A month after Spring AgorAsturias, from the 30th of April until the 3rd of May, a Network Meeting (NWM) will take place in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Thirty lucky participants will get a chance to learn more about the history of AEGEE and get valuable advice about organising quality events. They will also find out about the Action Agenda and about Human Resources. We talked to the NWM Coordinator Ana Drmić, the organising team and to NetCom Ana Potočnik in order to feel a little bit of the Balkan AEGEE spirit before the actual event.

The AEGEEan: First of all, congratulations for having been chosen to be the host of  the upcoming Network Meeting. What motivated you to apply?

AEGEE-Zagreb: Since we have a lot of new and highly motivated members, we decided to give them a chance to find their role through practice being guided by experienced members whose knowledge will be helpful. Being the organiser, rather than a participant would help us acquire useful organisational skills for the future. Organising this Network Meeting would also make our antenna more active by motivating new members to participate and to learn how to work as a team on a project. We want to place our antenna as visible, highly motivated and experienced in organising European events. Of course, making new connections and friendships with participants from other locals would help us make the AEGEE spirit grow.

Tell us something about the organising team. Who is the Main Coordinator? Can we expect any helpers from AEGEE-Zadar considering the well-known cooperation with the members of that antennae?

The organising team consists of eight members, including the new ones, but also the experienced ones. The entire board takes part in the organising team and the Main Coordinator is our current treasurer, Ana Drmić. Although all the help is welcomed, we will have enough organisers and helpers for this event, but we would be happy to host our friends from Zadar as participants.

Do you have a fundraising strategy you are going to use and are you getting any form of support from the University of Zagreb?

At the moment we are not getting support from the University of Zagreb, but we are still negotiating. We will do corporate fundraising and we have already started applying for grants.

Why do tourists find Zagreb worth visiting and what does the social program include?

Since Zagreb is a historical town, the centre of culture with lots of happenings and crazy nightlife, we are sure that it will be an attractive destination to visit, especially at this time of the year. Participants can easily come to Zagreb by plane, train or bus, because there are several connections every day from all the capital cities in the area. Except for the European night, we will also provide city tours, visiting famous attractions and  night clubs.

What about the program of the event? Can you reveal the main goal and share some ideas you have already come up with? Have you already appointed the trainers?

Ana Potočnik: We are still developing the program. Like in the past, the Network Commission and Comité Directeur came up with some very interesting sessions from which locals will benefit a lot. We allocated a lot of time for sharing best practices and other sessions where locals can get to know each other and plan common activities. We will be tackling common problems of my locals and get into HR strategy together with the HR Director, Ivan Bielik. I am also in contact with some projects and Policy officers to make sure participants get to know the thematic AEGEE is working on and hopefully be inspired to organise theatrical events also in their locals and get active in European bodies.

Why should people apply for the NWM? Do you have any new ideas for motivating the members of the Balkan locals on both the local and European levels?

Ana Potočnik: Simply because it is going to be awesome! We are preparing a very diverse program with a lot of interesting and interactive sessions on how to improve thematic and organisational work of the locals. Together with my SubComomission team and Ivan we will make sure participants will not be bored during the day… and during the night. I don’t think there is a better recipe for boosting our motivation than the Balkan AEGEE spirit.

What does the emotional title “Million hearts, one soul” mean to you and who came up with the name?

AEGEE-Zagreb: The organising team came up with lots of ideas for the name of this event but from the moment we reached this one, it was clear to everyone that it was the one. Zagreb is called the “city of a million hearts” and the licitar heart [decorated heart shaped biscuits made of sweet honey dough popular in Croatia, ed.]  is one of its most recognisable symbols. On the other hand, the title symbolises also the community of a lot of members who think and act like one and it is what we are trying to achieve, to bond members of AEGEE and unite them in their actions.

Can we expect more statutory events hosted by the AEGEE-Zagreb? We have heard rumours about organising an European Planning Meeting (EPM) one day. Is that true?

Yes, it is true. The idea was proposed by the current President, Zvonimir Canjuga, and the Ex-President, Silvija Perić, during European Boards’ Meetin (EBM) Valletta in 2013. For us, this is a slow process because we want to motivate our members and give them organising experience by organising NWMs and Summer University events. Also EPM is one of the biggest and most important events and we want to have a good team that can handle such responsibility. But, with the right guidance, AEGEE-Zagreb will soon be ready for this challenge and we will apply for EPM 2017. 

What plans does the current board of AEGEE-Zagreb have for the future? Are you going to organise a Summer University this year?

This year we decided not to organise a Summer University because we want to focus more on motivating our members to take an active role in AEGEE, so our focus is on organising some local trainings to make it happen. However, the experience of organising the Network Meeting will help us prepare for other events of which one will most definitely be Summer University next year.

If you have anything more to add, please do.

We are looking forward to every application and are encouraging everyone to apply for this amazing event!

Written by Ivana Mijanac, AEGEE-Beograd

The Italians are believed not to be fluent English speakers. However, the AEGEE-Torino crew is breaking all the stereotypes! They came up with an idea to motivate the Rainbow network to practise languages and work harder on a teambuilding, promotion and fundraising at the same time. The AEGEEan talked with the Event Responsible and main organiser of the Linguistic happy hours: Lorenzo Li Veli.

The AEGEEan: Can you tell us something about the Linguistic happy hours (L’Aperitivo Linguistico)? What was the main aim of the event? Is there any program you followed? What games were included? 

Lorenzo Li Veli: L’Aperitivo Linguistico is an event that has characterized our antenna since the first day.  It is something typically Italian: it is neither a proper dinner nor an afternoon break. People come to get some food and a drink and have fun together. Our L’Aperitivo Linguistico is mainly divided into two parts: the first one where people eat and socialize thanks to our ice-breaking games, the second one where we reward the winners of the different games and we introduce AEGEE. After this, everyone is free to continue their own night with us or on their own. The main aim is to get everyone to socialize, and as it is very multicultural, we like the idea of students of different nationalities getting in touch. And of course, the economic issue is important: it is our main way to fundraise.

How did you come up with this interesting idea? Did the success of your Summer University Use your Tongue inspire you to continue with the same thought?

L’Aperitivo Linguistico is an event that our antenna has always organised. Unfortunately, last year was a slack period for it; only few people were involved and it was a semi-disaster. This year we decided to completely renew the formula and we changed everything: the structure, location and frequency. The team was reformed and I wanted everyone to be “AEGEE-mates” before the event. We worked a lot on the PR and the success came along!

Did you contact the Language Working Group and ask them for support? Who were the trainers/teachers and what languages were covered by the program?

We contacted LWG only for the European Day of Language, but it does not have any role in our Aperitivo. We do not involve any specific trainers. All the Aperitivo-knowledge I have now comes from the past experiences I have had either in AEGEE or in other associations. We still have a lot to learn to improve our Aperitivo. Right now, we cover the five main European languages: Italian, Spanish, English, French and German. But we’re thinking to add two more: Arab and Chinese. We will see at the next Aperitivo.

Was there any cooperation with the Erasmus students?

Without Erasmus students, L’Aperitivo Linguistico could not live. The more students there are, the better it is. As we want to spread the spirit of a borderless Europe, having many students of different nations is the perfect recipe for our L’Aperitivo!

Is the event open for everyone or just for the members of AEGEE-Torino?

It’s open to anyone who wants to have a great time, meet a lot of new people and speak different languages. We have a lot of Erasmus students coming, as well as many students who live in Turin. At the latest L’Aperitivo of 2014 there were more than four hundred participants. It was an incredible night!

How many times have you organised it so far and has it already become traditional? 

For the season 2014/2015 we started in October, and we had one in November and in December too. After the winter break, we’re starting in March and continue with one Aperitivo a month until June. It’s always on the first Tuesday of the month.

Last year it was a weekly meeting, but this year we decided to concentrate all our resources and efforts on a monthly meeting. It has been a good choice so far.

Would you advise other antennas to have a similar type of activity? Why?

Of course I would. It is a great way to improve the notoriety of a single local. And it is a great fundraising move, too. I can say that it is our main economic income, right now. We are also planning to make “L’AperitivoLinguistico – Use your tongue” a brand to be advertised in all of Italy and, why not, in Europe as well. We have already extended it to Verona, Brescia and Genova.

What about the future plans of AEGEE-Torino? We have heard that the exchange with AEGEE-Novi Sad is coming. Can you please tell us something more about the plans of the current board? 

We have a lot of projects for the future! First of all, we will continue with one Aperitivo Linguistico a month, until June. Then we have this beautiful exchange with Novi Sad between April and May and we are also planning an Local Training Course this spring. Last but not least, the event we’re most proud of: our Summer University in July and August. It’s going to be an awesome 2015 for AEGEE-Torino!

Would you like to share one inspiring quote, or a motivational line that you follow? 

“It always seems impossible until it’s done” – Nelson Mandela It perfectly describes our spirit. Never give up!

Is there anything else you would like to share with the readers?

Come to Torino and enjoy the beautiful spirit of AEGEE during our Aperitivo Linguistico. You won’t regret it, I can assure it. And I want to give a special thanks to the beautiful team that works with me for the perfect success of the event: everyone is important!

Written by Ivana Mijanac, AEGEE-Beograd

Miguel Gallardo Albajar, former Comité Directeur member, Carmen María López, former Network Commissioner, Pablo Hernández, Policy Officer and former President are just some of the names immediately crossing our mind when we think about this amazing local. Another interesting fact is that two members of AEGEE-Alicante, Jorge Sánchez Hernández and Pablo Palazón have founded new contacts in Dresden and Manchester. For all these and many more reasons, The AEGEEan tried to reveal the secrets of their success by talking to Melissa Carreres and Mar Valero, current board members, and Sora Chung, current Subcommissioner to NetCom Olga Rivero Menéndez.

The AEGEEan: Tell us something about the history of AEGEE-Alicante. When was the local founded? What makes you stand out from other antennae?

AEGEE-Alicante: It was founded in 2002, becoming an antenna in 2003. What makes us unique is that we work differently than other antennas, we are a group of friends who work in a singular way, AEGEE-Alicante is someway known for great events. As Lucius Annaeus Seneca once said: “It is quality rather than quantity that matters.”

How many active members do you have? We know many of them are active on the European level. Is it hard to motivate them to work on the local level too?

We have around 30 active members and, as you pointed out, some of them are active on the European level, too. Sometimes, it is hard to combine the local and European level, because both of them require a lot of time, but these members are motivated enough and manage to also work hard on the local level. It is a pleasure to have so many people involved on the European level because their achievements and knowledge help AEGEE-Alicante a lot to grow as an antenna.

Do you have any special activities for team building or traditional local events you want to share with Network?

Our philosophy for a good team is that it has to be formed by friends or at least by people who get along well. We are a big diverse group with lots of things in common, often proposing informal meetings and different activities just because we want to meet up. A traditional event is our symbolic Christmas dinner, which is very special for us since it is the opportunity for most of us to meet. We have some members who are living abroad and Christmas is the perfect time to come back home and the best opportunity for AEGEE-Alicante members to gather. During the last Christmas dinner, we were with almost 40 members, and it was awesome!

This is the second year you are organising the Buddy Program. Please tell us what the main aim of the project is and what the program means to your local?

We are organizing an edition every semester, and we are currently working hard on the fourth edition.The Buddy Program is a mentorship program whose aim is to provide support to international students by pairing them with local students, who help them to settle in during their stay in Alicante. The program is offered to all students, not only to AEGEE members. The University of Alicante collaborates with us, contacting and offering the program to all the international students. At the beginning, we only had a small group of 25 internationals but during the last edition we managed to have 260 matches. The Buddy Program has brought lots of benefits to our antenna, such as gaining more visibility and improving the institutional relationships with the university. Besides that, some of the local students have become members of AEGEE-Alicante and what is more important; we acquired loads of experience and knowledge by working on the program.

First of all, congratulations for the 2nd best Summer University of 2014. Can you tell us something about that experience? What are your plans for the next SU?

Mar Valero: Personally, it was one the most amazing experiences of my life. I was very enthusiastic about the project, all thanks to Rocío Calvente, the Incoming Responsible and with motivation, hard-work and a team willing to do it,  the results show that we did not do it that bad, right? For the next Summer University, we would like “newbies” to take over. We think it is a good opportunity for them to learn about the organisational part, but the most experienced members will be helping for sure!

AEGEE-Alicante is famous for its creating awareness for charities. On the Human Rights Day and International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women you shared pictures on social media. Do you have any more ideas for raising awareness of similar issues on the European level?  

Last November we participated in a cycling meeting to defend the fights against climate change and the poles melting. We also participated in a blood donation marathon that was held by the University of Alicante.  Furthermore, AEGEE-Alicante is going to donate 20% of the sales of their promotional t-shirts to beneficial projects. Our first donation was 50€ for the Election Observation Project of Moldova. We really love doing this kind of activities; you get more than you give.  We try to collaborate by means of small contributions. And sometimes we say: Make others change by your example!