Caracas, Feb 13 (IANS): Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro urged the country's youths to fight and defeat "the challenge of the blockade, sanctions and attacks" of the United States.

Addressing thousands during a ceremony marking National Youth Day, he called on the younger generations to "liberate the homeland," and to "fight so that Venezuela will not be a colony again," Xinhua reported.

"Under the leadership of the late reformist leader Hugo Chavez, more opportunities were created for the young in culture, sports and education areas, but more remains to be done," said Maduro.

To that end, he said a Great National Youth Congress will be held on March 11-12 to launch the Great Venezuela Youth Mission to promote varied social programmes for young people.

Young Venezuelans marched on Sunday in support of the Bolivarian Revolution and the reforms it has achieved, as part of celebrations on the day.

Today's Venezuelan youth "is the generation that despite the difficulties, the unilateral blockade by the United States, has never lost ... hope and the desire to defend the homeland," said Rodbexa Poleo, youth leader of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

February 12 was declared National Youth Day in 1947 in tribute to the students who fought Spanish colonialism on that day in 1814.