After serving as President in his local (AEGEE-Napoli) and as Subcommie in the Network Commission (NetCom) for a year, Claudio Armandi feels that becoming Network Commissioner is the most natural step, as he mentions in his candidature.

In this interview, Claudio discusses his experiences, plans, goals and motivations.

The AEGEEan: Being a Subcommissioner for one year, you should have learned a lot. What do you consider to be the biggest learning point? What was the most difficult situation that you had to face?

Claudio: They happen to be the same moment: the deletion of AEGEE-Macerata. I had some friends in the antenna and I was so sad for that, but I can say we did our best to save them and that it was unavoidable. But I had many happier moments in my year as Subcommie!

You come from the same region of Italy as Matteo, the current Netcommie. Would your getting elected reinforce the development of a certain area to the detriment of others?

It is just a coincidence, actually our cities used to be strong enemies! I would have worked with Matteo regardless of the city he came from. I am sure he chose me as a Subcommie for criteria other than my city of origin, so no clue about that!

Are you still involved in AEGEE-Napoli after being President of this local?

I am now living in Berlin, so I cannot be a board member in my antenna anymore. Anyway, there are a lot of new active members in my antenna and I am sure that they will be able to guarantee a good future for AEGEE-Napoli! I will be watching them as an oldie.

You gained experience in the Italian/Maltese Network, but you said that you are living in Germany now. Are there any locals which you would particularly like to take care of?

I would like to coordinate the Rainbow zone. I am sure I can do it properly even if I live in Berlin. The city has better and cheaper links to many Italian cities compared to Naples. Furthermore, the whole team of subcommies, including Matteo, declared they would be happy to stay in the team. This means that I can count on them in any case.

In your opinion, what is one weakness and one strength of the Rainbow Network?

I would like to see more competent people at the European level and more theme-focused events. On the other hand, I can assure you events in Italy and Malta are always unforgettable, and not only because of the wonderful places you get to see. It is the way of organizing them and the approach of people that make them special. Again, I recommend every AEGEEan to try attending them at least once.

You are already active on European level by being the Financial Manager of the Eastern Partnership Project. Do you consider involving more people into projects and Working Groups as one of your aims as Netcommie? How would you do it?

Being in a project team really teaches you a lot. It is an experience I would recommend to any motivated AEGEEan. I will do my best to sponsor projects and Working Groups in my area, both to search for new potential members and to organize joint events.

You write in your candidature that you have been working in the purchase department of an international company for a year and half. How do you think this role would help you in NetCom?

It taught me how to survive in a basket full of snakes! Actually, it also taught me how to negotiate and how to find interesting spots in the market.Nothing strongly task-related, but every skill counts in AEGEE.

“I would like to let Italian locals join the Italian Youth Council, if they demonstrate a serious will to do so.” Have the structural problems related to joining the Council been solved?

Thanks to the last reform about the role of the Netcommie, they have been solved. However, I would like Italian antennae to show more interest in that matter. We can reach this goal only with a strong cooperation from them. It will be the Netcommie’s task to motivate them and to show the possible benefits to be achieved through this move.

In your candidature twin antennae are not mentioned. Do you still believe in them as an instrument of cooperation?

Of course I do! But I think Rainbow has other priorities now, like being more content-oriented when organizing events and more “serious” in a general way of speaking. Obviously twin antenna agreements are warmly welcome!

One example of a “serious” event is EBM 2013, which will take place in AEGEE-Valletta, therefore in your area of the Network. Do you feel ready to help this local with such an important event?

I am sure the guys do not need a lot of help, but I would be there to work my bottom out anyway! I am really happy a statutory event is coming back to the Rainbow after a while.

Being part of the Network team is also an opportunity for personal development. What would you like to achieve from this experience?

More personal AEGEE experience for sure. I think being a Netcommie develops a lot of soft skills you will need in your future life.

The Agora will be an opportunity for Claudio to present himself better and show the soft skills that he already owns. The AEGEEan wishes him plenty of luck!

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino

Meet the new contact of AEGEE-Europe in The Netherlands: Den Haag (in English – The Hague)!

 “The Hague, also called the International City of Peace and Justice, is a very suitable city for an AEGEE-local. (…) The fact that the Peace Palace, the Humanity House and the Clingendael Institute of International Relations are located in this city gives numerous opportunities to work together with institutions on thematics, attend lectures and workshops, and make ourselves known as a good partner to address the youth of the city. (…) AEGEE could be the link between those young students and all that The Hague has to offer when it comes to teaching them about international relations and human rights.” ( extract from the motivation letter to become a Contact)

The birth of this Contact is a result of the work of the NetCom Team for Dutch speaking locals, meaning Wieke van der Kroef, and her subcommissioners Mathieu Soete, Paul Smits and Marije Arentze.

Marije starts telling this story: “The day right after the Agora, it was my birthday, I received the request from the Faculty Board of the Campus Den Haag, part of Leiden University,with the question if we wanted to start an AEGEE-local there. Fortunately, the four of us stayed in Enschede a little longer, to celebrate the fact that we were chosen as a team and to brainstorm about some ideas for the upcoming year for Wieke’s Activity Plan. We directly started deliberating all possibilities, and making some ideas for cooperation with institutions in The Hague. So right there, while we were all having a big hangover from the Agora, the plans for an AEGEE-Europe contact in Den Haag began to materialise”.

Despite they did not have a thought-out strategy, they did effective guerrilla-promotion and it worked! “We went to Den Haag one afternoon in early September when the introduction festival took place. Paul brought two vertical banners from AEGEE-Enschede, I brought a banner from AEGEE-Leiden, some Summer University (SU) booklets and a map of the Network and Mathieu brought some Project Result Booklets and Key to Europe’s from the Comité Directeur-house. Two board members of AEGEE-Leiden, Boudewijn and Aida, joined us later on and we just tried to talk to as many students as possible and tell them about the work of AEGEE in an enthusiastic way. At the end of the day we had a list of around 30 interested people, and that list has been growing ever since” explains Marije.

Aron Miszlivetz, student of the Bachelor International Studies, and a fresh member, presents how promotion will continue: “Monday we will have a presentation right after the lecture of Dr. Griffiths, where we will explain what AEGEE is, why people should join, and how people can benefit from AEGEE. After that we hope a lot of people will sign in.” This professor appeared to be a big fan of AEGEE, as he recommended it to his students even without being asked to.

Esther van Tveen, also enrolled in the Bachelor of International Studies, points out one of the reasons why our association conquered her and has potential for development: “Our studies fits perfectly with the fields of actions and focus areas of AEGEE, so a lot of students have the right mindset to join AEGEE.”

Despite the city being seat of several international organisations, AEGEE covers a niche that has complements the rest: according to Zaynab Lasshab, “what makes AEGEE different from other organisations is that AEGEE focuses on youth. So AEGEE will be a complementary organisation in Den Haag, because we address the students, and student life is only just starting to develop here.” Plus, as Baykan Yilmaz expresses, “What makes us special is our big Network with antennae all over Europe. We are one of a kind.”

As you could have notice from the names, the interim board includes a diversity of nationalities: from Lithuanian to Hungarian, from Turkish to, of course, Dutch! This is an asset of the contact that could be the starting point for a thematic event. “I am Turkish and I have some experiences with the Turkish Embassy. I know that the Turkish government is making some steps to abolish visa restrictions for students and maybe we can provide our input. We could benefit from all the international institutions in Den Haag to raise the topic of visa problems and organise activities about it. An idea is to set up some kind of a relationship with Turkish locals. Ieva could do the same in Lithuania and Aron in Hungary,” explains Baykan.

Thematic events would not be the only reason to visit The Hague: Zaynab points out the beach and the green heart natural park, supported by Ester saying that: “we are unique because at the same time, there is beautiful nature just around the corner.” Ieva Punyte, with the enthusiasm of someone who has  been in town for just one month adds that “the people here are super friendly, really willing to help if you have a problem. It is really nice to be here, and it is very cosy (gezellig!). And Egbert concludes saying that “I am nice, Esther is smart, Aron looks good and The Hague is an awesome city!”

The future of AEGEE-Europe contact in Den Haag… quite a discussion took place about the name of the soon-to-be-established association. AEGEE-‘s-Gravenhage was the second option: this is the official, historical name of the city and it provides a certain cultural identity. “We decided to let the members vote upon this issue on the first local Agora, and now we are making sure that they are aware of the arguments from both sides in order for them to cast an informed vote,” explains Marije.

The name “Den Haag” resulted as winner: no one in The Hague uses the name ‘s-Gravenhage in a regular conversation and a lot of international students have never heard of it, let alone that they are able to pronounce it!

As you could see already from this article, team-work is a key component of this newly born antenna. In fact, when asked for suggestions about how to establish a Contact, they focus on people: “Find a couple of people and just go to sites and contact people. Spread the word! The more interested people you have, the more ideas you have to share” (Baykan). Also through their experience with AEGEE-Leiden, they can suggest to “Get a good “mama” (or daddy), a mentor from a more established local, who takes care of all the important stuff and makes sure you know what to do” (Egbert).

Becoming a contact antenna was the first step to cut the umbilical cord. Now, the future of AEGEE-Europe contact in Den Haag starts developing by itself and surely it will reach great destinations.

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino

What do Mickey Mouse, Lara Croft, a Polish warrior, a vampire and a Scot do at seven in the morning in the streets of Alpignano, a small village near Turin, Italy? Simply, what every normal person would do at that time… have breakfast! What makes them unique is that they are the participants and organisers of the Summer University (SU) of AEGEE-Torino!

As the title of the SU was inspired by a movie, Gran Torino, a movie party (with included breakfast after-party mentioned above) was mandatory. But the extra element was the environmental aspect, making Gran Torino, Gran GREEN Torino. Bike tours, cycling workshops, environmental discussions over hot coffee in the mountains and horse-riding are among the activities made to connect fun with respect for the nature. A superb wine-tasting in the Langhe area with a tour in the vineyards and local food from the producers completed the picture.

The Summer University did not stop just in the city, but extended to a bigger area, including Venaria, seat of the famous Reggia, former royal country house; Avigliana, where the team could refresh in the lake and sunbathe; Alba, the Roman city where ice-cream was the key mission due to the hot temperature; and Bardonecchia, famous ski destination on the border with France.

But the SU life was not limited to the daytime: the nights have been spiced up by drinks offered by the organisers, music from DJs who fell in love with our association, Pálinka water gun, alcoholic sugar cubes, female clothes on boys and vice versa… and much more, everything reported in the notorious Gossip Box.

It is impossible to talk about an SU in Italy without talking about food: pizza until you cannot stand anymore, barbecue, tiramisù workshop and meals garnished with love from the organisers, who prepared them everyday, made this experience unforgettable for the palate.

Something else that the participants will not easily forget is that “Showers are ready”: all gathered with an excuse under the windows, they have been victims of the organizers’ water attack from the top with buckets and from the side with water pump… nobody excluded! Revenge is a dish served cold is the saying, maybe the participants’ revenge will come at Agora Budapest??

AEGEE-Torino should beware!

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino.

Photos are courtesy of Andrea Nagy & Istvàn Juhàsz, AEGEE-Budapest

Some ideas come suddenly, like a bolt out of the blue, others are like raindrops, one by one creating a hurricane. For me, the situation was the second: first I read a blog post, then I saw a video, then I heard experiences from people… and finally I decided that this year I wanted to reach my Summer University by hitchhiking!

I started asking friends and fellow participants, but nobody would or could join. However, I was already determined. This way of travelling would allow me to stop in several cities on the way, to talk to the locals, to feel a bit like Jack Kerouac in the America of the 50s, reduce my environmental impact and finally to save some money.

The time separating me from the departure date flew fast and one Monday morning at ten o’ clock I was already hitting the roads – direction: Grenoble, France. This was the first stop of a trip that would bring me to Paris after travelling approximately 200 km per day.

“Aren’t you scared?” is one of the questions that I heard the most.

I was, a bit. But I was confident as well. And optimistic. These qualities are needed to hitch-hike. What else is necessary?  Determination, patience, trust in other people, will to talk, strategic positioning, map, colourful clothes in order to be noticeable, and a big sign with your destination.

Five days and fifteen cars later I arrived. Probably not wiser, but with more knowledge about France, its costumes and society and with lots of stories. On the way I met a priest and a border policemen,  I heard about positive philosophy and industrial washing, I went to visit the school of one of my drivers, I was invited to pick mushrooms in the forest, I shared a car with four more experienced hitch-hikers, I was left in the middle of nowhere or brought directly to the place needed, I had drivers finding the following lift for me, I gave and received suggestions, and had fun!

At the end of the trip the satisfaction to have managed not to give up when the wait was longer and rain started to fall made me want to jump and smile all by myself!

As I said at the beginning it was exactly a blog post, an article on the internet that inspired me to undertake this adventure: I hope that my story will be a drop watering someone’s idea of hitch-hiking, just as it did to David, my SU friend.

And I hope that next time when you are driving and see someone on the side of the street waiting for a lift, you will not think that he/she is a serial killer thirsty of your blood, but just a person willing to offer his company, hints of reflections, jokes or maybe biscuits typical of his country.

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino

Photographs provided by Jüri Kirpu, AEGEE-Tallinn 

Remark by The AEGEEan: The provided photographs were not taken during this trip.

You might have seen her picture in a Comité Directeur (CD) telegram and wondered who is she.

You might have recognised her face at the Agora and still wondered who is she.

Now The AEGEEan will give you the opportunity to get to know Claudia, the girl who entered the CD House in March for an internship.

ESSENTIAL ID

Name: Claudia Fiorentino

Age: 25

Origin: Napoli, Italy

Profession: Comité Directeur Intern

Studies: degree in October 2011 in European Studies

Characterising adjectives: outgoing, friendly and challenge-lover

Passions:  80’s music and dancing.

HOW THE STORY BEGAN…

In November 2011, Claudia applied to the Leonardo da Vinci Programme. In December, she won it and this grant gave her the possibility to work in the international cooperation field.

“Working in a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) has always been my dream.  After the enthusiasm of finding this programme, I had to do job interview in French and to send my CV. I was selected depending on it and due to different internship experiences I  made in NATO and United Nations, as well as the results of my graduation. The second step has been a job interview in English through Skype with Alfredo Sellitti, former President of -Europe, and Alma Mozgovaja, the Secretary General.  And here I am!” explains Claudia, who agreed to answer some questions of The AEGEEan.

Did you know AEGEE before? Were you active in other associations?

I have never known AEGEE, and I have never worked in NGOs or volunteering associations. My priority was the university and to finish my studies as soon as possible!

Was it easy to settle in the CD House?

At first it was difficult for me to adapt in the CD office, also because I had to learn everything about AEGEE-Europe. I had team-building sessions for three weeks with everyone from the CD, but after that I established a good relationship with everybody. They are so lovely!  Every day is a surprise in the CD House!

What has been your best/funniest experience?

The best experience was the Agora,  because we all shared important emotions,  like the election of Luis Alvarado Martinez as the next President of AEGEE-Europe.  Moreover, meeting a lot of people coming from all over the European continent doesn’t happen every day!

How this work contributed to your professional development and the organisation?

Personally, I improved my English, I managed to organise my job and for the first time I got to know what it means working in an office, in a team. In general,  I am satisfied  about my job during these four months for AEGEE, because I worked with enthusiasm with my team!

Working with “Patrons” took a relevant part of your time. Could you explain the importance of this?

To work for “Patrons” has been fantastic for me! Call and speak with the assistant or secretary of a big personality is very exciting. In my opinion, Patrons are crucial because thanks to their support, AEGEE can increase its importance and develop an international image also helping  to keep in contact with the most important international institutions.

As an external, what did you notice as main strength and weakness of AEGEE?

In general,  I am glad that I have worked for AEGEE. Its strength is the large number of members that it reaches, enforcing the organisation. In my opinion,  the weakness is  the lack of awareness about the importance of Patrons and European institutions; to keep always in contact with them is important to develop an increasing international image of AEGEE.

What did the AEGEE experience gave you?

My experience was enriching from the professional , cultural and personal point of view ! It is a life experience that everybody should do!

But it is almost over.  Any ideas about the near future?

When I come back to my country, I think I will look for job opportunities, but first I want to enjoy my summer time for a while. And then, I think that guys of AEGEE-Napoli are waiting for me to join the antenna!

The AEGEEan wishes Claudia a fruitful last half-month in the CD and hopes to see her active in our organisation also in the future!

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino

Maybe you have heard the name of AEGEE-Brno in connection with Summer Universities (SU), New Year events, Spring Universities or local events, but in any case in connection with fun. However, in April they took the challenge to organise the first Network Meeting (NWM) in their and in Czech history, showing that they are able to organise serious events, too! They have been and can be an example for locals who are stuck on the same path. This is why The AEGEEan selected them as “Local of the Month”!

What was special in this Network Meeting?

There are several answers. Anna Koyovych from AEGEE-Kyiv, one of the participants, expresses her viewpoint like this: “NWM Brno was well organised, with interesting and useful thematic workshop blocks. I really liked that NWM Brno was for already experienced members, so we did not have to start all the discussions from the beginning and from the basics of AEGEE. Also, it was a good thing that the NWM was based on discussions, not only on the trainers speaking, we had the opportunity to express our visions, to share our ideas with others. We had the opportunity to present our antenna, to tell about our activities and to get to know more about others. The atmosphere was really friendly and we felt free to talk about topics we are interested in.”

Communication 2.0

The fact that the NWM had a website was also peculiar for such a short event.

Veronika Gombárová, President of AEGEE-Brno, explains that the idea of having a website came from their Network Commissioner (NetCommie) Pavel Zbornik, but all active members cooperated on the final look of that website, supporting Michal Veselý, the IT responsible, who was also in charge of the website.

The website was very helpful both for the team and the participants; the lattest could find all needed information in one place, while the antenna benefited in terms of marketing. In fact, “it was a lot easier to make the event more visible thanks to sharing the link to the webpage, where everyone could find the main info, rather than to write long messages which not everyone has time to read,” adds Veronika. The result was 26 happy participants from 9 different countries, to which we should add Beáta Matuszka, Guillermo Garcìa Tabarés and Pavel Zbornik, who were there as trainers.

Fun and learning mission: possible!

The program included, apart from a “standard” workshop like Human Resources and the musts-of-the-year Erasmus for All and Action Agenda Implementation, an explanation of the proposal for the upcoming Agora and an original workshop on ice breaking games and team building activities for SUs.

In fact, Summer University is a regular event which AEGEE-Brno organizes every year and every time with one or more antennae. Veronika provides more details about their partners: once the other two Czech antennae (AEGEE-Praha and AEGEE-Plzen), once AEGEE-Bratislava and last year AEGEE-Budapest for the SU called AEGEE of Empires, which won the award for the most creative title of an AEGEE event.

“This year our partner is again one of the Czech antennae, AEGEE-Plzen. Together we make “Czech Mission: Possible!” where first aid and survival courses will be the main focus. We also want to fill our SU with sports and adventure (like kart racing, paintball and rafting). Every year, the SU is the most important and biggest event in AEGEE-Brno, so we try hard to make everything perfect.”, explains Veronika. And thanks to the ice breaking games workshop from the Network Meeting, they will also have a successful kick-off for the event!

Local organisers were not the only ones to appreciate these practical activities. Anna, the interviewed participant, tells us: “I can long talk about our activities in the workshops, but I will only say that I left NWM Brno with a new portion of motivation and knowledge, and I wish to keep on working in AEGEE and to bring to my local new ideas which popped into my head during this NWM.”

Long-lasting relations and future perspectives

If the reader is not yet convinced about the potential of this antenna, he should read the opinion of Nadia Schneider from AEGEE-Berlin, who participated in their New Year’s Event some time ago, but still remembers that “Their team is great! Even though their antenna is not among the biggest, the organisation of the whole event was at the highest level – all parts of the social program were well combined, so the participants were neither tired from it, nor bored because of too much free time. Everyone from AEGEE-Brno was at our disposal, to provide all possible assistance with our questions or issues at any time. All this would not have been possible, I think, without them being a real family as they are! They are all close friends, but at the same time they always welcome anyone who wants to join their team!”.

Are you convinced enough? Then you can join one of their future activities! In fact, they are planning to organise other serious events, such as European Schools, as well. Further future goals are to continue cooperating with the local university, to improve fundraising, to expand the number of members, especially active ones, and to start regular Local Training Courses. “We haven’t organised any so far, but it is really important to educate our members about AEGEE and all the possibilities it offers. I feel like right now, with the members we have at the moment, it is the time for us to do big things!”. These are the last considerations of Veronika, before congratulating her and her teammates for the amazing job they have done and thanking them.

The AEGEEan praises this spirit and wishes AEGEE-Brno to realise all their future goals!

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino

Attention: If you think you know an antenna, which deserves to be honoured as “Local of the Month”, send an email with the locals’ name and the reason for nominating to aegeean@aegee.org.

You saw them on stage at the Spring Agora Enschede, signing the Convention d’Adhésion, waving their chili flag and happily smiling. Those were the guys from AEGEE-Reggio Calabria, a new part of the AEGEE family!

The AEGEEan will let you know this newborn contact better, through an interview with Andrea Cannuni, its president.

Which Mickey were you thinking about when you opened this article?

AEGEE-Brescia has a new Michele whose name may become well-known, as he is candidating for the Audit Commission (AC). The AEGEEan interviewed this Italian boy to get to know him better and his programme too.

AEGEEan: Michele, can you tell us something about you? What do you do apart from AEGEE?

Michele: I consider myself as a funny, sociable person, enthusiastic about learning new things. Apart from studying at university and helping my father with his business, I like spending time with my friends, watching movies or series (HIMYM, TBBT, Xfiles, Lost and Southpark are my favourites), playing football and having fun at 90’s parties.

What fascinates you about bookkeeping and finance?

Bookkeeping could be boring for someone, maybe they are right, but I still find it ok. Finance teaches you how not to lose money and being the first one who do not want lose it, I love it!

How long have you been a “job shadower” (JS) in the Audit Commission and what did you learn in this time?

“Job Shadowers” are an experiment of the current Audit Commission. I am a JS since March 2012. In April I participated in the AC meeting in the CD House, where I learned a lot, especially how many ideas people can express about a counting issues or how treasurers interpret the expenditures. In my opinion, job shadowing should be part of CIA in the future.

What did you find more difficult in the Audit Commission task?

I had some problems relates to the knowledge of English counting lexicon therefore I had to spent time translating many words. But I like new challenges and I have already improved during these months of practice!

Who inspired and supported you in the choice of candidating?

In December I attended European School 1 in Passau, where I had the opportunity to meet “the family” and great trainers, who transmitted me the enthusiasm necessary for moving to the European level.

In your candidature you are mentioning a tutorship for treasurers. Can you give details? Which shape would it take?

With the aid of others members of Audit Commission, we developed this tutorship idea consisting in monthly skype meetings where the current and maybe future treasurers can expose their cases and questions.

Is the popularising of the Audit Commission work also one of your objective? If so, which instruments would you use?

I believe it is important to show that we are present and we can help. My idea is to involve treasurers in an European event hosted by a willing antenna. It can last three days and participants and the Audit Commission can discuss about FR, issues, budget, knowledge transfer and other. I already made a draft on my pc.

Do you know the other candidates? Is there someone who you would absolutely like to work with?

I know the other candidates since the meeting of Audit Commission in Comité Directeur’s house in Brussels. It was a great opportunity to learn how the others work and to exchange ideas for the future. It was a good weekend led by the motto “Work Hard, Party Harder”. I hope to join the AC and have some more of those meetings!

Good luck, Michele. The AEGEEan wish you as much success as your ononimo fellow citizen!

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino

Fast and precise, many carriages of experience, and a will to provide a good service – in other words, “To serve and protect”. The train metaphor matches the personality of Karolina Mazetyte from Kaunas, candidate for the Network Commission, who will introduce herself and her programme in the following interview for The AEGEEan.

Karolina, can you tell something about yourself? What do you like to do apart from AEGEE?

The words that I think describe me the best are communicative, ambitious, lively, and optimistic. Currently I am getting my Bachelor’s degree in Political Sciences and trying to write my thesis on the role of social networks in the Egyptian revolution. I love everything that is related to art, because it makes your life extraordinary. I am especially passionate about photography and I hope to organize a photo exhibition one day!

For being in AEGEE for just a bit more than one year, you have an excellent curriculum! How did you collect so much experience so fast?

Thanks! Well, for me, it is not about time, but it is what you do with your time. You should remember to count and take as much experience as possible every month. My favourite saying is “Take everything and give back everything what you can now, don’t wait for tomorrow”. I applied it in AEGEE, being a president of my local, attending thematic events like the EuroArab Project in Krakow, being a board member of the Environmental Working Group, being a Subcommissioner in the Network Commission (NetCom) and going to such events like the Planning Meeting in Poznań, which are all unique opportunities to get to know a lot about AEGEE in a short time.

Which was the biggest lesson you learnt in this term as Koen’s Subcommissioner?

I think the biggest lessons relate to how the Network Commission works, both internally and externally, and helping the locals. Going with Koen on a NetCom trip towards some of the Northern locals and researching this part of the Network has taught me a lot about the issues in the Northern region. My involvement in Network Meeting (NWM) Tallinn gave me a valuable experience on how to structure and organise a NWM.

The programme in your candidature is very well-structured, but also very ambitious… made up of 13 points. What are your priorities?

My priorities will be focusing on thematic events, mainly by strengthening ties with projects, Working Groups, and externals; therefore strengthening this part of the Network. As motivation and attracting new members are the biggest problems in the region, I would like to focus on motivational events in order to activate members throughout the Northern area, and close cooperation between locals to share best practices and materials in order to make a region-specific Public Relations (PR) strategy.

Classic question: Quantity or quality? Will you focus on increasing the number of antennae or strengthen the existing ones?

For sure we should focus on quality. The aim of AEGEE is not to have as many locals or people as possible. We strive for European integration, democracy, mobility, a better education, and most of all, a better Europe.

It is important what every antenna can give to AEGEE, so my first goal would be to further strengthen the locals in the Northern area. Only when we are strong and have clear goals, we can expand. History teaches us that without this as precondition, it might be possible to start new contacts, but many of them will die sooner or later.

From my experience as a Subcommissioner I do know there are places that have the possibility to start a new antenna, and of course, I would further research these possibilities. If I am assured of the quality and continuity of a new possible contact, then of course I would do everything in my power to help them become part of our AEGEE family.

Which projects do you have in mind for Scandinavia?

I want to work closely together with the Action Agenda Coordination Team in order to work on the thematic field. I am aware that in the end neither of us will decide for the locals which projects they should work on, but locals themselves need to decide what project suits them best and how they want to contribute to AEGEE. Pushing a project will only lead to a local not fully interested or convinced in organising an event. That is why I see myself in more of a guiding role, explaining to them what possibilities there are and how they can cooperate with projects, Working Groups, or external partners.

Another candidate from the Northern Region proposed and organized Skype meetings to boost the cooperation in the area. Did you attend them? What is your feedback to this initiative?

I attended the meetings and I like the initiative a lot, but this is only a part of the many initiatives that are being taken in the Northern region. NetCom already felt the need of further integration of this particular area some years ago, that is why Scandinavia is currently a focus area.

As Koen’s Subcommissioner, I have been closely working with him a lot behind the scenes on researching the current problems in this part of the network, preparing bits of the NWM Tallinn and even going with him on a NetCom trip to some of the Northern locals to be in direct contact with them and talking directly about the issues person to person. We are now at a point where we found out what is needed to strengthen this part of the network. In my opinion, actual cooperation is only a slight part of it, as the main issues are lack of motivation and promotion in order to attract new people and activate them. So now we need to make the steps to go from talking to finally acting, and work together to solve these issues!

How do you plan to combine your responsibilities as a Network Commissioner with sustaining the development of Kaunas to full antenna?

Kaunas will already upgrade to Contact Antenna in Enschede, so the first steps are already taken to develop it. I am not alone there. Many new members are very enthusiastic and would love to get started, so I will need just to keep the overview. Furthermore, the things I want to achieve for the Northern area are applicable for Kaunas as well. Also, Kaunas will benefit for my plans about thematic events, motivational events for the Northern area, and Regional Training Courses (RTCs). I am absolutely confident that I will have enough time and energy for both tasks!

Are there already some people that you would like with you in this journey as your Subcommissioners?

I did not think about this yet, as I wanted to focus on my current work as a Subcommissioner, write my programme, and get elected. Of course, I would be open to anyone who would like to help out, as there is a lot of work to do in this area! Koen, the current Network Commissioner, already said he would like to continue helping me with the Scandinavian focus area if I am elected. But right now I hope people are more interested in reading the programme of each candidate, because that matters much more to the future of the network than the possible team of Subcommissioners that will be formed later on anyway.

Direct as a train, again. The AEGEEan wishes Karolina to arrive to the stations she strives for!

Written by Martina Zanero, AEGEE-Torino

Spring is associated with being reborn and coming out of  hibernation. Also AEGEE-Amsterdam has also came up with new initiatives making it worth to be proclaimed Local of the Month.

Organising a Network Meeting (NWM) may be not a big deal for such a big local, but what made AEGEE-Amsterdam’s NMW  extraordinary was the topic: until a couple of years ago, they would not even think about focusing on drawing locals closer to the European level. But this spring it became reality!

This is the result of an ongoing effort to go beyond local possibilities and to overcome habits and the so-called “comfort zone” in order to have a broader impact. This is the effort The AEGEEan would like to praise.
Wieke van der Kroef, current President of AEGEE-Amsterdam, expresses her enthusiasm for the nomination and presents the situation of her local in the following interview.

1. Would you like to tell us how you feel about the prize and the beginning of the Europeanisation process?

It is wonderful to get this kind of recognition for a job that demanded so much time! In fact, this process started a few years ago before I even joined AEGEE-Amsterdam. A small group of members with European experience felt we should become more active on a European level. Feeling this was needed, we put aside our arrogance and started taking responsibility in order to live up to our place in the network and become an example.

We still really need to change a lot in order to reach our goals. And it is no easy fight against a habit but we are willng to work for this process.

2. Understanding the problems is the first step towards their solution: Did you understand why Dutch-speaking AEGEEans were more interested in local activities?

Dutch student culture has a big influence on this.

There are many student organisations in the Netherlands and although most students join one, there is a lot of competition between the different organisations each year to gather enough new members. To get a large amount of members, locals like AEGEE-Amsterdam or AEGEE-Enschede have to listen to what members and potential members want. What they want is to get to know the city (most Dutch students move away from their home town and parents as soon as they graduate) and join an organisation where they can meet other students from different studies. The possibility AEGEE offers, to also discover Europe, is more of a fun bonus than an essential reason to join. Our members do not join because of Europe, but we want to keep them active. We organise a lot of local events which in turn makes it unnecessary to travel to European events if you want to have fun.

3. Did you manage to convince all members that this is the right way to take?

There is a common understanding that it would be good to be more active on the European level. We have gotten this far by now, but this does not mean all members are willing to be active on the European level. There will always be a large part of our members who are very happy to stay just on a local level. Changing that means  changing our entire identity and strategy and losing a lot of members and is therefore very undesirable.

Another problem is the scepticism towards our influence as students on the policy-making processes at the local and European level. This scepticism is the reason behind the lack of thematic input of the locals in the Dutch-speaking region. Why invest time into something you do not believe in? This is something I still want to change because I think it is in part based upon a lack of knowledge. People do not realise how AEGEE is involved in different policy-making institutions and that we are accepted and even asked by politicians to give an opinion. My experience in working with the Dutch and Flemish Youth councils has taught me that people should not underestimate how much decision makers appreciate our input. We have a bigger impact than most think and it can be even bigger if more members believe in our capabilities.

4. As stated in the introduction, you just organised a Network Meeting. Which outcome satisfied you most?

The best part of the NWM, according to me, was that different locals started discussing their common problem of getting members to become active on the European level. We have discussed this before more informally, but never structurally and with almost all locals together. I think NWM’s  are the perfect place to discuss this kind of shared problems and exchange ideas on how to address them.

5. AEGEE-Amsterdam promotes AEGEE4Rio.This is an example of a project starting locally and aiming to include different parts of the network, develop individuals, and be in touch with the global environment. Would you like to add something to this?

This project was not started by AEGEE-Amsterdam but by me and some other people. I think it is still too soon to expect a lot of thematic input from AEGEE-Amsterdam already. First, we need have more thematic discussions on the local level and get more people to go to European events. After that, I’m sure they will be infected by the AEGEE-virus that hit us all the first time we travelled ourselves. Once they are hooked, I hope we will not only have more people spewing their criticism, but also see some initiatives coming from the Dutch network to the European level.

6. Do you think that the pre-Agora event that you are organising with AEGEE-Utrecht will also contribute to “Europeanise” your local?
   

I definitely hope so. I strongly believe in the idea that positive experiences with European events at home, will make it easier for members to travel to events organised by and in other locals. I have seen this before with our Summer University: members understand better what the events are like, and that other AEGEE members are just as easy-going and fun as they are. This makes the step to travel themselves smaller, and therefore easier to take.

7. You are candidating for Network Commission. How did you decide and how do you think your election can influence the local?

I am not sure what kind of impact my candidature will have on AEGEE-Amsterdam. I definitely had more influence as a President this term. But I have faith that the policy will be continued by the new board and especially by our new European responsible.

As for me, my experience in Amsterdam has taught me a lot about the possibilities and restrictions of the Dutch and Flemish locals. Being a subcommie of the Juridical Commission, an active representative of my local to various statutory events, and co-initiator of two new European projects, I also have the necessary connection with the European level. I definitely believe I can use all this knowledge in getting the locals in this part of the network more active on the European level.

8. Do you have other members who are part/ interested in European level?

I think quite some people are interested in the European level, However, there is also a lack of knowledge and experience about the different positions and possibilities at the European level.

Another reason why people don’t apply for European positions is that they think they don’t know enough people on the European level to get elected. Elections in AEGEE sometimes do feel like a popularity contest where the candidate with the most friends from Summer Universities and other events gets elected  rather than the most qualified candidate. This impression can scare people who are new to the European level.

1. As you say in your application “the Dutch-speaking locals are seen as being one of the most

active and successful regions of the network”. Do you have any concrete suggestions for other regions?

As I said, I believe student culture has a big influence on the effectiveness of the methods you are using. I do not think there is one clear answer as the situation is different throughout regions and countries. There is no one golden road to success, but many paths, a different one for each region. Cooperating with the locals around and finding out what you have in common is a first step.

Ask your Network Commissioner, this is what they are for: to help you improve AEGEE.

With such a dose of wisdom and commitment it is no surprise AEGEE-Amsterdam has been elected Local of the Month! Congratulations again!

Written by Martina Zanero,  AEGEE-Torino

Attention: If you think you know an antenna, which deserves to be honoured as “Local of the Month”, send an email with the locals’ name and the reason for nominating to aegeean@aegee.org.