International Young Democrat Union

International Young Democrat Union
Abbreviation	IYDU
Motto	"United for Freedom"
Formation	1981
Type	Political international
Headquarters	Oslo, Norway
Chairman	Aris Kalafatis
Deputy Chairman	Gerti Bogdani
Treasurer	Zach Howell
Website	www.iydu.org

The International Young Democrat Union (IYDU) is an global alliance of centre-right political youth organisations,. Established in 1981, then re-established in 1991, the IYDU has 127 full and observer members from over 80 countries and is the youth wing of the International Democrat Union (IDU).

The IYDU website lists the organisation's core values as democracy, respect for human rights, free markets, and free trade:

• The IYDU believes that real democracy, with strong roots in a fully engaged community, is the only sustainable form of government.

• The IYDU believes that it is a basic human right to live without fear of persecution, in particular on the grounds of race, religion or gender. This basic freedom is a pre-condition without which other human rights cannot exist. When there is freedom from fear, all opinions can be expressed. Only then can true democracy flourish.

• The IYDU believes that free markets create free people, as free markets are the only way to build a system which promotes creativity, supports economic growth, and secures the individual freedom that underpins all human rights.

• The IYDU is strongly opposed to trade barriers between states, as only with free trade comes real economic freedom. We believe that in order for the poverty cycle for the world’s one billion people who live in extreme poverty to be broken, free, but not exploitative, trade must play a pivotal role.

IYDU host a number of events for member organisations each year including a Freedom Forum (mid-year), an Annual Council Meeting, and overseas study visits. Speakers at IYDU events have included current and former heads of state and other prominent political figures from the centre-right family. Participants at IYDU conferences have progressed to become cabinet ministers, members of parliament, senior advisors, and leaders of industry in both the public and private sectors.

The IYDU is headquartered in Oslo, Norway.

Parent Organisation

The parent organisation to IYDU, the International Democrat Union (IDU) is a working association of over 80 centre-right parties. Formed in 1983, founder members included Britain’s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; then US Vice-President George Bush Sr; Mayor of Paris, and later French President, Jacques Chirac; and the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Presently, IDU is conducting a review of IYDU and deciding whether to continue supporting the organization. Per the IDU Website: "IDU Member parties should be aware that the advertised IYDU Council Meeting, in Tirana in February, is not taking place with the support of IDU. A Working Group appointed by the IDU Executive Committee has requested to the IYDU board that this meeting be postponed, pending a review of the IYDU."

Freedom Campaigns

IYDU Freedom Campaigns support democratic movements and free-market groups in nations under authoritarian rule.

Current Freedom Campaigns

• Forward to Freedom
• Freedom for Belarus
• Freedom for Cuba
• Religious Freedom

Chairmen

Name	Years	Country	Organisation
Elmar Brok	1981–1983	Germany	Junge Union
Mark Heywood	1992–1994	Australia	Young Liberals
Tony Zagotta	1994–1998	United States	College Republicans
Andrew Rosindell	1998–2002	United Kingdom	Conservative Future
Shane Frith	2002–2004	New Zealand	Young Nationals
Donald Simpson	2004–2006	United Kingdom	Conservative Future Scotland
Peter Skovholt Gitmark	2006–2008	Norway	Young Conservatives
Tim Dier	2008–2010	United Kingdom	Conservative Future
Daniel Walther	2010 – 2012	Germany	Junge Union
Nicolas Figari	2012 – 2012	Chile	Juventud Union Democrata Independiente
Aris Kalafatis	2012 – current	Greece	ONNED

External links

• IYDU official site