20th IMCWP in Athens: Declaration of 90 Communist and Workers' Parties

The 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP) took place on November 23-25, 2018, in Athens, hosted by the KKE, which celebrates 100 years of its historic course.

At the meeting under the theme of: "The contemporary working class and its alliance. The tasks of its political vanguard - the Communist and Workers' Parties, in the struggle against exploitation and imperialist wars, for the rights of the workers and the peoples, for peace, for socialism ", 90 Communist and Workers’ parties from 73 countries took part, representing all the continents.

Italian communist leader Marco Rizzo blasts Berlinguer's eurocommunist legacy

Marco Rizzo (left), General Secretary of the CC of the
Communist Party, Italy. Right: Enrico Berlinguer.

In a very interesting speech delivered at the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers Parties, which is taking place in Athens, the General Secretary of the CC of the Communist Party of Italy (Partito Comunista) Marco Rizzo strongly criticized the ideological and political legacy of the so-called "Euro-communism".

The intervention of Rizzo marks a break-up with the traditional reformist line of the - once powerful- Italian Communist Party. "We reject with extreme firmness any hypothesis of political alliances between parties, both for electoral purposes, which, even worse, in support of self-styled "left "governments. The Italian labor movement has paid heavily for the lines of collaboration and compromise with the reformist parties" said Rizzo and added:

D. Koutsoumbas: "The working class will rise to the challenge of its historic role"

Photo: Aris Oikonomou/SOOC.

The beginning of the works of the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, which took place on Friday 23 November in Athens, was marked by a major speech delivered by the General Secretary of CC of the Communist Party of Greece Dimitris Koutsoumbas. Below you can read the full transcript of his speech: 

"We welcome you to the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, here in Athens, the city where the International Meetings first began 20 years ago at the initiative of our Party. 

We are here today before you, having completed a century of life and action. We feel justifiably proud of the 100 honorable and heroic years of the KKE. 

International meeting of Communist Parties kicked off in Athens (Video & Photos)

In a fully packed congress hall at the headquarters of the Communist Party of Greece in Athens, the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties began its works earlier today. The meeting is attended by 91 parties from 73 countries. 

An introductory speech was delivered by by the General Secretary of the CC of the KKE Dimitris Koutsoumbas. 

The 20th IMCWP began with a short video showing significant moments from the 100 year-old activity of the KKE and the working class movement in Greece. After the video, members of the Greek Communist Youth (KNE) holding red flags and shouting slogans ("A century of struggle and sacrifice, the KKE in the vanguard") entered the hall.

20th IMCWP: All the written contributions by the Communist & Workers' Parties (list)

As the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) is due to take place in four days, we present all the up-to-date written contributions by the participating Communist and Workers' Parties.

More than 90 communist parties will be represented at the 20th IMCWP in Athens

91 communist and workers' parties from all over the world have registered to participate at the 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties, which will be held in Athens between November 23-25. 

The 20th IMCWP will be hosted at the headquarters of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) in Perissos under the subject "The contemporary working class and its alliance. The tasks of its political vanguard – the Communist and Worker’s Parties – in the struggle against exploitation and imperialist wars, for the rights of the workers and of the peoples, for peace, for socialism”.

The 20th IMCWP to be held in Athens on 23-25th November 2018

KKE headquarter offices in Athens.

The 20th International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties (IMCWP) will take place in Athens, Greece between 23 and 25 November 2018. 

The Meeting will be hosted by the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) at the Party's headquarters in Perissos under the subject "The contemporary working class and her alliance. The tasks of the policy of the vanguard- of the communist and workers' parties in the struggle against exploitation and imperialist wars, for the rights of the workers and people, for peace, for socialism".