Congo-Brazaville celebrated the sixth anniversary of the founding of the National Youth Movement of the Revolution on Sunday (February 8). The movement, which was founded at the time of an attempted coup d'etat, played in turn an important part in the formation of the new Congolese Workers' Party -- now the only legal party in the country.

The country now has a new youth movement -- the Congolese Union of Socialist Youth -- but it is nevertheless regarded as the spiritual heir to the National Youth Movement of the Revolution.

The Union's President Combo-Matsiona and Minister of Information Pierre Nze were among the speakers at Sunday's anniversary parade in the capital.

Celebrations started at the beginning of february, and thousand of participants took part in the anniversary parades, ranging from seven-year-old schoolchildren, to students, workers and peasants.

During his speech, Youth Union President Combo-Matsiona declared that the country's youth had powerful friends around the world to assist in their struggle against "international imperialism".

He welcomed visiting youth delegations from East Germany, the Soviet Union and Rwanda. And he added that Congo-Brazaville's youth firmly supported the struggle of Africans against Portuguese colonialism and of the Palestinians against Israel.

Information Minister Nze, delivering a message from the Congolese Workers' Party Central Committee President, called on the country's youth to be vigilant in denouncing tendencies threatening the stability of the state.