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Stuttgart Congress centenary

Commemorating the centenary of the International Socialist Congress, Stuttgart

11 November 2007

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In celebration of the centenary of the International Socialist Congress which took place in Stuttgart in 1907, the Social Democratic Party of Germany, SPD, held a commemorative event in that city on 11 November.

The event opened with a special address by Kurt Beck, Chair of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, followed by a panel discussion, in which Ute Vogt, Chair of the SPD of the Land Baden-Württemberg; Martin Schulz, Chair of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament; and, Luis Ayala, Secretary General of the Socialist International, participated. The meeting was closed by Michael Sommer, Chair of the Confederation of German Trade Unions.

The themes which preoccupied the 884 delegates from 25 countries at the Congress in 1907, still resonate today: securing peace in the face of international conflicts, protecting the working population in a world of ever-growing international competition, and equality between women and men.

Recognising the achievements a hundred years on in its work on peace, justice and solidarity, the speakers addressed the issues facing the international labour and social democratic movement today in finding answers to new global challenges.