Under a sky lit by flares and smoke, the 51st KNE-Odigitis Festival unfolded in Athens' Tritsis Park, drawing tens of thousands of young people and workers.
The park transformed into a crimson citadel of defiance, echoing the Festival’s resounding slogan: “The spark will become a fire — with KKE strong, steadfast in every trial, ready at the call of History, for socialism.” For four days, Tritsis Park became a living “red city.” KNE’s organizations from every region marched in with banners, chants, and raised fists.
Slogans like “A century of struggles and sacrifices, the KKE in the vanguard” and “KKE, your party, people!” thundered across the grounds. Every corner of the park—concert stages, debates, exhibitions—was filled with vibrant energy, fusing culture with politics, art with struggle.
The Festival was also an international meeting point. More than 35 communist youth and anti-imperialist organizations from across the globe were present. Young people from Ukraine, Russia, Palestine, Israel, Turkey, and Cyprus stood shoulder to shoulder, affirming that solidarity knows no borders. Ambassadors from Cuba and Palestine alongside international trade union representatives, communist mayors elected with the KKE's support and cultural figures, joined the celebration, highlighting its global significance.
The Festival was also an international meeting point. More than 35 communist youth and anti-imperialist organizations from across the globe were present. Young people from Ukraine, Russia, Palestine, Israel, Turkey, and Cyprus stood shoulder to shoulder, affirming that solidarity knows no borders. Ambassadors from Cuba and Palestine alongside international trade union representatives, communist mayors elected with the KKE's support and cultural figures, joined the celebration, highlighting its global significance.
Political Highlights
The central evening opened with the reading of Kostas Varnalis’ poem “Odigitis”. Then Thodoris Kotsantis, Secretary of the KNE Central Council, addressed the crowd, stressing the strength of youth in struggle.
When Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the KKE, stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted. He reminded everyone that last year’s promise was kept—the Festival continues to write new pages of history. He underlined that it speaks to the hearts and minds of those who dare to see beyond the limits of capitalism and exploitation.
Koutsoumbas denounced the government’s anti-labor bill, declaring: “No to 13-hour slavery! In the 21st century, what is realistic is a 7-hour day, 5-day week, 35-hour week, with wage increases and collective agreements.” He emphasized that the Party fights relentlessly against capitalist barbarity, imperialist wars, and reactionary forces.
He also highlighted international struggles, particularly the plight of Palestine, describing it as a modern-day Guernica. He condemned the Greek government’s complicity with Israel and demanded the immediate recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The speech concluded with the singing of “The Internationale”, as the stage was bathed in red light and smoke, sealing the moment with revolutionary symbolism.
The Festival was not just a celebration, but a mobilization. From its stages came the call to flood the streets on October 1st in a nationwide general strike. Workers, youth, students, and the unemployed were urged to shut down industries, empty offices, and make their voices thunder against modern slavery. The message was clear: collective struggle is the only path forward.
When Dimitris Koutsoumbas, General Secretary of the KKE, stepped onto the stage, the crowd erupted. He reminded everyone that last year’s promise was kept—the Festival continues to write new pages of history. He underlined that it speaks to the hearts and minds of those who dare to see beyond the limits of capitalism and exploitation.
Koutsoumbas denounced the government’s anti-labor bill, declaring: “No to 13-hour slavery! In the 21st century, what is realistic is a 7-hour day, 5-day week, 35-hour week, with wage increases and collective agreements.” He emphasized that the Party fights relentlessly against capitalist barbarity, imperialist wars, and reactionary forces.
He also highlighted international struggles, particularly the plight of Palestine, describing it as a modern-day Guernica. He condemned the Greek government’s complicity with Israel and demanded the immediate recognition of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The speech concluded with the singing of “The Internationale”, as the stage was bathed in red light and smoke, sealing the moment with revolutionary symbolism.
The Festival was not just a celebration, but a mobilization. From its stages came the call to flood the streets on October 1st in a nationwide general strike. Workers, youth, students, and the unemployed were urged to shut down industries, empty offices, and make their voices thunder against modern slavery. The message was clear: collective struggle is the only path forward.
The KNE Festival stood as a battleground of ideas, opposing commodified culture, individualism, and resignation. It inspired faith in collective strength and prepared the youth to resist assimilation into the system.
Koutsoumbas declared that the KKE must always be ready—ideologically, politically, and organizationally—for every challenge. Despite wars, crises, and repression, the Party has endured, stronger each time.
The Festival closed with a fiery conviction: the spark has already been lit, and nothing can stop it from spreading. The struggle continues until the fire of resistance burns down the old world and lights the path to socialism.
