The last weekend of November, IFLRY held its 44th General Assembly (GA) in Barcelona. LYF was happy to be supporting two participants to attend the event. In this post, we are excited to introduce Lidia Rauch!
Lidia, from South Africa, represented the Africa Liberal Youth, at the GA.
What was your motivation to attend the IFLRY GA?
I really wanted to attend the GA to capitalize on best practice sharing opportunities for the Africa Liberal Youth, specifically the membership application process.In addition, as one of the GA chairs and co-host of the conference, I also gained valuable experience in chairing a General Assembly and hosting a conference, which I know will be useful for ALY’s first GA, which will hopefully run parallel to the ALN GA in March 2019.
What was the greatest “AHA!” moment for you at the GA?
The realisation that there might be a place for populism in politics, even for liberals. If applied within the correct context, and if guided by the liberal principles. A liberal government can and should (specifically within an African context) defend the interest and maximize the power of ordinary citizens.
What is a liberal challenge in your region that you would like to work on?
Liberalism takes protecting and enhancing the freedom of the individual to be the central problem of politics. Typically, Africans, through the concept of Ubuntu (I am because you are), defines themselves through their respective community. This redefining of liberalism in an African context is a relevant challenge for the Africa Liberal Youth, because to date, liberalism has not been defined as an African ideology, which should be championed by young, African liberals. As Africans, we should provide African solutions for African problems, guided by liberal principles.
When and why did you decide to join the liberal family?
I decided to join the liberal family when I first became active within the Democratic Alliance in South Africa as a professional staff member in 2012. This was because I was driven by addressing inequality in South Africa and the political platform felt like the best fit and the Democratic Alliance was my natural home, as a born and bred liberal. My journey with the DA was and still is filled with leadership opportunities. I have always believed that with opportunity comes a responsibility to better the lives of those that do not have access to opportunities. My passion has always been levelling the playing field. Five years later, in 2017, I applied to form part of the Africa Liberal Youth Executive, because I realised that I have a responsibility to provide a voice for Africa’s liberal youth. Too many young Africans do not have an equal playing field, and I believe that the Africa Liberal Youth can actively provide more equal opportunities to young Africans.
What does your ideal world look like / what is your vision for your country? What could IFLRY members do to help you achieve it?
My ideal world is a world where your circumstances of birth do not determine your potential in any way. As an international youth organization, I think IFLRY can play a meaningful role in supporting and empowering the Africa Liberal Youth. This could be done through learning and training opportunities in order to assist with fundraising initiatives, for example. Lastly, I believe that IFLRY can also provide meaningful guidance to ALY in terms of the membership application process, which is still very new for the Africa Liberal Youth.
Read more about Africa Liberal Youth here.