The 6th Annual Conference of the Young PFDJ kicked off today, April1, 2010 in Berlin, Germany.

Held under the theme ‘Eritrea’s National Interest and Security,’ the conference coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Eritrean Popular Forces, the predecessor to the EPLF and later the PFDJ.

Beside the lectures, debates, question and answer sessions, subjects of common concern will also be discussed. Top on the agenda are topics like understanding the spirit of Mekete (defiance) and its manifestation as well as the recent sanction and the fight against it among others.

The conference is expected to raise the issue on the emergence of a strong youth movement that is both conscious and patriotic, and at the same time a key stakeholder in the rebuilding of Eritrea.

Annual YPFDJ conferences are held both in Europe and North America with the aim to reflect on the YPFDJ chapters’ worldwide activities and achievements and critically analyze the shortcomings. The first Europe-based YPFDJ conference was held in Germany in 2005 followed by Sweden, the UK and Holland.

The conference, which will stay until 5 April 2010, will be attended by around 550 Eritrean youth from Eritrea, Kenya, Canada, Saudi-Arabia, United States, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, United Kingdom, Italy, France and Switzerland. High level Eritrean government officials and individuals who were part of the founding members of Eritreans for Freedom in the 1970s will also take part in the conference.