I am very glad to greet you. I do not know how many provinces are represented here and where you have come from. What is important is that young people, communist youth, are organizing themselves. What is important is that young people are gathering in order to learn to build a new school. Now a new school stands before you. The old school—unloved, bureaucratic, hateful, and having no connection with you—exists no longer. The work we have calculated for will take a very long time. The future society toward which we strive, the society in which there must be only workers, the society in which there must be no distinctions whatsoever—this society will take a long time to build. Now we are only laying the stones of the future society, and it will fall to you to build when you become adults. For now, work according to your abilities, do not take on work beyond your strength, and work under the guidance of your elders. Once again I greet the congress and wish you every success in your endeavor.

First published in 1923 in the book: V. I. Lenin (Ulyanov). "Speeches and Articles on Youth." Moscow–Petrograd, "Molodaya Gvardiya"

Printed according to the text of the book