Amsterdam is often seen as the city of perdition, the land of drugs and prostitutes. But Amsterdam is definitely not only that, so between the 16th and the 20th of February, AEGEE-Amsterdam will show thirty AEGEE-members another side of their city, devoided of prejudice with a green and caring side. We got a sneak peak as we spoke with Maxime Nelissen, AEGEE-Amsterdam’s Vice-President and External Affairs Officer.

The AEGEEan: Your event “Yes we care!” is on the way. What is the main concept?

Maxime: The main concept revolves around sustainability. We want to show the participants that we should care more about our living ways. We can help the environment by separating waste, keeping track of our food etc. Each individual can make big differences for our society with little actions and we want our participants to realize that.

What should participants expect?

Participants can expect a couple of workshops to show them how to help the environment and the ones in need (a recycling workshop, a little visit to a shelter, eating in a restaurant that works with food which would be thrown away if not bought). Of course, we will also do typical Dutch stuff and have loads of fun, for example going ice-skating, visiting the social drinks of AEGEE-Amsterdam and going out in the amazing never-sleeping side of Amsterdam.

The title is “Yes we care!” can you explain the reasons behind it?

The title is “Yes we care!” in reference to “Yes we can!” [President of U.S. Barack Obama’s motto during his first presidential campaign, ed.], to show that we are able to make a difference with little actions. The caring side of Amsterdam that we want to show is thus named in the title.

In your FB event you asked some questions: What can you do for society and how? What issues are important nowadays? According to AEGEE-Amsterdam, what are the answers?

According to AEGEE-Amsterdam you can help society by thinking a little bit more about your actions. You can avoid food-waste, there will be a documentary night about this when we will be watching the documentary “Cowspiracy”, help the ones in need around you by donating clothes you might never wear again and even avoid polluting the environment by recycling. It is all about the little actions. This is what we really want to come through to our participants, so that these actions will be followed to their hometowns.

According to you, Amsterdam is known to be the city of prostitutes and drugs. Tell us three things that will make people change their minds.

Amsterdam has many ‘green’ companies which really care about the environment and keep inventing new concepts to make Amsterdam a better place (such as the restaurant where we will be eating, they have won a prize for their innovating concept), the caring people (of course there are drugproblems but there are also shelters for the homeless amongst them to help them) and the openmindedness of the people of Amsterdam! We are very open towards everybody, everybody is accepted the way they are. We will be showing this by going out in a gaybar one night.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Venezia

On the 25th of August there was a large classical concert called ‘the Constellation of Russia’ conducted in Amsterdam. The concert was meant to show the beauty and diversity of Russia’s culture. However, there was at the same time a large gathering of protesters, rallying against the current developments in Russia on the matter of LGBT rights. This is a report from Anne Bakhuizen, President of AEGEE-Amsterdam, explaining her views on what was happening in her city.

AMSTERDAM — On the 25^th of August, I took part with more than 2,000 LGBT rights supporters in a demonstration under the title “To Russia With Love”, on the largest square in Amsterdam, where we protested against the anti-gay laws in Russia.

The protesters on the square were carrying signs, singing songs and chanting slogans to condemn the Russian government’s homosexuality policies. Demonstrators especially criticized Russian president Vladimir Putin, with performers leading the crowd in cheering “Putin Out!”.  My main reason to participate in the protest was the law adopted by Russia’s parliament in June, making “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors” illegal. Mayor of Amsterdam, Eberhard van der Laan, told the crowd he hoped the protest would send the message to Moscow that “love is not propaganda”. In an interview afterwards he said the city “is proud of its homosexual community and that they should have the support of the government”. Amsterdam has a long history of tolerance of gay rights, with performing the first gay marriages in 2001 as a highlight.

The mayor said he did not know whether the message would reach Moscow, but the protest was “a matter of principle”. I agree with him that it is a matter of principle to protest against the anti-gay laws in Russia. I think it is really important that not only gays and lesbians, but also heterosexuals participate in the protest against homophobic policies not only in Russia, but all over Europe. This is something that concerns everyone. I believe that every human being has to have the freedom to be themselves and to love who they want to love.

In the Netherlands and especially in Amsterdam there is –as the mayor said before- a really tolerant climate for gay people. When I came out of the closet I received only positive reactions from my friends and family.  For a lot of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Europe, however, this is not reality at all. They are forced  to live a secret life in fear or in a fake heterosexual relationship. I feel sad and angry when I hear their stories, but feeling sad or angry is not enough: we have to do something about it. That is why I think it is extremely important that the situation of LGBT people in Europe is a topic of discussion in meetings of AEGEE-locals all throughout Europe.

AEGEE-Amsterdam, for example, organised a thematic Summer University around the Gaypride this summer. Participants from all over Europe took part in the activity and naturally they came across cultural differences. Nevertheless, it was very educating and interesting for everyone to share their stories and experiences. There were participants who could be openly gay for the first time in their lives, and there were participants who confessed they did not know anything about homosexuality before they came to Amsterdam.

My experiences during our Summer University made me realise even more how extremely important it is that we talk about the situation of LGBTs. I believe that protesting for the equality of LGBT people in Europe can be compared to the former protest for the equality of women and the equality of black people. This is a demonstration for human rights and I truly believe that every person can make a difference and can be the start of something. I really hope that the whole of Europe will one day be a free and accepting place for all its citizens.  I think that we, as members of AEGEE , can and therefore must help to achieve this goal.

Anne Bakhuizen, President of AEGEE-Amsterdam

Last year, AEGEE-Utrecht organised a Winter University with the theme name “Try Before You Die”. This event took place in three different Dutch cities: Utrecht, Amsterdam and Gouda.

Before the event took place, the committee, consisting of Adinda Werkman, Josje Hiddink, Sanne Bleekers, Simon Bak, Johan van Houten and Miriam Frantzen, selected twenty enthusiastic participants out of 53 applications. The participants came from the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, Greece, Ukraine and Russia. In the end, however, a group of thirteen participants participated in the New Year’s event.  The group was accommodated at a very nice and central location, the Office for Refugee Support, in the Telingstraat, Utrecht. The event officially started on the 27th of December, 2011. On the first day the participants were mostly occupied with ice breaking games such as “try before you die” speed dating, krantenmeppertje (name game) and other fun TBYD games. They were also given free time and were accompanied by local AEGEE members who showed them the city. Because the event was called “Try Before You Die”, the showers were not, as one would expect, at the location, but a 15min. drive from the city center. This evening the whole group went to the “Poema” where there was a big international party. Later on in the week the participants got acquainted with the lovely city of Utrecht during a city tour and an exciting city rally. They also got acquainted with Dutch hospitality with the imitation of the Dutch TV-program “Nu we er toch zijn” whereby the participants had to ring doorbells and ask if they could stay and enjoy the hospitality of the Dutch people by being invited for a chat, drink or dinner at people’s homes.

At the European night the participants presented typical food and drinks from their countries and were partying all night long. Later that week the participants were introduced other “try before you die” games such as making sandwiches as dirty and nasty as possible which other groups had to eat. We also had games such as a contest in jumping/walking in big bags to the finish, egg throwing in a big circle, and twin and quartet soccer playing.

Another interesting part about this week was the discussion about the gay community in the Netherlands, and what the differences were between the acceptability of gay people and gay relationships in the Netherlands and in the countries where the participants came from. Later on that week we experienced the gay scene in Amsterdam where we visited some gay bars in small groups of participants. The participants also got the opportunity to show their cooking skills where they were presented with a bag of different products and had to improvise a meal out of the available products. After dinner, the groups prepared themselves for a night walk, a “dropping” as one would say in Dutch. The groups got in the car where they got blindfolded. They got some clues about where to go, and what to do and after some hours of walking and getting cold the lost participants were picked up and brought back for a hot shower and some glühwein.  On the 30^th of December, we all went to explore the city of Amsterdam where we had a city tour, and visited the Heinkenmuseum. After that we had dinner and went to explore Amsterdam’s gay and heterosexual nightlife.

The next day we had a busy schedule in front of us. After the participants were divided into couples, they had to try and hitchhike to Gouda. Everyone started to hitchhike at the official hitchhiking stop. After waiting for some cars and asking drivers if they were going into the direction of Gouda, the first couple managed to get a ride in less than half an hour.  Everyone arrived in Gouda safe and sound where they were awaited by an AEGEE guide who was ready to give a city tour. After this, it was time to go back to Utrecht by train to enjoy a special dinner where the tables were covered in aluminum foil and everybody was able to make a drawing of mayonnaise or ketchup.  A lot of fries and some typical Dutch snacks like “frikadel, kroket, and kaassoufle” were placed on the aluminium covered table. After everybody was ready, we all went to the van Lieflandlaan party to celebrate New Year’s eve. This was a big party with around 300 people. At 23:50 everybody went to the roof of the building and waited till the year ended where the crowds started the countdown to 2012. At 00:00 everyone screamed “Happy New Year!” and started to kiss everybody and celebrate the beginning of 2012. From this floor, you could see the amazing fireworks which were lid everywhere in the city. On the 1st of January everybody just slept for a couple of hours, recovering from the night before. However, we had to be gone before 11:00 for the New Year’s dive.

After bringing the swim clothes and towels everyone was brought to the  “Maarsseveense plassen” (lakes) to participate in the New Year’s dive. Having arrived, the group saw a new challenge; they should start the New Year a bit different where they all ran in the water at 12.00 with a group of 40 local people. This was the way to start the New Year.  After this freezing moment, everybody got some typical Dutch sausages and pea soup and could hit the showers. Around 18:00 everybody prepared themselves to go out for a farewell dinner. After having enjoyed their meals, the group went to club “Ekko” where there was a lounge party. After hanging and chilling, the whole group came back to the location, where they played some card games. On the 2nd of January it was time to say goodbye. That was the end of an amazing event full of new memories from nice people, activities and crazy anecdotes.

Written by Miriam Frantzen and Johan van Houten, AEGEE-Utrecht

Photos by Simon Bak and participants