Even though Agora Budapest is still a fresh memory, it is time to think about the next statutory event in AEGEE: the European Boards Meeting, also known as EBM. Situated in an exotic location (the beautiful island of Malta), and organized by AEGEE-Valletta, a very active and popular antenna. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
However, we have to remember that the EBM is about half the size of an Agora, as far as the number of participants is concerned.
What do we need to know about the EBM, compared to the Agora? How important is a good motivation letter? How can you stand out of the crowd if you are a new AEGEE member, without much experience? This article will discuss the selection ofparticipants for this event.
In a quest to gather the necessary information, we asked for help the newly-elected Chair Team, consisting of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of 2013, Alla Resheten and Paul Smits. First and foremost, what we need to bear in mind is that the EBM is not an Agora: it is not a general assembly, and it is not about elections, and voting on proposals, or the future structure, rules and regulations of AEGEE. Having said that, the EBM is still considered a statutory event, and Alla Resheten describes it as “the biggest thematic conference of AEGEE, where at the same time we draft an Action Agenda for the next planning year.”
What is the application method, and what is the Chair Team looking for when choosing the participants? Alla explains very clearly: “This year the application system was changed a bit. Apart from submitting the application on the usual statutory applications website – applicants will also need to fill a survey. The selection will be based on those survey replies. As usual for EBM it is not only the Chair Team who is deciding who will be accepted, but also members of the Content Team, Secretary General and Projects Director”. Paul Smits adds: “For the EBM it is important to have quality participants. We need motivated participants who are willing to get involved and take action. We will try to determine what the real motive of an applicant is and select according to that”.
But what if you are new to AEGEE and do not have much experience, but still need to prove that you are motivated and ready to get active? Paul has the answer: “Make clear what your ideas considering Europe are, and your motivation to put time into it. Everything is possible if you want it enough. The EBM is not about AEGEE’s structure, so don’t bother with that. It is about taking action and learning about the thematic aspect of AEGEE. I do encourage all applicants to at least look at the Strategic Plan and Action Agenda before writing their application. By doing so, new members can have a clear view of what AEGEE has been focusing on”. Therefore, documentation is the key, as well as the willingness to express your ideas and to get involved on a higher level within the organization.
What about the destination? We know Malta is a dream place, but is it easy to reach? Paul believes that “Valletta as a city is in no way inferior to Budapest. Valletta, as a beautiful, vibrant, culturally unique and multifaceted city, will without doubt attract many members from all over our precious continent. Its location is very appealing, being the capital Mediterranean dream, but is does not have the beneficial geographically central position in our Network like Budapest has. It will be harder for people to come, but I still expect a lot of interested applicants”. Indeed, we can give some extra tips about how to reach Malta. The Malta International Airport is served by airline companies such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Vueling, Air Berlin, Alitalia, Lufthansa, and, of course, Air Malta.
EBM Valletta is taking place between the 28th of February and the 3rd of March 2013. Do not miss this chance! More AEGEE life and opportunities to get involved in this amazing reality are waiting for you. See you in Malta!
Written by Alexandra Vilcu, AEGEE-Milano