OPENING REMARKS
to the 6th International Assembly

Len Cooper
Vice Chairperson

Dear guests, observers and delegates, on behalf of the International Coordinating Committee of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, we offer to you the warmest greetings of solidarity and welcome. I am honored to be entrusted with the task of doing the welcome for the 6th International Assembly of the ILPS.

The first ever ILPS International Assembly was held in 2001 – 18 years ago. The planning for the
implementation began two or three years before that – initially to launch and build the ILPS as a mass fighting organization for the world’s people, which came from our Chairperson Prof. Jose Ma. Sison and his comrades. And for that, we will forever be grateful.

In the 19 years since then, all of you have helped to build the ILPS into the biggest, most effective mass anti-imperialist mobilized organization in the world.

Today, we have with us hundreds of participants – approximately 425 to be exact – representing 45 countries and many organizations. And that is despite the authorities in some countries making oppressive and undemocratic actions to prevent their citizens from attending. As of last night, there are 268 participants from the Asia-Pacific. There are 62 from the USA. There are 34 from Canada, 24 from Latin America and the Caribbean, 23 from Europe and 3 from Africa.

Our conference will, as usual, be action-oriented – with the workshops organized by the various commissions centered on the central concerns of the League. There will also be special forums on Korea, Palestine, Venezuela, the Philippines, and others; and also a special forum on the subject of socialism.

In recent times, we in the ILPS have expanded our ranks in Latin America and the Caribbean, and also Africa and West Asia. We must continue to build on these. The people in Venezuela, the people from the Korean Peninsula, the Palestinian people, the people of Kurdistan, the Philippines, India, and West Papua and elsewhere are waging
struggles, including armed struggles in some cases, for independence and liberation.

Workers in the USA, South Africa, France, India, Argentina, Spain and many other parts of the globe are fighting and mobilizing for democratic rights and civilized working and living conditions. The indigenous peoples are on the frontline with others to fight against the environmental destruction and the theft of their land by the mining and
resource companies.

The world is seething with people who want an end to exploitation and oppression; and who are fighting for justice, liberation and socialism.

As you can see with the theme for the international assembly – “Win a bright and socialist future for humanity! Unite the people to fight and end imperialist war, racism, and fascism!” – the ILPS is an indispensable tool for the people of the world to support their struggles and to utilize to ultimately achieve a world without war, without borders, without exploitation, without fascists and without oppression.

There is an enormous amount of effort and work that goes into organizing a conference such as this. The ILPS secretariat, the host country committee in Hong Kong, the organizers, the ILPS staff and its wonderful volunteers; the hard work, the sleepless nights and the blood, sweat and tears have all prepared the ground for what should be our most successful conference yet. In this, the effort and sacrifice by delegates, distinguished visitors and guests to be here at the 6th International Assembly of the ILPS. We thank you all deeply. We are grateful to you all for making this sort of effort. And who can forget that performance by the migrant workers, that fiery performance.

Prof. Sison, our Chairperson, wrote: “US military aggression and intervention are resulting in massive civilian deaths, destruction, trampling of national cultures, pillaging of people’s property and resources, massive displacement from home and country, and other gross human rights violations, hunger and disease.” Yes, US imperialism is currently the main enemy of peace and progress.

Let the proceedings for the 6th International Conference of the ILPS
begin. Enjoy yourselves. Work hard. We have a world to win!