International of Anarchist Federations


The International of Anarchist Federations was founded during an international anarchist conference in Carrara in 1968 by the three existing European federations of France, Italy and Spain as well as the Bulgarian federation in French exile. Other groups were also present in the formation of the IAF, such as the now defunct London Federation of Anarchists who took part in the preparation for the conference in 1968. According to Time magazine, before the first IAF conference in Carrara could begin, firemen were called to check the venue for bombs. The Carrara congress was a response to a congress held in London from June to August 1958 which "recreated a certain dynamism and wish towards the organisational aspiration of international anarchism".
The IAF has since aimed to build and improve strong and active international anarchist structures. The federations associated with IAF believe that such an organisation is necessary to co-ordinate their international work and efficiently co-operate towards their mutual aims.
In order to further improve the quality of exchange and co-operation, IAF also keeps close contact with other anarchist organisations, such as the International Workers Association, an international association of anarcho-syndicalist organisations and unions. The IAF contains many anarchist-communist federations and individuals.

Principles

The principles of work within IFA are that of federalism, free arrangement and Mutual Aid, and as states in their preamble of their principles, the IAF fights for:
  1. the abolition of all forms of authority whether economic, political, social, religious, cultural or sexual.
  2. the construction of a free society, without classes or States or frontiers, founded on anarchist federalism and mutual aid.
The IAF is committed to Direct Action, struggle from below, anti-parliamentarism, and opposition to reformism, on both a theoretical and a practical level.
To improve co-ordination and communication within IAF, as well as to provide an open contact address for the public and other anarchist groups and organisations, an International Secretariat was set up. The CRIFA irregularly rotates among the IAF federations. It is currently based with the Fédération Anarchiste. Often, the different member federations will work with one another on certain agreed issues and campaigns, in order to be able to mount a joint worldwide effort to raise awareness and assist the struggle around certain issues.
The different member federations also produce their own publications, such as Le Monde libertaire in France and Belgium, and El Libertario in Argentina. However, there was also an IAF magazine, Anarkiista Debato which, due, however, to a lack of funds, was unable to continue.
A number of reports have been written for the IAF, particularly on issues such as the struggle between the village of Rossport, the Corrib gas field and Shell in 2007. Members of the IAF often congregate at meetings of world leaders, such as Gleneagles in 2005.

Member federations

CountryNameAcronymRef
Argentine Libertarian Federation FLA
АЧКБ / BABC
Iniciativa Federalista Anarquista no BrasilIFAb
ФАБ / FAB

 FAO

Anarchist Federation AF


Anarchist Federation FA / FAF

Federation of German speaking Anarchists FdA
Anarchist FederationAF / AFed
Anarchist Political Organisation APO / ΑΠΟ
Italian Anarchist Federation FAI
Federation of Anarchists in Mexico FAM

Iberian Anarchist Federation FAI

This is the current list of member federations as confirmed during the 11th Congress of the International of Anarchist Federations.

Congresses of the IFA

All members of regional federations meet every three years for a congress that decides on direction and lines of action. One year before the Assembly, the IFA Secretariat and those responsible for international relations in the various federations will determine the agenda, date and location of the Congress. The Congress debates the initiatives of the IFA, passes resolutions and mandates a federation to run the Secretariat of the IFA.