The ICFTU President on his first visit to Finland

The upper echelon of international trade union leaders will attend the SAK Congress

The top leadership of the international trade union movement will attend the SAK Congress in May 2001. The new President of ICFTU, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Fackson Shamenda, will attend the Congress on his first visit to Finland.

Mr Shamenda, aged 50, was elected as the ICFTU President last year during the ICFTU Congress which was held in Durban, South Africa. He has held the position of President of the Zambian Congress of Trade Unions since 1991. He is originally a telecommunications engineer although his career within the trade union movement started as long ago as the 1970's. He has been involved in the activities of ICFTU, for example as a member of the Executive Committee, for close to ten years. This will be his first visit to Finland. - "Nobody has thought of inviting me before", says the ICFTU President who is known for his sense of humour.

The leaders of the European Trade Union Confederation, ETUC, will also attend the SAK Congress. The ETUC General Secretary, Emilio Gabaglio, and the ICFTU President, Fackson Shamenda, will address the Congress on behalf of their respective organisations. Mr Fritz Verzetnitsch, the ETUC President and the President of the Central Organisation of the Austrian Trade Union Movement, will also travel to Finland. Ms Wanja Lundby-Wedin, the recently elected President of the Swedish LO, will also attend. The ILO will be represented by Mr Kari Tapiola, the ILO Executive Director.

The period of acceptances of invitation to the SAK Congress, for the international guests, is still open. It is expected that guests from several European countries, especially the Nordic countries, will attend.