80 Years Since Victory Day – The Struggle Continues

Eighty years ago, the great European catastrophe came to an end. Fascism was defeated, but only after millions of lives were lost in the fight for freedom. For us, May 8 is above all a day of remembrance: a time to honour the hundreds of thousands of trade union activists who were among the first to resist fascism and who paid the ultimate price.

Fascism sought to annihilate the most courageous voices of the working class. Though decades have passed, the ideology of hatred has not disappeared. It is once again resurfacing-gaining traction in political discourse and threatening democratic values across the globe.

As we pay tribute to the bravery of those who stood against tyranny, we must also renew our commitment to building strong, democratic trade unions and a unified political movement rooted in the values of international workers' solidarity. This is the only force capable of confronting the rise of right-wing populism that once again seeks to drag humanity into darkness.

We stand in full support of IUF affiliates in Europe in their call to preserve the collective memory of the anti-fascist struggle and to highlight the essential role of the trade union movement in defending democratic rights and freedoms.

We call on IUF members worldwide to mobilize against the far right, to defend workers' rights in the workplace, and to protect political freedoms in society.

We have stood up before. We will stand up again.