Lymec-PM: YDA Convention: Lymec addresses US Young Democrats (15. August 2009)
Over a thousand Young Democrats from all over the USA converged last weekend on Chicago, Illinois, for YDA’s biennial convention. The location of the Convention was a symbol of its own since Illinois's own, President Barack Obama, rallied young people from across the country to an overwhelming victory last November.
The Convention was notably the occasion of many traditional caucus meetings (LGBT, rural, labour, high school…) and training sessions on campaigning techniques. Among keynote speakers were the former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean, the mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, President Bill Clinton, and Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
But the main item on the agenda was the hotly contested election for YDA’s national officers, which saw the election of President Crystal Strait, Executive VP Rod Snyder, VP Coleman Elridge, VP Isaac Robinson, VP Renee Hartley, Secretary Emily Robinson, and Treasurer Mark Newman – all with an impressive track record of action. A number of resolutions were also approved. The main hotly debated topics at the Convention were without surprise healthcare reform and marriage equality for gays and lesbians.
Aloys Rigaut, President of LYMEC, was attending the event and delivered an address to the Convention on Saturday 8 August. He notably complimented YDA for the resounding election of Barack Obama as 44th president of the USA and the for the ground work performed by YDA at this occasion: young voter turnout tripled or even quadrupled in many primary States. He also stressed the hope that this election created in Europe and called on YDA to work hand in hand with LYMEC for a better global governance.
The event was attended by a large European delegation composed of members from the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and Belgium. IFLRY President and Secretary General, Paola Silva and Bart Woord, as well as LYMEC’s representative in the IFLRY bureau, Roger Albinyana i Saigi, were also present.
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