembly. It was an afternoon full of political discussions and exchanges of ideas, from which the SCY/GCS emerged with awareness and clarity about its priorities for this year and, above all, under new leadership. Indeed, the central point of the general assembly was the change of general secretary, which saw comrade Luca FREI give way to the unanimously elected Adam BARBATO SHOUFANI.

Born in 2008, comrade Adam Barbato Shoufani is student at Bellinzona Cantonal High School. He is particularly attentive to international politics but also alert and perceptive to the problems and needs of young Swiss students, workers and apprentices. Indeed, in the course of his militancy Adam has contributed to actions such as the campaign for free public transportation and the campaign in solidarity with Palestine, and has solidly stood in defense of Swiss neutrality and against the EU and NATO in various articles and speeches.

After the reading of congratulatory messages from international youth movements, including Palestinian, Chinese, Italian, etc. and the viewing of a video message from the Ukrainian anti-fascist Kononovich brothers (repressed by the Zelensky regime), the afternoon passed in a dynamic and purposeful atmosphere. The general assembly was marked by a strong lucidity of political analysis, particularly on the international situation for which a resolution was voted to intensify the Swiss Communist Youth's activity to promote and defend the country's neutrality. Of equal importance was the discussion of an organizational resolution aimed at the necessary renewal of the youth organisation, which demonstrated a strong awareness of its limitations but, above all, a willingness and hope to overcome them.

Of all the 8 general secretaries of the SCY/GCS of the past 20 years, comrade Adam Barbato Shoufani is the youngest: this is a clear political choice to encourage generational renewal. In his political report in front of the plenum, the new elected general secretary not only talked about the rights of young people (public transport, fight against compulsory conscription,...) but reiterated the need both to defend Swiss neutrality to avoid getting involved in NATO wars and to oppose bilateral agreements 3 between Switzerland and the European Union (EU). The Swiss Communist Youth also wants to defend a truly pluralistic public school, where all opinions are respected and no anti-communist and Atlanticist propaganda is spread. 

Comrade Massimiliano AY, general secretary of the Communist Party (Switzerland) and member of parliament, also spoke at the General Assembly, insisting on the need to unmask among young people the Swiss government's policy of submission to NATO and EU, to increase territorial roots and combat the radical chic fashions that are gaining ground among the younger generation of progressive feelings.