Recently we talked with Gabriele Scollo from AEGEE-Torino, who is running for a position as Network Commissioner. He joined AEGEE when he was 25 years old, and has been an active member ever since. He was a member of the Action Agenda Committee for one year and participated in many local and European events otherwise. Now he is taking it to the next level and applying for member of the Network Commission. Read below the interview and get to know him better.
The AEGEEan: Hello, let us begin by telling us a few words about yourself.
Action Coordination Team (ACT) workshop at EPM Leiden
Gabriele: Hello, I’m Gabriele, I’m from Turin and I’m 27 years old. I’m an economics student and I’m currently writing my Master thesis about sustainable food production. If I have to choose two things I love, I would choose cooking and travelling, that’s why in the future I see myself as an entrepreneur in the sector of gastronomic tourism, so I can share my passion with everyone visiting my country and maybe make some money to travel to new destinations during my free time. I’m also a big fan of science fiction, because it makes me think a lot about how the future should or shouldn’t look like.
What motivates you in AEGEE?
I got to know AEGEE when I was 25, so I was already a bit too old for a new member. Since my first European event (European Planning Meeting in Burgos 2015), I started to realize how many possibilities to develop yourself this organisation gives you. The very thing that motivated me was seeing all these people from everywhere around Europe, much younger than me, with such great skills, self-awareness and determination, so I can say I was greatly inspired by them to make up for all the time I spent ignoring the existence of student organisations.
Gabriele as main coordinator at AEGEE-Firenze’s Summer University “Go wild in Tuscany!” 2016
How would you explain to a five year old child what means to be a Network Commissioner?
A Network Commissioner is the good teacher who didn’t forget how to play, helps you do your homework, cares about your well being and asks you about your dreams and life goals.
Which are the two main points you want to focus on if elected as Network Commissioner?
Gabriele Scollo at Network Meeting Valetta
I think there’s a problem that all members should take very seriously right now: the fact that our Network is shrinking more and more every year. AEGEE has been a strong and influential organisation for decades and it can’t just die out like this, especially in a moment when Europe itself is going through a serious crisis and needs all of our passion and energy. We should all do our part to invert this trend, and it goes without saying that NetCom should have a role of primary importance in this process.
A second problem on which I want to focus on personally is the development of our Network in qualitative terms: we need more thematic and training events for our members, more locals organising them, better prepared delegates at Agorae and, in general, more involved and active members. This doesn’t mean “no more parties”, but aiming at representing something more than a simple occasion for fun.
Gabriele Scollo as main coordinator at the Network Meeting in Firenze, autumn 2015
According to you, which is the biggest problem in Europe? How would you solve it?
Unemployment is definitely the biggest issue, and the one that has triggered the lack of trust towards politics that we all know of. There are no easy solutions, I’ll leave that to populist politicians that are trying to bring us back to the past. A good starting point though, would be for society to start learning from young people, often way more skilled, open-minded and mentally flexible than previous generations. Our society should believe more in us, let us access positions of power more easily, finance our projects and understand our world view. This means that we have to make our voice heard.
Do you plan to candidate also for a position in the Comité Directeur in the future?
It’s an experience I would really love to have, but I think I will prioritize having a job in my field of study.
Gabriele as main coordinator at AEGEE-Firenze’s SU “Go wild in Tuscany!” 2016
Name three personal strengths and fears.
One of my biggest strengths is that I get along well with 99% of people, even the ones who are really different from me. This takes me to my second strength: the ability to understand all points of view and find good compromises. This is probably linked to another strength I have: an analytical way of thinking.
My fears: to disappoint people I admire, disappoint myself, the inability to face uncertainty.
Do you have any message for the people who are coming to Agora Chișinău?
Let’s try to make this Agora a moment of reflection on our organisation’s future. We have what it takes to achieve all the goals we set for ourselves.
The AEGEEan: Thank you and good luck!
Gabriele: Thanks a lot!
You can read his candidature here.
Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București