It is interesting to note the presence of activists from the most dynamic organisations around housing and health, as well as leaders of some of the struggles in the metal sector, but also women working in the hotel and catering industry or in so-called domestic service, and also the presence of feminist and environmentalist comrades with significant influence in their organisations.
Every year it is a central political activity for our organisation, but it is also a very important annual event for the sectors to the left of the social-liberal governmental left. It is a pioneering event in Spain and after the failure of other experiences promoted by Podemos and the decline of those organised by the Communist Party and Izquierda Unida, it is beginning to be an important ideological, intellectual and political reference for the new generations of activists.
The programme of political, educational and cultural activities included more than 60 speakers - with almost perfect gender parity - who discussed, among other topics, Palestine, trade unionism and environmentalism, science and technology, feminism, agrarian movements, the current situation of Lenin, reflections on Marx, the crisis of imperialism, the ongoing wars and arms build-up, the global advance of the extreme right and a long list of other issues, with the participation of international guests such as Josep Daher, Francesco Locantore, Paul Murphy, Susan Watkins and Aaron Benanav.
As one young comrade summed up the event: ‘Our university drinks from the whole intellectual, political and practical backpack of revolutionary Marxism: its ideas, its organisations, its struggles all over the world. A warm and open Marxism, which should serve not for sacred contemplation but to build an ecosocialist and feminist project for the working class of the 20s and 30s of our century’.
Manuel Garí