"Solidarity" was the central theme of the seventh Youth Session. Already in her opening speech, Federal Councillor Ruth Dreifuss urged those present to "keep the doors open for minorities, foreigners and the unemployed" and recalled the contribution that foreigners had made to Switzerland's wealth and prosperity. With a large majority, the young people supported the Solidarity Foundation planned by the Federal Council, with which Switzerland wanted to "morally and politically come to terms" with the guilt it had incurred during the Second World War (J-stamps, dormant assets, collaboration with the Axis powers). The bill was rejected by the people and the cantons on September 22, 2002. In addition, the young people again demanded equality measures in the form of part-time work and an expansion of development cooperation. This, together with the "leftist thinking" of many participants, according to a reader's letter, as well as the repeated presence of Ruth Dreifuss, did not only meet with enthusiasm..."Or is educating young people about democracy not the purpose that the (adult) political actors are pursuing? Are the many youth, women and other sessions perhaps about establishing an extra-parliamentary opposition to strengthen socialist forces 'from the grassroots'?"- reader's letter by Marianne Wüthrich (Zurich), NZZ, 27.11.1998, p. 75