The streets of Montreal will soon be teeming with communists attending the fifteenth annual "Marxist Winter School."
The event is set to take place Friday through Sunday.
According to the organizers, the school has become "the must-attend educational gathering for revolutionaries from across the country and beyond," with hundreds of people expected to show up.
This year's theme is "The Pillars of Communism," and attendees will be "diving deep into the fundamentals of Marxist theory," including "philosophy, economics, history and more."
Ten presentations are scheduled, including "Trump and the crisis of American imperialism," "Marxism and morality," "History of communism in Palestine," and, "The struggle against oppression: working-class unity or identity politics?"
An exact location has not been made public, though organizers said it would be provided to attendees in due time. Tickets cost $120 for Montreal residents, and $60 for those coming from outside the city. Those who can't afford to go can apply for a subsidy.
"Everywhere we look, the system is cracking, and the pillars supporting capitalism are on the verge of collapse," the organizers said. "The capitalist crisis is bringing renewed tensions between the imperialist powers, who are sharpening their weapons to defend their markets, spheres of influence and the profits of their big corporations."
They suggested that capitalism "won't go away by itself," adding that, "it is therefore essential for communists to organize and fight to help the working class destroy the edifice of this system."
Footage from last year's event shows a room filled with over 600 people. Fists in the air, they sing Internationale, which is widely regarded as the communist anthem.
Those attending this year's school said they were preparing by reading up on their Marxist literature, and going over their notes.
One woman said she was looking forward to the presentation on Marxism and morality, arguing that while it is widely agreed upon in the movement that the ruling class is "evil," not enough has been done to understand what motivates their actions.
