We, the representatives of international democratic organizations – the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), the World Peace Council (WPC), the Women’s International Democratic Federation (WIDF), the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) , the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY), the International Federation of Resistance Fighters – Association of Anti-Fascists (FIR), who have gathered in Moscow for the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Victory over Fascism, hereby declare:
It is 70 years since our great common victory over fascism, under the banner of Victory, progressive, anti-imperialist, anti-fascist forces of the world have united for joint actions to prevent a repeat of the tragedy that carried away tens of millions of lives by fighting together against the root causes of war and oppression.
The victory over world fascism and militarism gave a powerful impetus to the spread of the ideas of social justice and national equality. The year 1945 saw an upsurge of the movement for national liberation of many countries from the dominance of imperialism and colonialism as well as universal social transformations aimed at solving acute social problems and democratization of social and political life along with creating new societies. The lessons from the Victory over fascism as well from the causes which have led to the war are present today in a period of growing imperialist aggressiveness, occupation and threats to the sovereignty of the peoples, in a period of deep global economic crisis of capitalism. We declare our vehement opposition and denounce under this light the role of NATO, the armed wing of imperialism which is committing for more than 66 years crimes against humanity under old and new pretexts. We condemn likewise the efforts for the further militarization of the EU, with the plans to establish a permanent EU army.
The activities of our international organizations over the seven decades of their existence contributed greatly to the preservation of world peace, to the achievement of national independence by many countries, to social and political progress of humankind. The relevance of our experience is particularly evident in our day in the year of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory. The events of recent years have shown that peace has not grown stronger. Wars are raging in various regions, neo-fascists and extremists are rearing their heads, and efforts are being made to pervert the history of the Second World War and rehabilitate fascism. The forces which at the end of 1945 were hiding like cowards in European forests or were secretly harboring their evil designs now openly take to the streets of European cities perpetrating barbaric acts of violence with regard to the civilian population. In some countries of the world medieval customs and procedures are being revived that violate the social and political rights, especially of women. The call “People, Be Vigilant” is relevant again. There is greater need for joint actions by all the progressive forces.
We condemn all efforts of re-writing and falsification of history, including the one of the 9th May and call upon all people to denounce and condemn the glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fueling contemporary forms of racism and xenophobia.
We, the representatives of international organizations, are launching an appeal to defend historical memory. We call for a decisive end to the propaganda of the ideas of racism and genocide. We are sure that the experience of seven decades of the struggle against fascism and war, for peace and democracy, for social and political rights may once again provide a powerful impetus to protecting humanity from new threats to its existence.
We bow our heads in memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle for our freedom. We bow our heads to the courage and the heroic feat of the Soviet people who have made the decisive contribution to Victory. We remember the names of the best sons and daughters of European peoples who fought in the Resistance units. We call on the peoples of the world to make their historic contribution to the struggle for peace, for freedom from tyranny, for a world where the peoples will be the masters of their fortunes, without imperialist domination and exploitation.
