He is now active in the Eastern Partnership Project as Researcher Team member, speaker of the International Politics Working Group and also involved on the local level as Secretary, External Relations Responsible and President in that order. Orkhan Babayev from AEGEE-Bakı is one of the candidates who runs for Network Commisioner. Therefore, we asked him a few questions about his motivation and future plans in AEGEE as a Network Commissioner.
The AEGEEan: Let us start by introducing yourself. Who is Orkhan Babayev?
Orkhan: I am a third year Bachelor student studying International Affairs. Moreover, while speaking about Orkhan as an AEGEEan, I am the one who joined AEGEE-Bakı in 2013 and hence became a socially active representative of the youth. While being an active member of AEGEE-Bakı I used to join almost all Working Groups (WGs) established within AEGEE-Bakı such as Culture Working Group, Language Working Group, Education Working Group, Sport & Entertainment Working Group. I was trying to be active in all of them, attending all their weekly meetings, sharing my ideas in order to come up with new projects. Moreover, my passion about being active was always announced during our “family meetings” (antenna meetings) by getting the status of member of the month. Later, I was promoted and was elected Secretary and External Relations Responsible of AEGEE-Bakı, and I was twice elected as President of AEGEE-Bakı. I am obsessed with AEGEE so much that from 2013, I didn’t miss any Agora, I attended all of them and will keep on attending them. On the local level, I was twice incoming responsible and twice coordinator in four international projects organized by AEGEE-Bakı. Let’s speak a little bit about European level where I was also quite active. The first step on European level started with Eastern Partnership Project (EaP) project of AEGEE, I became a member, but later started to contribute as a Research Team member what still I do. Beyond, EaP project, I was a member of International Politics WG, and currently I am the Speaker. Finally, I am SubCommie of our Network Commissioner and responsible for the locals within Azerbaijan. Here is my short introduction. [he smiles]
Why do you want to run for Network Commissioner? Why not Comité Directeur?
There are several reasons why I want to become Network Commissioner. First of all, I am very passionate about applying for this position because I think I trained myself quite a lot on the local level, and I always attended the Agorae, and was an eyewitness of processes that people do on European level, how they work for AEGEE. Furthermore, also during these two years, I practiced and improved myself in order to reach the right moment when I will be ready to promote myself already on European level and be a person who will take quite seriously responsibility. So now I think I am ready to take this responsibility, thus I am applying for the position of Network Commissioner. Second, it will gain me an experience that I really desire, because since I want to become a diplomat, this is a great opportunity for me to improve myself in the field of international relations. Finally, becoming a Network Commissioner probably will make me get one step closer towards applying for CD member position one day, for which I still need to improve myself a bit. Hope that answers both questions. [he smiles]
Based on your local and European level experience, what would be the most valuable lesson you have learned so far? 
Indeed, that life goes on, and while it goes we are learning lessons. However, if I were to speak about the valuable lessons that I have learned so far, I would say that sleeping without a sleeping bag is quite a good lesson that teaches one not to sleep again without a sleeping bag during an Agora. [he laughs] In general, all the lessons starting from school until now that I have learned are valuable.
What do you think is the main quality of a Network Commissioner and why do you think that?
From my point of view, Network Commissioners should be friendly, communicative, and strict with deadlines. Of course, it seems weird to be friendly and strict with deadlines since the person who is strict with deadlines does not look friendly, but managing to combine these is unique.
Have you managed to keep in touch with the Network Commissioner or SubCommissioner from your region?
Yes, of course while submitting activity reports we always communicate with our Network Commissioner regarding the activities done within a month. As I mentioned I am a SubCommissioner responsible for locals within Azerbaijan.
From your experience, what would be the weaknesses and strengths of your region?
In my opinion, our region also has weaknesses and strengths, but mutual interaction of weaknesses and strengths does not enable us to see our weaknesses.
What is your vision of your work as a Network Commissioner?
My vision is to make the relations among the locals as close as possible in order to make the locals work on more expanded projects while supporting one another.
In your candidature you said that you created a strategy in your local for people to get to know each other, do you plan to use that strategy as a Network Commissioner as well? And if so, which are the main points of that strategy?
Sure I will use the strategy, in the local level I was organising weekly meetings – or as we say in AEGEE-Bakı “family meetings” – but it’s difficult to often do such live meetings within a region. Therefore, I think of organising weekly Skype meetings where each time there will be one representative from the local boards and we will discuss the issues related to our region and the projects that are most likely possible to implement in the region.
In your programme you said you want to support the antennae who need help, but also show your support on creating new ones. How do you plan to do these things?
This is actually one of the main duties of the Network Commissioner to be interested in the needs of the antennae and to do his best for supporting those who are going to create new antennae.
Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București