Havana, February 17 (RHC) -- The defense of national sovereignty is a priority for Cuba's Young Communist League (UJC), representatives of the organization reaffirmed Saturday at a meeting attended by President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

According to a national television news report, the closing session of the Sixth Plenary Session of the National Committee of the UJC highlighted the need to energise the participation of students and young people in the defence of the homeland, besieged by its historic enemy, the US government.

Despite the fact that the issue has always been a priority for the Antillean nation and its attention is permanent for the Cuban leadership, much more effective thinking and actions are required, said the first secretary of the national UJC, Aylin Álvarez.

At the meeting, the experiences of university graduates of the Compulsory Military Service were heard, which disprove the negative views expressed on social networks about this stage of youth life.

The transit through a military unit on the Caribbean island resulted in learning and strengthening of character and discipline, explained the young university student Hamlet Álvarez in the plenary session.

For her part, youth leader Karla Santana explained the reasons and the favourable results of her ideological and political preparation after her military service for women, an experience that is gaining more and more followers among the girls of the Antillean nation.

In this regard, the meeting also called for increasing the participation of young people from armed institutions in the country's food production and economic tasks.

They also called for improving the subject of defence preparedness in high school and university education.

In his concluding remarks, the Cuban head of state recalled the validity of the legacy of the historic leader of the Revolution, Fidel Castro, who always placed his trust in young people as a guarantee for the preservation of peace, by preparing them to defend the country from its aggressors.

Without defence there can be no homeland, freedom, independence or revolution, and this is a mission that cannot be left to others, because it is up to Cubans, and especially young people, to carry it out, Díaz-Canel said.   (Prensa Latina).