November 6 to 8, 2026
In early November, delegates and guests from 15 European countries gathered in Lisbon for the 20th Regular Congress. The Portuguese anti-fascist organization URAP had prepared a concise and impressive program for the event.
The congress opened on Friday evening with an address by FIR (International Federation of Resistance Fighters – Association of Anti-Fascists ) President Vilmos Hanti on the tasks facing anti-fascist organizations in the coming period. Following this substantive opening, a ceremony was held to mark the 75th anniversary of the FIR, featuring a retrospective of past political activities, conferences, and gatherings illustrated with striking images. It became clear just how much the member organizations throughout Europe and Israel have contributed to the success of the FIR’s work over the past decades.
As part of the ceremony, the Michel Vanderborght Prize was awarded to individuals and institutions that carry out important work in line with the FIR’s mission. Among the honorees were eyewitnesses from Greece, Italy, and Portugal; the anti-fascist network “widersetzen” from Germany; activists engaged in remembrance work from Slovakia; and socially committed individuals from Hungary and Romania. The best-known figure among the 14 award recipients was former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzón, who drew attention to the crimes of the junta with his arrest warrant against Chilean dictator General Pinochet.
The congress proceedings began the following day with a political report on the work of the past three years and a discussion among the delegates. Despite the packed schedule that day, more than a dozen delegates took the floor. A necessary item on the agenda was the revision of the statutes of the international umbrella organization. This did not concern the organization’s founding principles or the tasks agreed upon decades ago, but rather an adaptation to current legal requirements for international organizations and an expansion to accommodate new possibilities (e.g., electronic communication). The aim was to ensure that the FIR is structurally prepared for the future.
The main resolution also served as a guide for the future of anti-fascist work, specifically highlighting four areas:
The FIR and its member organizations must make an active contribution to limiting and preventing wars. As “ambassadors of peace” for the UN, they bear a great responsibility in this regard. This issue will also involve reconciling the diverse positions within the FIR member organizations in a way that enables coordinated action.
No one would have expected 75 years ago that the slogan “Never Again Fascism” would once again be on the agenda in nearly all European countries. Together with forces in civil society, the FIR stands against this shift to the right. It was self-critically acknowledged that the FIR has not yet been successful enough in effectively countering the rise of the far right at the international level.
A “unique selling point” that sets the FIR apart from other democratic organizations is its work of remembrance. This is rooted in the legacy of the women and men who founded the FIR 75 years ago. In many countries today, efforts must be made to combat historical revisionism and the erosion of memory. At the same time, we can point to impressive contributions from member organizations. Even small organizations are doing outstanding work.
The FIR and its member organizations—and this is the fourth point—can only accomplish all these tasks in collaboration with future generations. It is therefore a central task of all organizations to develop a vibrant connection with today’s generations, to convey the legacy of the survivors to them, while also providing space for the questions and perspectives of today’s generations.
During the debate, there were a variety of proposals to expand the resolution, all of which are valid from the perspective of the respective member organizations. Ultimately, however, the proposed text was unanimously adopted by the delegates as a political guideline—not as a “binding” directive. Another declaration spoke out against the political attacks—not only by the Trump administration—on “Antifa.” The Congress emphasized, however: “Antifascism is not terrorism.”
The election of the new executive committee also took place with broad consensus. Representatives from nine European countries are represented on the committee.
The congress concluded with a joint visit to the Peniche Memorial on Sunday. Guided by the director of the facility, the delegates and guests gained a poignant insight into the terror of the Salazar regime, as well as the anti-fascist resistance that led to its overthrow on April 25, 1974.
The slogan “Fascismo – nunca mais” was heard frequently during these days.
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