[2][3][4] The international festival’s movement initiated in the beginning of 1947 offered to the youth of the world a space of free expression around their preoccupations and a forum of solidarity with people searching for independence, for self determination and for development.

In the months leading up to the festival there were sustained street actions by hundreds of thousands of working people and youth in Algeria protesting repression by national police forces and supporting the struggle by the indigenous Berber people, an ethnic nationality in Algeria and throughout North Africa, for the right to be taught in their native language in school.

A number of other countries from Africa sent significant delegations, including Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Egypt, and Tunisia, a first time in the history of the WFYS.

Political themes of the conferences included peace, security, international co-operation; self-determination, sovereignty, national liberation, solidarity; democracy; development and the environment; employment; education, science, and technology; childhood; women; health; communication and culture; racism, neo-fascism and discrimination; youth's movements; the students' movement; human and peoples' rights.

The Festival aimed to be an open forum for young people to exchange experiences, work together for alternative solutions, and establish joint programs of action on a wide range issues.

The panel included María Pili Hernández, representing the youth of the Fifth Republic Movement of Venezuela, the party founded by Hugo Chávez.