On April 12, 1959, more than 1,500 young men and women from all over Cyprus gathered at the Pallas Cinema for the founding conference of EDON. It was then that the executives of the illegal AON decided to establish EDON as a worthy successor to the work and action of AON. In its 61 years of life and action, EDON has shown a rich and multidimensional action, indelibly carving its stamp on every conquest of the youth movement in Cyprus.
The establishment of EDON was the product of the need of the youth of Cyprus for a legal youth organization as AKEL, AON and the other organizations of the Popular Movement were in illegality, despite the signing of the Zurich-London agreements. It was the need to establish a militant youth that would fight against fascism and nationalism, as well as against the imperialist plans against Cyprus.
The sacrifices of the dozens of militants of EDON with the most precious good, their own lives, for freedom is a beacon for us younger ones. It is a beacon and guide for today's and future struggles. They are a beacon in our struggle for the liberation and reunification of our country and people, for a solution of a Bizonal Bicommunal Federation, with a single sovereignty, citizenship and international personality, with political equality as described in the UN resolutions and will demilitarize the island without foreign guarantors and invasive rights. They are a beacon in our struggle to fight fascism, nationalism - chauvinism. They are a beacon in our struggle against imperialism and its plans.
This year's anniversary of the founding of EDON, finds the new generation faced with one of the greatest pandemics that humanity has ever encountered. The spread of coronavirus pandemic around the world shows that declining health spending, leading to shortages of equipment, consumables, medical and paramedical staff, has only negative consequences for the handling of the pandemic, but also for the people as well. The DISY - Anastasiadis government, faithful to the neoliberal-anti-popular policies, following the same strategy, has cut 500 million Euros from the Health sector in the last 7 years. As EDON, we believe that public hospitals should be strengthened immediately and public spending on health should be increased. For us, health is a social good that all citizens should have universal access to.
At the same time, we believe that the next day will be very difficult for the workers and for the people of Cyprus in general. The government should take measures that are in the interest of the people and not with its policies of unloading all the weight of the crisis on the workers. We, as EDON, make it clear once again that we will fight with all our might, so that this crisis is not paid again by the people.
No matter how difficult the conditions are, guided by our glorious history and with our honoured and blood-stained banners high up, we will continue to remain at the forefront of the struggles of all the Cypriot youth and people. We will continue to fight for freedom, education, and work. We will continue our struggle for a better world, a world of socialism, without exploitation of man by man.
C.C. of EDON
11/4/2020