The proceedings of the 13th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties began today, in Athens. Hosted by the Communist Party of Greece, the 13th International Meeting will gather, from today until next Sunday, around 80 communist and workers’ parties coming from more than 60 countries on all continents.

This 13th edition of the Meeting will address the theme: “Socialism is the future. The international situation and the experience of the communists after 20 years of counter-revolution, the tasks for the development of the class struggle under the conditions of capitalism’s crisis, imperialist wars, the present struggles and popular uprisings for workers’ and peoples’ rights, the reinforcement of proletarian internationalism and the anti-imperialist front, for a revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the building of socialism”.

Presently held in the Greek capital, and after a period of five years in different continents, held in Portugal (2006 – hosted by the PCP), in Belarus (2007 – hosted by the CP of Belarus, in Brazil (2008 – hosted by the CP of Brazil), in India (2009 – hosted by the CP of India – Marxist and the CP of India) and in South Africa (hosted by the South African CP), the International Meeting thus returns to the country where its first edition was held in 1998, and this time with one of the largest ever participation in its history.

PCP’s delegation represented by Manuela Bernardino, member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee and by Ângelo Alves, member of the Political Committee of the CC, is in Athens since Wednesday and took part in the IMCWP Working Group meeting (of which PCP is a member together with other 10 Parties) finalizing the last details of the preparation of The International Meeting. PCP’s intervention is expected to be made tomorrow Saturday, 10th December.

Besides the discussion on the theme of this 13th edition, the programme of the International Meeting includes an act of internationalist solidarity organized by the Communist Youth of Greece.