As you might know even though AEGEE-Europe is an umbrella organisation where locals are the member organisations, AEGEE-Europe itself is also a member organisation (MO) in other Umbrella organisations or platforms like European Youth Forum (YFJ), European Movement International and the European Civic Forum.
The European Civic Forum (ECF) is a transnational network that brings together over 100 associations and NGOs across 27 countries in Europe and is actively working to promote civic and popular ownership of Europe. Facing this growing civic disaffection across Europe, it is more critical than ever to foster citizens’ engagement for a collective project and the emergence of a European public space where the role and influence of civil society are fully recognized though the setting up of a genuine European civil dialogue.
AEGEE-Europe has been a member organisation of the European Civic Forum for some years, contributing as international youth NGO and giving input on behalf of young students in Europe.
During the month of June, the European Civic Forum celebrated its General Assembly in Copenhagen a few days before the International Conference in Aarhus by the Danish Presidency of the EU. AEGEE-Europe sent Luis Alvarado Martinez to the General Assembly of the Civic Forum to represent the association as current External Relations Director and the next President.
During the General Assembly, the topics like the new projects which the Forum will carry out like European Citizens Alliance and many others were discussed. We are also very proud to inform all of you that the elections for the board of European Civic Forum happened in Copenhagen, and AEGEE-Europe was elected with absolute majority for the board on the position of the Secretary. So, Marko Grdosic will be the representative of AEGEE in the board until the 1st of September and then Luis Alvarado will take over.
We are very happy of AEGEEs involvement in the Forum as it is a very big and relevant stakeholder in the European level with whom we are sure we will carry on cooperating and carrying out initiatives which contribute to the building of Europe through the involvement of the European Civil Society.
Written by Luis Alvarado Martinez, AEGEE-Las Palmas & Comité Directeur