Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth

Union of Lebanese Democratic Youth (ULDY) [http://www.uldy.org ] , also known as UJDL, the French abbreviation of "Union de la Jeunesse Démocratique Libanais". In Arabic language, it is called "Itihad El Shabab Democrati Lobnani".
It is a Lebanese leftist secular democratic youth organization as it defines itself in its documents. [http://uldy.org/alwasiqa.htm#1]
ULDY was legally established in 1970 by leftist -mainly communist- students and young activists, after being active underground since 1945.
ULDY is a member in many regional and international youth organizations, but its main affiliation is to the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY). [http://www.wfdy.org ] ULDY is the vice president of WFDY since March 2007 after a long history of international action. [http://wfdy.org/organs.htm] It was the president of WFDY during the late 1980's before and during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Many prominent leftist leaders and activists in Lebanon affiliated to ULDY during their early political life including Anwar Yassin and Soha Bshara, two former resistors and detainees in Israel, Sa'3dalla Mazr'ani the Vice General-Secretary of the Lebanese Communist Party and Hanna Gharib the President of High School Teachers League in Lebanon.

Recent Activities

After the 6th National Congress, ULDY made several distinguished activities including:
- Popular aid to thousands of internally displaced people due to the Israeli aggression against Lebanon during July and August 2006.
- Hosting the Coordinating Council meeting of WFDY in November 2006 in Beirut with the participation of tens of international leftist and communist organizations and hundreds of attendants from Lebanon. [http://al-akhbar.com/ar/node/12244]
- Several camps hosting hundreds of participants in Summer of 2007.
- "The Spring March" that toured Lebanon for 34 consecutive days under the slogan of "All of Lebanon is for us all" and demanding the unity of the Lebanese people across the sectarian division lines drawn by the Lebanese political and social system. [http://al-akhbar.com/ar/node/80099]

Organization

ULDY has currently 24 branches around Lebanon. It also has 4 central departments for young workers, university students, high school students and pioneers. Membership is accepted through branches so that every member should commit to one of the existing branches. In addition, a member is considered automatically to belong to one of the departments related to his study or work.
The branches are organized through regional committees that hace coordinating status within its geographical region. Now ULDY has 5 regional committees that are are: Beirut and suburbs, Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, North Lebanon and South Lebanon.
The highest body in ULDY is its congress held every three years to draw the general policies and organization of ULDY and elect its legislative and directive body, the National Council.
The National Council is elected by the congress and convenes regularly every two months to draw short term plans of the organization and watch the sound action and functioning of all other organs of ULDY. The National Council elects a President, Vice President, a General secretary and an Executive Bureau of the organiztion.
The Executive Bureau convenes every two weeks to pursue the daily action of the organization, apply the plans drawn by the National Council and represent the organization legally and practically between meetings of the National Council.

Recent Congresses

After several years of not having regular congresses due to many political and organizational problems, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Lebanese Civil War, ULDY had its 5th National Congress in May 2003. The congress was intended to revive the bodies of the organization and put it back to strong action. This two-year experience set the ground for the 6th National Congress that brought real life to ULDY.

ULDY had its 6th National Congress in May, 2005 and elected Imad Bawab as President and Arabi Andari as General Secretary. [http://uldy.org/alwasiqa.htm#1] It brought all the constituents of the organization to action and put it back on the political map in Lebanon especially after the big activities and new leadership spirit that it had.
In its 7th National Congress in September 2008, ULDY renewed its bodies with many new young activists. 24 out of its 41 National Council members and 10 out of its 11 Executive Bureau members were renewed, with Imad Bawab remaining president and Hussein Mroue elected as a new General Secretary.

References

External links

* [http://www.uldy.org ULDY website]
* [http://www.wfdy.org WFDY website]