Foundation of Naturefriends movement

Dating back to its foundation in Vienna in 1895, from the womb of the labour movement, the Friends of Natures' aims were:



The founders of the so-called 'Touristenverrein der Naturfreunde', wanted to give working-class people the opportunity to enjoy outdoor-life as way to escape from their unhealthy living and working conditions. The organisation's activities were not only aimed at getting people to beautiful natural settings, but also at awakening their love for nature and imparting knowledge about nature and culture to them. So, it is clear that from the beginning 'outdoor sport' was a core business of Friends of Nature, and that outdoor sports were not the aim as such, but tools for education. From the beginning, Friends of Nature wanted to do it in a specific way, different from the average, common, so called 'bourgeois' way, their way.



The method of Friends of Nature from the beginning was to gather people in local groups and offer them 'sports & culture' in their leisure time. In an era where workingclass people had workingdays of more than 10 hours, at least 6 days a week and no paid holiday, that was something new. From the beginning they also started building shelters, the so called 'Friends of Nature - Houses', as an alternative to the inaccessible (elitist, expensive) mountain-huts from the Alpine-Clubs. This building of their own huts was at the same time a social activity, promoting and putting into practise solidarity (all the work was done by volunteers), and a political statement. They were a very concrete expression of their slogan: Berg Frei! (Mountains Free!), that they used in opposition to the 'Berg Heil!' ('Mountains Be Greeted!') in the bourgeois clubs.

Emerging of IYNF

Founded in 1975 following a breakaway from NFI, NFJI (IYNF) started life with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm for establishing a youth section of the Naturefriends movement. A space for young people to organise their own activities at an international level as well as working together on political and environmental campaigns, IYNF was established by a small group of young people from a few member organisations who went on to form the first presidium. Headed by the first Secretary General, Jochem Zimmer from Germany, the Presidium included members from the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

The 1980s saw one of the most significant changes within IYNF's history and its 'rebirth'. Following a 'disastrous' seminar in the European Youth Centre in Strasbourg, where no presidium member showed up to lead it, a group of young people decided to 'take over' IYNF. One of the number of radical changes, perhaps the most significant one, was the change from using German as the common language to English to make wider co-operation easier.

At that time NFJI was still part of the 'red' family with IUSY (International Union of Socialist Youth) and IFM-SEI (International Falcon Movement- Socialist Educational International), and common activities were organised. IYNF were also members of the Kinder Internationale - the only pan-European Youth cooperation with the Soviet Union (NFJI/IFM/SCOUTS/ and Pioneers), the international organised children's camps and also wrote a Children's Peace Booklet. In the early 80s a film was also produced: 'Vergeben aber nicht Vergessen' about forced labour in Nazi Germany.

Internal IYNF activities were also clearly 'red' during the 1980s, focusing a great deal on the socialist roots of the organisation. The 1989 seminar in a still-divided Berlin focusing on songs of resistance as a method for political work and a number of activities on anti-fascism, peace and political education put IYNF in an unambiguous political position. Over the years however, IYNF's approach has softened considerably, becoming markedly more 'pink'

After the 1989

Astrid Van Herpen (Secretary General 1992 - 1998): "Somehow the nineties marked the end of the old left-right wing divide. The 'seriousness' of workers' education and emancipation, the background of the Naturefriends movement -gave way to a more leisurely way of organising things. Although learning from international exchange and discussing themes such as racism, poverty and ecologic disaster remained the 'core business', working methods that were more loose and 'fun' came to the foreground. Heavy ideological struggle was more and more abandoned."

The enlargement of the organisation with MOs from Central- and Eastern Europe was one of the most important developments during the early nineties. IYNF was one of the first INGYO's to develop in such a way. Banners declaring 'East meets West' were carried around the streets of Gödöllö (Hungary) during the international camp there, the first real activity held 'behind the iron curtain'. The reason IYNF was so soon successful in integrating the 'new countries' was twofold. Geert and Jurgen were visionary about the opening up of 'the East', and started from very early on organising meetings with youth(organisations) from C/EE. The second reason was that although belonging traditionally to the socialist family, IYNF did not have a very pronounced political colour, though being social and ecological. This made it easier to get in touch with newly emerging organisations in C/E E, often not too eager to being identified with socialist, liberal or Christian-democrat organisations. IYNF was rather open, and therefore a suitable partner for new 'pillarless' organisations, and all those young people who, for the first time in decades, could travel across borders rather freely and meet their peers in 'the West'. Astrid Van Herpen: "Well freely…. I spend hours and hours and hours talking to ministries and filling out forms and statements to obtain the necessary visa."

IYNF after 2002

The turn of the millennium has presented both challenges and opportunities for development in IYNF. Moving the secretariat to Prague has strengthened co-operation with DUHA and has allowed us the space to grow. The office is now made up of three full time and four part time staff - a long way from the years where one member of staff was alone in the office. As previously mentioned, IYNF has slowly moved away from its socialist roots to a more neutral political position This has brought with it advantages in attracting new organisations in Central and Eastern Europe but equally a less clear ideology with which its members can identify. The current IYNF is tackling this threat head on, positively addressing the issue of values, which combine three worlds - just and solidar society, love for nature and care for environment and personal development. The challenge that lies on our future way is in translating these clear values into activities that are both attractive and relevant to young people.

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