Tekla Hadju, former Network Director of the Comité Directeur, after eight Agorae as active member, wants to be still involved in the European level so that she presented her candidature as Chairperson/Vice-Chairperson  of the Agora. She is aware of the responsibilities of the position and she expresses some ideas about how to improve the organisation of the Agora. We interviewed her about her candidature and her programme.

The AEGEEan: Tekla, what would you like people to know about you?

Tekla: Hello dear AEGEEans, I am Tekla from AEGEE-Budapest, and an active member of AEGEE for a while. Like many other AEGEEans, I enjoy travelling to the fullest, meeting new people and challenging myself to learn something new. I also like reading, animals (especially horses and dogs), games, spending times with friends and, of course, having fun.

What is your history with AEGEE?

I have been a member for five years and I have been active both locally and in European Bodies: I was PR Responsible and Vice-President for External Relations in AEGEE-Budapest, I was Network Commissioner between Agora Cagliari and Agora Kyiv, Vice-Speaker of Network Commission between Agora Asturias and Agora Kyiv, Network Commission Assistant between Agora Kyiv and Agora Bergamo, and last year I was Network Director in the 54th Comité Directeur.

What is it that you like the most about AEGEE?

For me, AEGEE’s core are the members: they are coming from many different cultures and backgrounds, but the same goals and the AEGEE-spirit link us together. I also like the many opportunities for attending AEGEE events, and amongst them Agora is one of my favourites due to making important decisions, but also for learning something new, reuniting or meeting with people, and of course for all the excitement that happens during an Agora.

What made you want to become the (Vice-)Chairperson of the Agora/EPM?

Agorae have played an important role in my AEGEE-life, and the Chairperson/Vice-Chairperson position is the one I was interested in pursuing after my CD life. My motivation also comes from the reason that I find the well-being of the Network and the members very important, and I feel like this is the position where I can contribute with my experience and my knowledge which I have gained not just from my former positions, but also with the 8 Agorae I have attended so far (Catania will be my 9^th).

What do you think are the Chairperson responsibilities for Agora?

The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are mainly responsible for the facilitation of the Agora: they are the final responsibles for setting up the agenda, making sure that the most important things are brought forward, coordinating the event on spot, taking into consideration many factors (timing, logistics, requests, etc.) and most importantly they should be objective and give enough possibilities for all sides to express their opinions both during the preparation process (selection processes, creating the agenda) and during the event itself (timing, speaking rights, opening and closing the question lines, announcements, statements, etc.).

Chairing the Agora means a lot of work before the Agora, with a long term planning and a lot of last minute changes. How much time do you think you will be able to dedicate to your position if you will be elected?

I already have some experience from the Drafting part of the EPM on how to put together the agenda, and as Chair Team jobshadower now I have an estimation of how much time and effort is required for these tasks for the Agora. I would not like to give concrete numbers, but so far I was showing high level of responsibility towards my tasks, and I will make sure that I will dedicate enough time for these tasks from my daily life.

How much time would you dedicate in making online preparatory sessions for all delegates? It looks really difficult, if just for the high number of Antennas.

Because of the different availability of people, first of all I would like to collect the needs of the locals and the delegates regarding what they would like to focus on for Agora preparation, including their availability for online preparations. In order to make a good balance of preparation but not taking too much time from them, at first I would say three or four meetings would be scheduled, and I would collect the feedback after Agora Kraków for improving the system. I would like to issue more supporting booklets and materials for delegates (not just the Agora for Dummies), which can be helping also those who will not be able to attend the meetings. I would also have ideas to collaborate with the HRC’s Agora Mentorship project for the preparations, but I would first discuss the idea with them.

How would you improve the organisation of the Agora?

What is usually taking more time than expected is technical problems – with the selection of IT of the Agora and using the previous experience of Local Organisers, former Chair Teams and the IT director I would explore possibilities on how to reduce the amount of technical problems during the plenaries. I would also bring back timers for candidatures and AEGEE presentations in order to keep the timing more effective, and to remind them to stay within their allocated time. Of course the organisation can be improved by putting together a suitable agenda, which depends mostly on the collaboration between Chair Team, CD, Local Organisers and JC (and of course on the needs of participants). For this, I would like to maintain a close cooperation with these Bodies. Last, but not least, my aim would be to increase the level of participation, which could be solved again by putting together a suitable agenda.

What themes would you propose for the next Agora in order to get involved more visitors?

First of all, I would consult with Local Organisers and CD regarding this topic, as Local Organisers would know which projects could be interesting for their city (and for possible sponsors), and CD is the Body that is aware of the hot topics in the European agenda (for possible grants). Personally, I would be happy to see a V4 related-theme for Agora Kraków, as this would not just be fitting for possible (financial) support, but also there have not been many events recently on this topic within AEGEE, but as I said this also needs to be consulted with different actors.

Why should people vote for you in particular?

I am a hard-working and reliable person who is always very dedicated towards the position taken. I believe that my motivation and experience make me a good candidate, and I am able to work well within teams both as a team leader and as a team player. Last, but not least, I would still like to see AEGEE as a place for finding out what people like to do the most, and I would like the Agora to be this place for many people.

Questions from the Network

During NWMs 2014/2015, as a trainer you seemed quite impatient when participants did not engage in sessions much, didn’t show up or came late. On Agora, this behavior is maxed out – and people won’t be respectful. Will you be able to deal with this?

Since 2015 I have put more efforts in improving my training methods, and I think I have developed them more to deal with this part as well, but it is true that I do value attention and showing up in time for sessions. I will of course remind people to pay attention, but my main focus will be on the smooth functioning of the event, which will be prioritised over other matters.

Due to open calls after open calls, people that apply on time for the Agora suffer and get their acceptance very late. Every time I apply on time I feel cheated, as I have to wait for weeks and weeks to finally know if I can buy flights. Do you plan to favor people that apply on time, finally?

Personally, I would look for possibilities to have different timing and selection of participants according to application time, but this part has to be agreed together also with the other Chairperson/Vice-Chairperson and the Local organisers as well, so I would consult with them and of course with the other Bodies that are involved in the Agora process.

Until now, the programme of the Agora has been in a way that one slot is for AR, one for PM, one for Updates etc. This makes it impossible to listen to all ARs, for example. Do you consider changing the system to make it possible for a person to see all ARs or all PMs etc, depending on interest?

This particular topic has been always in focus by participants of the Agora. It highly depends on the logistics of the event, the requests of locals and European Bodies towards changing the agenda and of course by CIA what is needed to be placed in a Prytanium, and how many parallel sessions can take place, but I would consider checking which improvements could be made in order to allow people participate in more programmes.

In case the Agora will end up to be like Enschede – AKA with some Greek drama people, slurs, backstabbing and offense towards candidates and personal revenges – how would you react to this and which decisions would you make?

I would like to make sure that every side has a possibility to express their opinion, however, I would like to make sure that the boundaries between being opposing or being personal are respected at Agora. The Chair Team has the right to warn people for unacceptable behaviour and in the worst case to take actions against them (such as expulsion from the Agora, which is regulated by the Policy on Banning People in CIA); in the worst case I would be willing to use them.

You can read her full candidature here.

Written by Matteo Lai, AEGEE-Cagliari

Are you feeling excited about Autumn Agora Catania 2017? It is happening sooner then we think, but in order for everyone to have a great experience, there is still work to be done. The Chair Team is one of the awesome teams that is bringing their contribution to the Agora, and we asked them some questions so we could find out more about them.

The AEGEEan: Tell us about yourselves.

Chair Team: We are the Chair Team, and we are responsible of the content part of the Agora. In our term we set various open calls (participants, workshops, job shadowers, secretary assistants, etc.), we select participants, and we draft the Agenda. After months of working behind the scene, then we will spend three or four days during the Agora itself moderating the discussion and leading the sessions. Not only this, we have a person in charge of the IT, for presentations and videos, and a Secretary of the Agora with the essential role to take minutes. We are not alone in this and a strict collaboration with Local Organisers, Comité Directeur and Juridical Commission is in place. Our team is composed as following: Erika from AEGEE-Verona is the Chairperson, Elisa from AEGEE-Catania is the Interim Vice-Chairperson, Elena from AEGEE-Grodno is the secretary of the Agora and Jani from AEGEE-Maribor is the IT responsible.

Erika: Elisa is a very calm person and this balances perfectly other personalities in our team. Her approach and her juridical knowledge is an asset that is very precious when it comes to all the procedures of Agora, but it has already proved to be useful in the internal decisions of the Chair Team. Moreover, she promised me to find a boyfriend for me (and Jani can testify), so this is a plus. [she winks, ed]

Elisa: Elena is an amazing person, well prepared and full of energy! She has a lot of experience in Agora as she actively took part in ACT and she is a very sweet girl!

Elena: Jani is a real IT guy. When we get emails full of technical stuff,  he is the only one who can understand what is written inside. Without him, Agora would never happen!

Jani: Erika is a really hardworking person. When she decides to do something, she will put all her efforts to accomplish it. Many people don’t like her, but that is in human nature – they envy those who are better. She seems hard, but she is really a fair person. As a true Italian, she likes to cook and no food is better than hers (and Italian) – that’s why she is our Mama. One sentence to describe her: “I have no prejudices, I hate everyone equally”. [He laughs, ed.]

How do you see this term as a team? What do you want to achieve or change?

Erika: As a team, our personalities are starting to blend. In one way or another we worked together already for Agora Enschede, therefore now it is a matter of starting to build a working relationship in order to be perfectly in sync in Catania. For sure, we still are the blue-eyed Chair Team, and Jani will be renamed Ejani to have all four of us a five-letters name starting with E. We started to work as a team only at the end of June, and at the end of September we will already be in front of the Agora. Two months, with all the administration going on also, are not much to create a proper strategy for change or improvements. Moreover, now we are too early in the preparation to see what we can change in Catania, but some ideas are already on the plate. For sure we are working hard to improve our communication channels, introducing more and more infographics thanks to Elena’s VI approved touch. We will also tighten the relationship we have with the Human Resource Committee after the amazing Agora mentorship in Enschede.

Elena: As you can notice, we don’t have much time for preparations. But as all of us already were connected with Agora management in the Past, I am sure we will do the best. As Erika said already, we want to bring more info about how Agora works for the people that applied: this means more pictures, iconographics and Skypes. Agora is the most important place in AEGEE for our decision-making process and people who participate should have enough knowledge. We will put more efforts to help delegates, and all the other participants, to be more prepared.

Elisa: As Erika said, we are a good team! I worked side by side with Erika and Jani during Agora Enschede, even though I was working from the JC side; Although I’ve never worked with Elena before, she is a very organised and well prepared person, and there is never lack of cohesion inside the team. Moreover, we are going to appeal the Agora Audience with our eyes! However, let’s stay serious! The work in the Chair Team requires many hours, selecting participants, selecting workshops, answering questions, but it’s a stimulating job. We are working hard to give people the sensation to be an active part of the Agora, making iconographic (thanks to the work of Elena) and improving the communication from our side. We don’t want to make people feel uncomfortable towards the Agora, that’s also why we support the great job of the Agora Mentorship Project.

What are your expectations regarding Agora Catania?

Elisa: We have seen a huge number of applications for this Agora, so many people willing to participate to the most important meeting of our organisation. Many newbies have shown curiosity towards this event: I hope that this Agora can be an inspiration for people, above all the new ones, that are the future of our organisation. Of course, I wish that they will participate actively to all the Agora contents, that are always a growth opportunity inside our association.

Elena: Many content discussions with fruitful outcome! And, of course, that everybody will be on Plenaries and Prytania instead of the beach (#dreams).

Erika, you have the experience from Spring Agora Enschede in the Chair Team, how do you think that this will help you at one of the biggest Agora?

Every Agora is different from the previous one because all the variables (Chair Team, participants, locations, items to be discussed, candidates and proposals) change, therefore it is very hard to predict what will come next. Agora Enschede was definitely a good starting point. I had the opportunity to apply all the knowledge I acquired in the past years of the organisation and learn what the Chair should do more in depth, especially when it comes to actual chairing. In Catania my role will be different, I will be Chairperson, which is a whole new responsibility – albeit the work from Chair and Vice-Chair is not very different. I hope to be more relaxed, have more fun and learn from the little mistakes I made in Enschede.

Elisa, why Chair Team and not something else? And why Interim Vice-Chairperson?

I like the concept of the Agora itself. And having the opportunity to be the Vice-Chairperson in my city, chairing meetings, being (somehow) the soul of the Agora, it’s a big honour, if not a dream. Why Interim? Well, I was a JC commissioner at the time of the candidatures for Chairperson/Vice-Chairperson of the Agora, and the work with JC was still heavy at that time; I didn’t want to overcharge myself, risking to leave the work with JC without the proper conclusion and doing the work of Vice-Chairperson not in the owed manner. But when Erika sent the open call for Interim Vice-Chairperson, I felt it was my occasion to coronate my dream of leaving AEGEE with one of the most honorable task in AEGEE: being the Vice-Chairperson of the Agora, our main meeting, our parliament, where the most important decisions are taken; the work with the JC during the open call was a bit less heavy, as the Agora was passed and the CIA 28.1 was almost completed. What to say…I cannot imagine something better!

Elena, why did you choose to apply for Secretary of the Agora?

Minutes are a very important historical document, it’s a golden key to the knowledge from the past. People come to organisation and leave, but minutes as other documents stay here for us. The job of Secretary of the Agora is very often not recognised while that person is a keeper of current knowledge for the future generations. As a historian, I can’t miss that chance to be a keeper of AEGEE history. [she smiles, ed.]

That position is one of the most challenging for me, but I enjoyed taking minutes during a prytanium on Agora Enschede where I was a secretary assistant. So, maybe it is a challenge for myself. [she smiles, ed.] Moreover, as I adore to spend free time reading Agora minutes from the past, it’s a special pleasure to know that one of them is written by yourself.

And yes, when everybody has already forgotten about Agora, I will still be listening to speeches.

Jani, what are your fears regarding Autumn Agora Catania as the IT Responsible of the Chair Team?

From my experience from the previous Agora I would say the biggest fears are accessing OpenSlides and playing (too) big videos in OpenSlides. But we are working on these problems, we already found some solutions.

You can follow them here.

Written by Raluca Radu, AEGEE-Cluj Napoca

She started locally in 2012 in AEGEE-Poznań, then moving to AEGEE-Warszawa, joining also AEGEE-Enschede last year. She has been part of  Eastern Partnership Project team, Network Commissioner from Autumn Agora Cagliari until Autumn Agora Kyïv, and Network Commission responsible for locals in Poland and in Ukraine. She was in the Chair Team in 2016 and then Chairperson of Spring Agora Enschede last May. She is Marta Wnuk, and she is our Member of the Month of May, with her work before and during her last Agora – at least is what she said – being recognised with this nomination. 

The AEGEEan: Congratulations for having been selected as Member of the Month. How do you feel?

Marta: Positively surprised. I strived to do my best as a Chairperson and I am happy that my work was recognised.  It is a very nice gesture for the end of my active role in AEGEE.

One of the reasons why you were nominated is your work as Chairperson in Enschede. How was the overall experience in driving our General Assembly?

Overall, it was a very good experience.  I like the constructive working atmosphere and in Enschede, it was just so.  Venues were comfortable, we mostly manage to be on time on the agenda and cooperation with local organisers. Also, Juridical Commission was very satisfying. Even though there were several challenging situations to handle, I felt at ease most of the time and I was glad I could perform my tasks without major disruptions.

Your signature word is “However”, how did that joke start? How many times did you say it in Enschede?

Haha. I am not able to tell. Probably everyone has their one particular word that uses frequently without fully realising how often. I myself was not really aware until it appeared as a crossword in the bullshit bingo in Agora Chișinău. I have found it really amusing, I must say.

How different was the experience from the Agora you chaired as Vice?

Well, roles of Vice-Chair and Chair do not differ much; task division is very similar. As the main Chairperson though, I had the final responsibility for the decisions made during the Agora and the conduct of the event.  While being a Vice-Chairperson I learnt a great deal from Tom Simons (Chairperson of the Agora 2014-2016). In Enschede, I could apply all my knowledge and experience to make my own judgment and decide on the course of action. Besides, working with different people has its different dynamics. However, I was very lucky when it comes to my working partners and with both Tom and Erika we managed to create great tandems.

What was the most challenging moment of all the Agora you have chaired?

That was definitely the closing plenary of the Agora Bergamo. It was my first Agora in a role of a Chair and we were faced with a quite challenging situation that unfolded during the plenary and had to be handled at the spot. It required very good knowledge of procedures, ability to adapt to constant changes in the agenda and various demands of people as well as calm judgment despite the stress involved. Yet overall, I was satisfied with the way we managed the crisis and  I learnt a lot from this experience.

How did AEGEE change your life?

Oh, AEGEE has changed my life in numerous ways and this interview is certainly too short to give space to all of the aspects. Most importantly, AEGEE has certainly allowed me to live my passion and to make the meaningful contribution in the areas where I felt inspired to act. However, AEGEE has also taught me how to find the courage and persevere and how to stand up for what I believe is right.  During my journey in AEGEE, I have experienced many truly magical moments and moments of hardship too. It all has shaped me and made me remember those five years as decisive in my life.

Active in your locals, Network Commissioner, in a project team, Vice-Chairperson, Chairperson. What are you going to do now?

Now it is time for a new chapter in my life.  Change of work is certainly on the horizon. However,  I take it easy for now and enjoy new scopes of free time that I have.  I enjoy classical music concerts, yoga in the park and good movies. I have also more time to invest in learning languages. Yet, after recharging my batteries I will surely seek for new opportunities.

Name one good thing and one bad thing of the association.

Oh, it is difficult to pick only one feature for each side.  However, if I were to boil down all that I have observed about the association, I’d say that the best aspect of  AEGEE is the empowerment it gives to its members and the impact has on individuals. AEGEE has empowered me to strive for the best and I have also seen the impact that had on numerous people and how they flourished. When it comes to negative aspect – I think that AEGEE is stuck in perpetual inefficiency, which in my opinion is caused by sort of “political correctness” present on European Level,  when it comes to discourse about the means of reforming our association. Attempts to change or reform things that aren’t working are often impeded by a very narrow understanding of our vision and are being dismissed without any constructive arguments just because the proposed solutions are not considered desirable by certain groups.  Sadly, I have seen many capable members being driven away by such attitude.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona

In the middle of the whole debate about Agora and its reform, there are people that simply fell in love with our statutory event from the beginning and want to explore all its opportunities. One of them is Erika Bettin from AEGEE-Verona, who is candidating for (Vice)Chairperson of the Agora. 

The AEGEEan: You work as a journalist, you cooperate with The AEGEEan, you are studying at university, on top of that the Chair Team. How do you manage to do everything? Do you think you will have enough time to devote to the preparation of Agora Catania?

Erika: It sounds like I have a busy life [she smiles, ed.]. Indeed, it is not always easy to manage everything and the fact that I came back to school was one of the main reasons of concerns in Chișinău. Once I had my study plan clear, I applied for the Open Call, because I was 100% sure that the dates of both Agorae and my studies (exams, lessons, thesis) would not clash. For now I am lucky enough to do most of my job via remote with few weekly meetings, therefore I am able to tailor my daily schedule based on the various commitments I might have. Throughout my AEGEE life I always managed well to organise myself between the contribution to our association and my daily job. Of course, time management is a refined art and it happened that I was running last minute for deadlines, but I try to limit it at the minimum. The path to Agora Catania is undoubtedly challenging time-wise, but I am planning to keep in place (if not improve) the system we have within the Chair Team now. I must admit that I was extremely lucky working with Marta because we both were very clear and honest with each other regarding our commitments and our internal task division evolved naturally. I believe that when you are not working full time for AEGEE, firstly you need to be able to organise yourself meticulously, and then you need to be clear with your team about your availability in order to have everything always under control, but mostly team members are not overloading with your tasks.

We have seen in previous Agoras that the Chair Team often needs to manage the unexpected, while keeping an eye on the timetable. What’s your strategy to prepare for that?

Erika coping with stress during the Agora

The first thing to do, in my opinion, is to prepare a flexible agenda, allocating if possible some spare time in order to have enough time in case discussions prolongs or some unexpected points of discussion are raised or added. Then, I would say come prepared and analyse the agenda and current happenings in AEGEE to “sniff” potential disagreements or heated arguments. One thing I personally like to do is treating any item on the Agenda as a possible Armageddon, so I am mentally ready that something may or may not happen. It is important also to have several backup plans to be put in action if need be. While at the Agora, to face the unexpected a Chair should have a good amount of cold blood, quick thinking and be clear to the participants when things happens.

You presented your candidature for being Chairperson before, but you didn’t get elected, and that can impact motivation greatly. How did you decide to keep on trying?

Eh. This is a nice question. As you correctly mentioned not being elected twice did have an impact not only on my motivation,  but also on my perception of the association. In Agora  Zaragoza, it was very clear that my chances were thin, therefore I took it as a precious lesson to learn. It motivated me to be more active and I think in 2014 I reached my climax in the association, when I was hungry to learn and experience. Agora Cagliari non-election was harder to digest, I kept on asking myself what I did wrong and why my love for Agora was not mutual. At the same time, few months later I found my place within The AEGEEan and joining AEGEE-Verona gave me new lymph and a renewed energy and willingness to contribute to both. I believed that motivation is a cycle and last summer it hit the lowest point. Maybe it was the fact that I put half of the hemisphere between me and my life putting everything into the right perspective, or maybe the fact that taking a break from laptop, emails, chats was refreshing… I don’t know, but when the open call was sent, I felt that it was worth a try. I won’t be active as much as I can be now for long, and in this sunset boulevard of my AEGEE life I wanted to do something that would make me happy. After all, this is all volunteering is about: finding your passion and working for it.

You have been a member of the Agora Reform Task Force and the Agora Observation Mission, now you are fully involved in the Chair Team. Name one thing you would radically change about Agora and explain why.

It is a recurring question to candidates for (Vice)Chairperson, but then you discover how little margin of movement you have. You cannot propose anything, unless you are involved in the discussion with another body, and you cannot reply to questions such as: Do you agree with this proposal?. We are already changing something within the Chair Team and the Agora Reform Task Force, but if you ask for something radical I would mention one thing: how we perceive Agora. Our general assembly is by definition a place where we decide things. In fact, in its working format mostly verbs such as “approve”, “elect”, “ratify” are used, because at the end of the day Agora is an administrative body. As it is now, it’s not a place to meet with friends, it’s not a budget sleeping location to allow you to visit the city and its surrounding. Is it boring? Perhaps. But why? Currently we have this humongous hybrid between an administrative body and a thematic one, where both parts are neglected always running out of time and making the impossible task to please everybody or every aspect of our organisation.

Is this really how Agora should be? What if we decide that Agora is only administrative and we place there just the essentials: elections, reports and proposals? And about proposals, do we really need so many every Agora? If you look at the Agenda and remove things that are not procedural, Agora will last probably two days and a half. AEGEE is not only this, we have this wonderful and powerful thematic side. Then, how about doing one thematic Agora where we deal just with thematic topics, and one to be only administrative? But then the question is: what about EPM? Isn’t it our annual thematic conference and planning meeting? Shouldn’t we reinforce it?

Also, do we really need 800, 900, 1000 people when last time we didn’t have an extended open call for participants was in 2012? Do we really need so many participants when half of them are not actually in the facilities and one third of the remaining half is sleeping during all the sessions? Wouldn’t it be better to cut down the number of the attendees by half and have even only 400 of them but super active because they know that going to the Agora is not for everyone and they “fight” for it? Because they understand better their role and they are ready to question the status quo?

There are a lot of questions there, fruit of my six years in the association, questions that I know many active people are asking themselves too. Finding a solution is however very complicated, firstly because we are stuck in this bureaucratic spyral and then because we are human, therefore resistant to change. Maybe we should use another verb when it comes to the future of the  Agora: not CHANGE but REVOLUTIONISE.

“My goal is to facilitate all the discussion during the Agora in a fair and objective manner, in order to make every opinion heard.” What’s the biggest challenge in that?

Chair Team Meeting in Brussels before Spring Agora Enschede

Everyone has an opinion and they want to tell it right away. I think this is the biggest challenge. While being an Agora participant, I also felt this urge to go on stage and have my say, but when two, three, 10, 50 people are doing the same, the result is confusing for everyone. The goal, then is to give appropriate amount of time to each speaker, balance objections and answers, recap every now and then and cut the discussion when it’s going too far or losing the focus.

How do you plan to solve possible conflicts arising among parties during the preparation of Autumn Agora Catania?

Getting everyone on the same page organising every aspect of the Agora is impossible because everyone has its own ideas and ways to implement. Being in the Chair Team requires a lot of skills in mediation and compromising, trying to accommodate all the possible requests and disagreements before they can evolve into conflicts. In case something arises, eventually the Chairperson always has the final decision on the Agenda, meaning that when needed Chair Team decisions can be reinforced over feedback or other solutions if they are not deemed necessary or appropriate. At the same time, you can avoid conflicts by listening to the suggestions that you received. After all, every idea is smart on paper, but then you need to take into account the general reception and be able to rethink it and eventually change it.

“During Spring Agora Enschede, we will launch a trial about sending questions online before the presentations for only a specific position, removing them from the plenary.” Could you tell us more about the trial and the reason behind it?

Currently the election system is Questions – Presentations – Restatement of unanswered questions. We wanted to try the online questions to save some precious time and engage more the online part of an Agora. The procedure is rather simple. During plenaries the Chair Team will open the floor for online questions and those will be uploaded to the open slides website we have been using for some Agorae via the option motion. Everyone at the registration desk will be given a password to log in to the website and with that password participants will be able to submit questions and candidates able to read them. Before the plenary ends, we will close also the possibility to ask questions. It will be a trial for this Agora, and of course we will be there in case any problem will arise. AEGEE-Enschede promised us internet won’t fail on participants (in case blame Derk, [she winks, ed.]), and we really hope it will be well received.

One recurring topic seems to be the lack of proper KT in AEGEE, and you as well mention this in your candidature. Have you given KT before and what is your strategy to ensure the process is smooth?

Erika with some members of her local AEGEE-Verona

I indeed gave and received KT and, in the various team, I had the opportunity to experience both lacking (if no) KT and effective one. It is physiological that, when a team finishes its term, some competences are lost, but in our association there is a severe lack of knowledge management, that is why I put it as one of the point of my programme. Within the Chair Team of Spring Agora Enschede, I have experienced a very great management of knowledge transfer from former Chairperson to us, he has been always available for questions and doubts. Also, Marta is at her third Agora preparation, therefore she has more competences and a background experience. This means that whenever I ask even the silliest question she is there to explain or guide the team into the procedure. From Agora Catania to the next Spring Agora, the new Chair team will have at least seven months (assuming, for instance, that Agora will be in April) to prepare themselves and this will give me and my fellow CT members plenty of time to have a deep KT, going through agendas, procedures, system, habits, best practices etc. Also, I will make sure that they can count on us while preparing Spring and Autumn Agora 2018.

You can read her full candidature here.

Written by Federica Soro, AEGEE-Cagliari

Spring Agora Enschede is approaching very fast and there is just one thing between being an applicant and a participant: the application.

The first thing to know is: who is going to read your applications? The Chair Team, in cooperation with the Comité Directeur, is the one in charge of selecting participants. And in case you are wondering, yes, the Chair Team will read ALL your motivation letters. Despite the fact that in the team we speak more or less a dozen languages, ironically none of us is fluent in Dutch. Plus, the working language of the Agora is English, therefore while writing your application remember to use English only. Do not worry if your written English is not the best, as long as you will be able to put a sentence in the right order subject + verb + complement(s), we will definitely understand you.

What to write in it? The application system is helping a bit by giving some outline questions that can help you in drafting the text.

1. Why do you want to participate in this Agora?

2. What do you know about the Agora?

3. How can you contribute to this Agora?

4. What is your AEGEE experience?

5. Since when are you an AEGEE member?

You don’t necessarily have to answer in that order. For example, you can start by describing the highlights of your AEGEE experience and when you joined AEGEE. If you are a new member and you did not have a chance to be active in your local, explain what are your expectations towards the association and the Agora. When asked to explain what you know about the Agora, do not write “enough to attend” or copy and paste what the CIA says about it. Go more in depth and describe what Agora means and is to you, what the General Assembly is for AEGEE. What if you never attend an Agora? Don’t worry, usually up to half of the participants are at their first statutory event. Here you can write how you discovered about Agora, what do you expect the Agora to be. You can also talk with more experienced members, your local boards or even the Network Commissioners and ask what our General Assembly looks like, thus having a better picture of it.

How you can contribute to this Agora is a subjective questions, but in this field you can specify if you are thinking to hold a workshop or a progress meeting, if you are thinking to present something in the plenary, if you would like to help other delegates or visitors with your knowledge or even if you want to run for an elective position. After answering all these questions, why you want to attend the Agora will come easily. And no, eating stroopwafel will not be considered a good motivation, even thought we all love stroopwafel. [she winks, ed.]

Don’t leave it empty, don’t type random words or don’t put just smiles on it. Especially empty applications mean automatical rejection if you are a visitor. Even if you are most likely to be accepted – if you are a delegate or member of a European body – writing a good motivation letter is always a plus. Definitely, it would be perfect to state at least the body you are representing or what you are going to do during the Agora.

Locals’ boards are important too. They have the faculty of creating a ranking for visitors and assign the participant type (when it is not decided by the local agora) and to leave comments. In this cases the best thing to do is to be honest. Do not copy and paste the motivation letter of other applicants from your local, but also do not copy and paste board comments for every single member who applied, especially if you do not make an effort to at least change their gender. If you think that several people are promising and more or less equally good, change the words you use for each one of them, personalise your comment. Indeed it is true that boards do not know personally all the members, especially with big locals. In case this happen, and you do not know the applicants, then find a moment to talk with them in order to understand better their motivation to go to the Agora.

You can apply for Spring Agora Enschede till the 23rd of March here. Locals’ Boards can set a participant type and add board comments until the 25th of March using this link.

For any questions, you can reach the Chair Team here or send an email at chair@aegee.org

Written by Erika Bettin, Interim Vice-Chairwoman of Spring Agora Enschede 2017

During Agora, some people are meant to be in charge of conducting the sessions, giving the timetable, taking minutes and solving any possible problem with the IT infrastructure. They are the Chair Team: Chairperson (Marta Wnuk), vice-Chairperson (Erika Bettin), Secretary (Gabriela Geană) and IT (Jani Dugonik). They have been recently selected to prepare and manage Spring Agora Enschede 2017, and The AEGEEan interviewed them for you. 

Marta Wnuk – Chairperson

The AEGEEan: Please introduce yourself

Marta: I am a member of AEGEE since 2012. I have been active locally in AEGEE-Poznań and AEGEE-Warszawa. Then I became the Content Manager of the Eastern Partnership Project and a Network Commissioner for locals in Poland and in Ukraine.  Recently, I had the opportunity to work on Statutory Events as Vice-Chairperson.

Erika: I am a member of AEGEE since 2011, back then joining AEGEE-Venezia and now I am a member of AEGEE-Verona. I have been part of some team, but my most relevant activity was being Editor- In -Chief of both The AEGEEan and Key to Europe. Speaking about the work of Chair Team, I have been job shadower for Autumn Agora Cagliari, secretary assistant in three Agoras and chaired two prytannia in Autumn Agora Chisinau.

Gabriela: Hello, my name is Gabriela Geană and I am from AEGEE-București. I am 24 and recently employed, I also graduated Communication and PR Faculty, a field which I am really interested to find out more about. I joined AEGEE in autumn 2011 and ever since I have been an active member both in my local and on the European level. I am currently a member of the Public Relations Committee and former journalist for the AEGEEan magazine, which I am really proud of having been a part. I love cats, good movies of all kinds, people who can make me smile, the little things in life. [she smiles, ed.]

Jani: Hello, my name is Jani and I have been an official member for two years and a board member as a representative for IT. I graduated in Computer Science and Information Technology, and currently working at the university as a researcher and teaching assistant. Also, I am in several associations as a board member (IT, disciplinary board,…). I love animals, travelling, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, and having fun with my friends.

Erika Bettin – Vice-Chairperson

Why did you decide to apply for the Chair Team?

Marta: Chairing a statutory event is both exciting and demanding task. It is a unique experience that teaches a lot and gives a lot of satisfaction. Each Agora is a challenge. Moreover, I realised I am willing to take up this challenge once again. At the same time, I wanted to assure continuity of the Chair Team’s work to make sure that Agora is handled in the best possible way.

Erika: Because I wanted to be part of the team for some time. I always loved the Agora, even if the sentiment was not always mutual, and I have been fascinated by the work of Chair Team.

Gabriela: I decided to apply to the Secretary of the Agora because I always thought I can do more in AEGEE and learn a lot at the same time. I was also thinking of this job before applying to the secretary of the agora, but I felt it was not the right time for me then. This time I did not hesitate, I took the opportunity and applied. It will be challenging, but definitely worthwhile.

Jani: I was always interested in organising conferences and other events. Also, I love challenges and Agora is certainly one of them.

Marta, a second term is in front of you. What will your major challenge be?

Gabriela Geană – Secretary of the Agora

The motto of the Chair Team should be “expect the unexpected”. In other words, the challenge always is to handle the unexpected situation that may occur during the Agora. The challenge is to make fast, accurate decisions that are in line with rules and procedures and which lead to quick resolutions taking all the involved factors into account. Everything else is a matter of a good preparation.

Erika, what will your contribution to the team be?

For now, I already created the hashtag #blueeyedchairteam. What undoubtful contribution, right? [she smiles, ed.] Jokes apart, I hope to bring some ideas that I have for the team and for the agenda. The lack of time is a well-known enemy in our statutory event, so I hope that we will manage to fit everything.

Gabriela, how important are minutes for our association?

Minutes are essential, as they are one of the main sources of information during the Agora, not only to people where the information reaches but also to the people who deliver it. Minutes are messages delivered to the people we want to reach and a constant source of information for all of us at Agora.

How do you envision the cooperation with your fellow Chair Team members?

Erika: For now the cooperation is going well. We all have been members of this association for quite some time and we lived the Agora in different roles: delegates, visitors, envoys, organisers, that I am sure it will bring some different perspectives. We will have the chance to do some team building in Brussel when we will meet in person, in order to be a perfect oiled machine in Enschede.

In Agora Enschede, what is the thing you are most looking forward to?

Marta: The Opening Plenary, I would say. The beginning of the Agora is always a big moment that is a transition point between preparations and the Agora itself. It is a great feeling after the months of preparations to seat finally behind the Chair table with the whole team and take up the challenge of chairing.

Jani Dugonik – IT responsible

Erika: An Agora in Enschede is said to be legendary. I have heard so much about Spring Agora Enschede 2012, that now I am dying out of curiosity to finally taste the touch of the Dutch local at first hand. Needless to say that the thing I am most looking forward to is the very first plenary when all our preparatory work will see the light and the chairing part will start.

Gabriela: The thing I am most looking forward to of the Agora is seeing my friends again, of course. Agora is the best event to meet again with all of your friends or at least a part of them and catch up. I am also looking forward to being on the other side of the table and learning valuable things.

Jani: I am looking to gain even more experience in the IT field as well as in organising such big events and teamwork.

Written by Federica Soro, AEGEE-Cagliari

Just like we did for the past Agorae, for Autumn Agora Chisinau, once again we would like to provide you with a short and easy summary of the proposals submitted for the Agora. In this second, and last round, we will be explaining you three proposals: “Remove Chair Team from EPM”, “Proposal to remove nationalities and countries from the CIA”, and “Give the Juridical Commission a more neutral role”. 

Remove Chair Team from EPM

Proposed by Lia Tuska, Human Resource Director and CD appointed member for the Chair Team, this proposal aims to finally regulate the role of the Chair Team at the EPM. Currently, the Chair Person, along with the Chair Team, presides over the EPM, choosing participants, all of this being done in cooperation with the Comité Directeur, ACT, Working Groups, Content Manager(s) and Local Organisers. In recent years, the relevance of the Chair Team has decreased and, according to the proposer, the EPM can be organised without the input of the Chair Team. Instead it will be organised by a team, representing the Comité Directeur, ACT, Working Groups and Content Manager(s).

The proposal, provided it will be accepted, will change some articles of the statutes. In the Working format of the Agora, all the references to EPM in the work of the Chair Team will be removed. In the General Financial Rules, the part that grants reimbursement to the Chair Team will also be removed.

The most substantial changes will be applied to the Working format of the European Planning Meeting. With these changes, the organisation, the selection of participants, the moderation of the sessions, the execution of the Agenda, and the collection of minutes fall to the Comité Directeur, with the help of one or more appointed people. The Comité Directeur is still in charge of appointing the Content Team who will prepare the Agenda and organise the content part in order to develop the EPM topic.

You can read the full proposal here.

Proposal to remove nationalities and countries from the CIA

Evelien Kroon, Steyn Ten Kate and Lea Watzlawek, on behalf of AEGEE-Enschede, are presenting the proposal that aims to remove any kind of reference to nationality or country in the CIA, especially in the composition of the elected bodies. In case this proposal will pass, there will be no limitation on the nationality of the elected candidate.

The local has already presented this proposal during Spring Agora 2014, but it was rejected. At this point, the Dutch local’s representatives are proposing it again, with the assumption that, according to our vision, AEGEE strives for a borderless Europe and rules regarding nationalities and countries.

For example, the Comité Directeur should not contain more than three members that share the same nationality, and at least four nationalities must be represented. In case more than three people share the same nationality, only the three that gather more votes will be elected, while the rest of the vacancies shall remain open. If this proposal passes, there will be no limitation on the nationality of the elected candidates. This means that hypothetically the (up to seven) members of the Comité Directeur can be from the same country.

You can read the full proposal here.

Give the Juridical Commission a more neutral role

During Spring Agora Bergamo, a proposal gave the Juridical Commission the power to fix small mistakes and inconsistencies, without submitting proposals in case changes need to be made. Evelien Kroon, Steyn Ten Kate and Lea Watzlawek, on behalf of AEGEE-Enschede, are proposing to offer the Juridical Commission a more neutral role by removing them from the legislative process during the Agora. They propose to compare the duties of the JC on an abstract level to those of the Chair Team; helping in its preparation and execution, but in a strictly impartial role.

In case this proposal will be accepted, the status of the JC during the Agora will change in the Statutes of AEGEE-Europe, and they will no longer be members of the Agora. In the Working Format of the Agora, the JC will not have the status of Envoy anymore, they will not be in charge of the voting and the procedure of counting the votes cast,  and a new paragraph explaining the role of the JC in the Agora would be added.

You can read the full proposal here.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona

Most of you, during the Agora, watch the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson preside over the meeting. But how about the Secretary of the Agora? The only thing people witness of him/her, is them typing during the Agora, but being Secretary of the Agora has some privileges!

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1. You are in the spotlight.
Together with the rest of the Chair Team, you are the centre of the attention for a couple of days. You are the one who creates and revise the agenda. So, when people have questions or what to change something, they will come to your table and ask you for assistance.

2. You cannot miss a Plenary.
You are on stage during (almost) all Plenaries, cause it’s kind of your duty to record all the minutes of the Agora. But, if it’s your thing, you have the added benefit of not having to speak. Speaking of standing in the centre of a spotlight, sometimes they literally shine too brightly onto the stage. Luckily, that’s just an opportunity to put on some cool shades.

3. You can skip the queues for meals.
This might sound like something form George Orwell’s Animal Farm: ‘all AEGEEans are equal, but the Chair Team is a bit more equal than others’, but it actually has an important function. As a Secretary of the Agora, you have to be present at a Prytanium before it even starts, and since queuing up for food might take forever, you might not be able to finish you meal, or not have any food at all. Therefore, it becomes sort of necessary to queue barge… sorry, hopefully everyone can understand.

4. You have your own assistants.

You may be important, but you’re not all-powerful. During the Prytania slots, there are three parallel sessions and it is impossible to cover them alone. That’s why you need assistants to help you during the Agora. Also, after the Agora the assistants need to finish their sessions and you might need some proofreaders to help you. Thanks you guys!

5. You have internet access most of the times.

The internet is pretty great; the U.N. even deemed it a basic human necessity. However, while some people will even ask you for the WiFi-password for… personal things, you need an internet connection to access the agenda, which might change considerably during an Agora. You also need the internet to constantly communicate with the rest of the Chair Team and with your assistants. It’s kind of an important tool for chaos prevention; the internet, to a secretary, it’s more than just Tumblr.

6. You know everything that happened during the Agora.

You have recordings, and sometimes video footage, of all the Plenaries and Prytania.
After the Agora, can listen to the recordings or watch the videos in order to deliver accurate minutes of the Agora. You know, for everyone who doesn’t have the photographic memory of BBC’s Sherlock.

7. You don’t  pay the Agora fee.
Also, after you deliver the minutes, you get reimbursed for your trip. A lovely ‘thank you’ for doing a nice, good job.

If you are interested, you can apply for Secretary of Agora Chişinău till the 20th of June.

Written by Lia Tuska, AEGEE-Kastoria/Sofia

Our statutory event is a beautiful place where we meet, discuss and share our vision of the Association. It is also a common thought that we are not living it to the fullest and the format is a bit outdated. For the past five months a task force worked on some improvements and the results can be seen in certain proposals and in the possibility to upload pictures of candidates on the system. But that is not all…

The Chair Team, who was also part of the Agora Reform task force, introduced some changes in the Agenda, switching some items from the plenaries to the prytannia, in order to have more time and fewer attendees to discuss relevant topics, such as activity reports, policy papers and financial matters.

Another new procedure is a pilot Debate for Presidents. Debates were never used in the recent years of our association, but they were organised in the past with former CD members debating with candidates. The Agora debate can be a good way to understand candidates’ vision better and to see them interact with each other opposing or defending their opinions. The Agora Bergamo debate will be held on the second day of the Agora, during the evening plenary when Réka Salamon and Pablo Hernandez Rodriguez will have 30 minutes to debate on given topics. The AEGEEan will collaborate with the Chair Team in drafting the topics, but a poll will be open in order to have members of the Agora suggest topics, ask questions and give their opinion. Therefore, stay tuned and follow The AEGEEan Facebook Page, The Chair Team Facebook Page and the Participants group.

Another big change is the new procedure of presentation for candidates of the Juridical Commission. Now the procedure for presentation is divided in three parts: the application form, a presentation in front of the Agora and questions. Taking inspiration from some parliamentary procedures, the Chair Team and the Agora Reform task force decided to try a reverse order doing a pilot on only one commission with the aim to make elections more informative as possible as well efficient time wise. For Monika Mojak, Elisa Tabby and Matteo Lai, then, the procedure will change as follows: application form online, questions and presentations, restatement of unanswered questions.

During the questions round, on Thursday the 19th of May, during the morning plenary, multiple questions can be asked to multiple candidate, thus they can change their presentations incorporating new information and adjust it based on what the network is most interested in and present it in the morning plenary on Friday the 20th of May. After their presentation, it will be still possible to ask question to candidates, but only unanswered questions will be allowed.

For more information, please download the Agora booklet here. 

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona

European Planning Meeting will see the debut of the Chair Team of AEGEE-Europe 2015-2016. For two years in a row, Tom Simons (AEGEE-Enschede) will be the Chairperson of the Agora/EPM with Marta Wnuk (AEGEE-Warszawa) acting as Vice-Chairperson. The line continues with the Secretary of the Agora – Lia Tuska (AEGEE-Kastoria/Sofia), and the IT assistant- Erik Steenman (AEGEE-Enschede).

 
The most experienced team member is Chairperson Tom Simons, who successfully run for a second time during Autumn Agora Kyiv. Being member of AEGEE-Enschede since 2010 and having attended many statutory events, he has certainly a big expertise when it comes to statutory events. Those can, however, be implemented and Tom has a clear vision on what can be changed. “In my opinion, there is currently an imbalance between discussing CIA (Corpus Iuricum Aegeeanse) text and time spent on elections. I hope that in the upcoming Agora we will have a plan in place to properly balance these two aspects.” says Tom. He will certainly have a useful hand with the Agora Reform Task who is currently studying our principal statutory event. “As Chair Team we still have a lot of standard work we need to take care of. So, having a motivated team to think about improvements is very much welcome.” he states, “But definitely it would also be a challenge when it comes to implement all the eventual changes during the next Agora. In fact they are currently working on a lot of good ideas to make the Agora more efficient, improve the quality of existing content and add new content.”

 
Marta Wnuk, the Vice-Chairperson, is thrilled to be a part of the team and she is looking forward to working for Spring Agora Bergamo and Autumn Agora Chișinău and seeing eventually their results. Also for her, reforming our statutory event is very high on her agenda, therefore Chair Team’s one, and she identified two major problems she would like to work on. “I see the importance in tackling lack of time for asking questions and sufficient debate and at the same time, losing precious minutes on parts of the agenda that are not of utmost relevance. Secondly, I would look at ways to make prytania more efficient” she continues. Coming from a year working in the Network Commission, when she worked closely with the local, she thinks she will be ‘able to bring more of local perspective into work of the Chair Team’. “What I mean by that”, she continues “is that I will try to include in our actions what I learnt during my term as a NetCommie – how Statutory Events are perceived and what challenges are connected with them. I believe it’s beneficial that Chair Team has a broad overview of the organisation.”

 
After losing the elections in Agora Cagliari against the current Secretary General Svenja van der Tol, Lia Tuska was elected in Kyiv. She was already secretary assistant several times and she said that secretaries need to have a good time management, be organised and have good listening skills and “you need to love what you are doing” she adds. The Secretary of the Agora is a task that not everybody wants to take, but minutes of the Agora are very important for us, as Lia confirmed: “I’ve been member of three different locals and only one of them actually shares the minutes of the local Agorae. I don’t live close to any of those cities anymore, so I cannot attend the local Agorae feeling that I don’t know anything about what is happening there if I don’t ask some of the members. […] That’s why I believe that minutes are important for people who cannot be there at the Agorae, for future generations, but also for the ones who are there to read what happened from an objective point of view”. According to CIA, minutes must be delivered within two months after the Agora/Epm and Lia is confident she will be able to meet the deadline. “I am glad that one of the most useful things that Leadership Summer School taught me is time management. I have already organised my time for after EPM and Agora Bergamo in order my minutes to be on time” she concludes.

 
Last but not least, Erik Steenman is the new IT assistant who decided to apply for the position because “ it will likely be my last chance to get a real taste of AEGEE-Europe. […] When I heard the applications for the IT-Responsible would open, I realised that if I would look back on my student life at that moment, I would likely regret not using my membership with AEGEE to go out into Europe more”. The IT position is prominent in an event that rely a lot on presentations and internet connection, that’s why Erik’s main task will be “making sure the Chair Team has a working internet connection, and that the correct presentation will be on-screen at the correct time. This shouldn’t be too hard if everyone would hand in their presentations in time. But of course that never happens”. Of course he will be actively involved in all Chair Team tasks. Erik will also deal with the Euth project that will be introduced during the upcoming Spring Agora Bergamo. Despite not being actively involved in the current work, he says that he will be in “setting up the infrastructure so we can test the new tools for the EUth project during the upcoming Agorae”.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona