Next to two candidates who already have some experience as Juridical Commissioner, Salvatore Maraventano, President of AEGEE-Palermo, decided to run for Juridical Commission too. Although he hasn’t been Commissioner yet, he was SubCom already in the past year. We spoke to him to find out more about his motivation, experience and plans.
The AEGEEan: First of all, can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
Salvatore: Sure! I know it may sound too ordinary speaking to an AEGEE audience, but I love to travel. I love to discover things that I don’t know, and I love to work to make things better. I joined law school because I’ve been addicted to the idea of justice since I was a little. My dream, when I was a child, was to bring justice all over the world (probably Marvel superheroes had a big contribution to this dream). As I grew up, I discovered that things are a bit more complicated, but I’ve never really forgotten that childish idea. So now I’m about to graduate and I’m eager to use my knowledge for something real. This is why I’m dedicating my last academic efforts in the Human Rights field. I think that the priority of this big globalised world should be to guarantee a minimum standard of life for every single inhabitant of the planet earth. And If I will be good enough, I will dedicate my life to this cause.
How did you join AEGEE?
I still remember perfectly how I joined AEGEE. It was October 2011. That summer I had been in the USA, having my perfect long trip from the west coast to the east cost through the legendary Route 66 with my mates. It was a very long and epic journey. When I came back home, I was sort of depressed. In that dark period I randomly met an old friend, Danilo Monte, still a member of AEGEE-Palermo, who told me about his summer experience. It was a Summer University and it sounded amazing. So I went to some meeting of AEGEE-Palermo and I immediately joined, because it looked like it was exactly what I was looking for.
What is your experience within AEGEE?
When I joined AEGEE-Palermo I became active very soon. I went to my first event in Ljubljana (Winter University). After that event, things got serious. I was elected as Treasurer and I started to attend Agoras (Enschede, Budapest, Zaragoza, Cagliari), European Board Meetings (Malta) and Network Meetings (Salerno). I’ve been elected President for my second term (and, actually, I’m still the President of AEGEE-Palermo. But If I will be elected I will probably step down). I’ve organised two Summer Universities and one Summer Event (two of them as Main Organiser) and some conferences on the theme of “Mafia” (which is pretty hot here in Sicily) with local institutions and other associations.
What do you do in your life outside of AEGEE (if any)?
This is totally the question I prefer (just because I don’t feel the pressure of the judgment of course). I do a lot of things. Too much, actually. People usually do not understand how I can handle all of them. My biggest passions is surfing and I’m completely connected with the sea. It relaxes me. It makes me feel I’m free. It’s hard to explain. It’s simply that when I’m in the water, even if it’s cold, I feel good. Very good. I go skateboarding when I need action but there are no waves. When I need no action and I don’t want to go out I play online videogames (MMO). Moreover, I love literature. I read every day. Mostly science fiction and postapocalyptic literature. Sometimes I also write something for my own pleasure.
What made you decide to candidate for the Juridical Commission?
In this year AEGEE gave me a lot. I think it’s time to give back something to help maintain the network as good as it is or even better (at least from a juridical point of view)
You were already involved as a Sub-Commissioner. What has been your favorite part about the work in the Juridical Commission?
Without any doubt, my favorite part was to work as SubCom of the JC during Agora Cagliari together with the Juridical Commission (Claudio, Gloria and Joris). Yes, it’s nice to work through e-mails and Skype, but the pleasure of working face to face can’t be replaced.
What skills you have acquired would make you the perfect Commissioner?
I’m not sure it would make me the perfect Commissioner, but there is something I learnt during my mandates as President of AEGEE-Palermo that would be really useful a Commissioner. During the first mandate as President, AEGEE-Palermo went through a really hard time. Few people, not enough experience in the board (including me, not enough experience to be president, probably) and, most of all, very bad internal conflicts. But I had to face it somehow. It was stressing and it cost me a lot, but I learnt how to be neutral between parts, respect everybody and how to be patient and wait for the changes to come naturally.
How will you ensure a strong cooperation with the rest of the Network?
To ensure the cooperation with the Network what I think is really important is to always be present and quick and ready to solve all the problems the Network present to you. So, I think the best way to ensure the cooperation with the network is to offer a steady work.
What would you like to improve about the CIA?
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve been SubCom for enough time to point out precisely what part of the CIA should be changed or improved. There are a lot of rules inside the CIA that need to be rationalised to be more efficient and more precise. But I would like to test them as a real Juridical Commissioner before advancing a proposal.
Is there something you would like to do differently than the current Juridical Commission has done so far?
It may sounds laconic, but no. Maybe, if I will get elected, I will do something different. But only the story will tell.
One of our readers asked: May you, please, point out the most relevant aspects of your candidature?
One of your readers has a hard question! Joking aside, the Network needs a strong, neutral and efficient Juridical Commission. The interpretation of the CIA needs to be one, legal certainty is a value we need to preserve. It’s important to have a uniform application of the rules of the CIA inside the whole network. Considering that, as SubCom, I’ve already worked with the other candidates I can say I’m the right person to be part of that team.
Written by Svenja van der Tol, AEGEE-Nijmegen