Speech of kne in the Seminar of the 10th mecyo on “Youth Revolutionary Press”

Nikos Rempapis, Director of Odigitis

Talking about the important issue of the value and the necessity of Communist Youth’s Press we would like to transmit our experience from Greece. The Communist Youth of Greece has its own monthly newspaper, “Odigitis”, the organ of the Central Council. Through Odigitis we contact with thousands of young people every day. For KNE it is a task of high priority, to ensure the circulation of our own magazine on a regular basis. It is an irreplaceable support in the day-to-day work of the organizations of KNE, both Odigitis, as well as Rizospastis, the organ of the CC of the Communist Party, for the spreading of the ideology and the revolutionary policy of the Communist Party.

Odigitis, the organ of the Central Council of KNE is an important tool in the hands of the members and friends of KNE, in order to unite in common action and unitary direction the struggle of various parts of the youth, in the daily contra-position with the bourgeois ideology and opportunism, for the guidance of the organizations, and for the spreading of the policy of the Communist Party.

Having these as a guide, the work for the editing of Odigitis is organized.

- The responsibility for the issuing of the Odigitis belongs to a member of the Bureau of the CC. There is an editorial board, staff consisted of members of the organization that deals only with Odigitis, the definition of the material, the articles etc.

- There is a separate group of comrades which deals with the setting of the journal, which in our case are the comrades that comprise the group of propaganda.

Odigitis:

- Generalizes the experience gained from the intervention of the organizations of KNE, the positive but also the negative experience of the organization of mass struggles in all areas: trade unions, working-class neighbourhoods, areas of education. The action of the opponent, whatever form it takes and how it has been dealt with, the fight with opportunism

- Exposes and clashes with the bourgeois ideology and the compromise with the exploitative system.

- Displays the problems, the activities of young people from the working class families whether they are at work, apprenticeships, or in schools and universities, the problems of the unemployed, the young women, the young couples, the youth in obligatory military service.

- underlines the real cause of the problems, and that is why it can show the real alternative.

- In its pages it hosts the concerns of the youth for the creative use of their free time, their dreams; their activities in sport and culture and also the demands of young people in these spaces. It highlights the progressive artistic creation.

- takes position with theoretical and other articles in order for the youth to take advantage of the power of knowledge. It contributes in the formulation of a disobedient attitude to life.

- Struggles against nationalism and fascism. Promotes the proletariat internationalism and internationalist solidarity.

The issue of the value of the communist press concerns us within the Organization. The circulation of Odigitis is a crucial indicator for the work of the collectives of KNE. From our experience it is confirmed that the communist press plays a decisive role in the creation of new collectives. The study of the communist press, the "training" in it’s circulation is one of the characteristics that we want the members and friends of the Organization to achieve. The circulation of the communist press shows the quality and the extent of links between KNE and the Youth.

That is why we take measures such as:

- Discussion within the organs for the circulation of Odigitis, how each organization establishes a circulation network of members and friends of the Organization, how it plans to raise each month the circulation of Odigitis, how Odigitis will enter in most areas of youth.

We do not only take measures within the Organization. We often have corresponding articles in Odigitis but we also take other initiatives such as:

- open events in areas of the youth for the communist press

- In 2010 we edited a brochure titled "Party - revolutionary press", wanting to present the Leninist teachings on the press, the need for its existence, its study and circulation but also class orientation of press.

- On the occasion of the completion of 1000 issues of Odigitis, the organizations of KNE carried out events throughout Greece, discussing the value of revolutionary press, while in Athens and Thessaloniki there were expositions –tributes about the history of Odigitis. The circulation of the 1000^th issue of Odigitis reached 25.000 nationally.

- In front of various electoral battles we make special editions of Odigitis. Furthermore, we have issued a special edition themed with the struggle against all drugs and addictions. The circulation of these special editions surpassed 100.000 issues nationally.

The reading of articles, stories, news in printed form cannot be substituted by any other electronic means. The live contact of the youth in all spaces with Odigitis, the need to widen the opening of the Organization with the communist press is irreplaceable. Even the increased number of visits in the site of the organization cannot substitute the study of the revolutionary press. The website performs a distinct role from the newspaper. The young communists must take measures to raise the overall educational activity, to be trained to read. The daily study of the Party's printed material must be the starting point.