13° NATIONAL JOURNEY OF THE LANDLESS YOUTH - political formation for MST’s youth on Brazil’s Southeast region

Abstract

The youth meeting hosted by the Landless Workers' Movement (MST) Youth Collective in the Florestan Fernandes National School (ENFF), in Guararema-SP, as part of the 13° National Journey of the Landless Youth, had as its main objective the debate about the environmental crisis as a part of capitalism’s structural crisis and the role of the youth in fighting against the reckless use of land and land property, common goods and the people’s sovereignty. In this space of political formation, the landless youth and guests, both from different regions of Brazil were capacitated to help maintain the Youth’s organizational process in the areas with an MST encampment or occupation. The importance of taking action during the whole process of developing projects, in the teaching of base political and sociological knowledge and in the construction of popular committees for boosting MTS’s campaigns for a land reform and in defense of the environment, was highly emphasized. The meeting represented a valuable opportunity for the insertion of the landless youth into a political formation, having in mind their own empowerment and the strengthening of social movements. While debating essential questions, the environmental crisis and the people’s sovereignty, the participants were incentivised to actively engage in the transformation of the status quo, fighting for social justice, equality and sustainability.