Do you know what AEGEE-Riga, AEGEE-Tartu and AEGEE-Valletta have in common?
In the Facebook era, we could say they have a friend in common: the Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF), a network can open many doors to their members and facilitate the foundation of new projects.
AEGEE-Riga were the last ones who “added this friend”, just a few weeks ago.
The AEGEEan interviewed one of its members, Klinta Stasjule, who had an important role in the establishment of this partnership.
Klinta, can you explain a bit more what the Anna Lindh Foundation is about?
The purpose of ALF is to bring people across the Mediterranean together to improve the mutual respect between cultures. Since its establishment in 2005, the Anna Lindh Foundation has launched and supported action across the fields impacting perceptions of people from different cultures and with different beliefs, as well as developing a region-wide Network of civil society organisations.
They provide people the opportunity to work together to promote intercultural dialogue and to create a Euro-Mediterranean region as an area of cooperation, mobility and peace.
Currently the Foundation brings together more than 3000 organisations from 43 countries!
What is their strategy to reach their aims? How do they organize the work?
The programme of the Foundation is focused on activities in fields which are essential for human and social dialogue:
• Culture and Creativity;
• Education and Intercultural Learning;
• Urban Spaces and Citizenship;
• Media and Public Opinion.
The fields of action sounds similar to the ones of AEGEE…
Yes! There are many similar things.. AEGEE also offers the opportunity to work and develop yourself in multicultural environment and promotes cooperation between cultures.
What are the main differences instead?
Mainly that they operate not only European countries, but also in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean coast countries (such as Tunisia, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon…) and that this is an organisation which connects a lot of organisations such as AEGEE, thus allowing networking.
How did you hear about the Anna Lindh Foundation?
One of our active members wanted to apply for an exchange organised by ALF and she got refused as the priority usually is given to the members from the ALF Network.
We checked all the info and decided that joining the ALF could be useful and it would open new horizons!
Is the procedure to join easy?
I would say, yes, it is. Any non-governmental, non-profit organisation, association, university, government and enterprise fund that supports the mission and wants to promote intercultural dialogue with the Euro-Med countries can join the AFL.
To become the Anna Lindh Foundation, we had to complete application forms online (one in English – http://www.euromedalex.org/node/add/member and one in Latvian). Then we were invited for a meeting with the representatives of ALF explaining our motivation to join that led us to be approved as a member of ALF Network in Latvia.
Do you have already in mind any specific initiatives that can be carried on with their support?
We don’t know yet the precise answer as we have just joined the network and haven’t participated in any initiative. But anyway, it doesn’t make any extra costs to the organisation, you should prepare just some annual reports to be submitted. So that we encourage each of you take on this opportunity if it’s possible and in case you find it attractive!
Would you suggest other antennae to become a part of this network? Why?
As I said, the aim is similar to AEGEE and this only opens wider horizons! Why not!?
Participation in the Anna Lindh Foundation network organisation does not impose any financial or legal obligations and, if you are not convinced yet, this is a list of the advantages of joining, as described on ALF’s website:
* Only the network member organisations are eligible for the Foundation for the grant project competition.
* Opportunity to participate in training seminars, conferences and various other fund and its members’ events.
* Possibility to receive regular information (advice) about the ongoing ALF and Euro-Med cooperation in the field.
* Ability to work with other organisations within the network and find partners for different projects.
* Opportunity to participate in Euro-Med policy making, decision-making processes involved in the performance of the network priorities and key tasks.
More info on the website – http://www.euromedalex.org/about !
Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino