Like every year, The AEGEEan is giving a platform to candidates for a position in the European Level boards and commissions of our association to answer to some questions in order to present themselves. This year, we established a cooperation with the Golden Times and, together with his Editor Gunnar Erth, former and current journalists of our magazine will interview the candidates for the upcoming Agora in Krakow. For the very last edition, we present you with the candidates for the position of President of AEGEE-Europe: Matis Joab (AEGEE-Tallinn) and Spyros Papadatos (AEGEE-Ioannina).

One of the two candidates is Matis Joab, former president of AEGEE-Tallinn. The 28yo brings to the elections skills a strong focus on locals and Network management and the goal to reduce bureaucracy in AEGEE.

Know him better with the interview here.

You can read Matis’ full candidature here.

One of the two candidates is Spyros Papadatos, current speaker of the Network Commission. The 23yo member of AEGEE-Ioannina made members the core of his program, wanting to implement the Strategy for Learning and Training of AEGEE (up to approval in Krakow).

Know him better by reading the interview here.

You can read Spyros’ full candidature here.

Like every year, The AEGEEan is giving a platform to candidates for a position in the European Level boards and commissions of our association to answer to some questions in order to present themselves. This year, we established a cooperation with the Golden Times and, together with his Editor Gunnar Erth, former and current journalists of our magazine will interview the candidates for the upcoming Agora in Krakow. Today we present you with the candidate for the position of  Youth Development Working Group Coordinator Desireé Van Lagen (AEGEE- Amsterdam) and  Antonis Triantafyllakis (AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca). Also, we are presenting you the candidate for Secretary General until the 31st of July Julia de Lange (AEGEE-Utrecht) and the candidate for Comité Directeur until the 31st of July Ksenia Lupanova (AEGEE-Moskva). 

Desireé Van Langen from AEGEE-Amsterdam is already a member of the Youth Development Working Group (YDWG). At the Agora in Kraków she wants to run for the position of Coordinator of the YDWG. Among her plans is more collaboration with the other Working Groups, the AEGEE-Academy and other European bodies – and she expresses her opinion about the locals’ awareness of the Focus Areas.

You can read Desireé’s application here.

Check her interview here.

After the Open Call for Interim Communications Director, Ksenia Lupanova was chosen as the new person to take care of AEGEE-Europe communications. Now, the AEGEE-Moskva member and former Speaker of the Public Relations Committee will present herself to the Agora as candidate for the same position, taking care of the portfolio until the end of this Comité Directeur’s term.

You can read her full candidature here.

Check her interview here.

Antonis Triantafyllakis from AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca is one of the best-known people in AEGEE. Not only because of his work as Academy Speaker or member of the Summer University Coordination Team. You can basically meet him at every corner of the Network and he knows AEGEE inside out. Now he wants to put his knowledge and skills in the service of the Youth Development Working Group (YDWG) – as its new Speaker.

You can read his full candidature here.

Check his interview here.

After the Open Call for Interim Secretary General, Julia de Lange was chosen as the new person to take care of the tasks. Now, the former AEGEE-Utrecht President will present herself to the Agora as candidate for the same position, taking care of the portfolio until the end of this Comité Directeur’s term. 

You can read her full candidature here.

Check her interview here.

Like every year, The AEGEEan is giving a platform to candidates for a position in the European Level boards and commissions of our association to answer to some questions in order to present themselves. This year, we established a cooperation with the Golden Times and, together with his Editor Gunnar Erth, former and current journalists of our magazine will interview the candidates for the upcoming Agora in Krakow. Today we present you with the candidature of  five members, all running for the four positions available for the members of the Comité Directeur: Alejandra Piot (AEGEE-A Coruña), Elena Efremova (AEGEE-Grodno), Evrim Emiroğlu (AEGEE-Eskişehir), Marco Daniele (AEGEE-Torino), Müge Güner (AEGEE-Muğla).

Alejandra Piot from AEGEE-A Coruña knows her strengths lie in the areas of network, communication and training, thanks to her experiences in AEGEE and in her academic life. The former NetCom Speaker and Editor-in-Chief of the Key to Europe is willing to give locals efficiency and transparency.

Check her interview here.

You can read Alejandra’s candidature here.

Elena Efremova from AEGEE-Grodno has been involved in several European Bodies, such as the Youth Mobility Working Group, ACT, Chair Team and now she is a member of the Network Commission. Running for CD, the history student would like to apply her mindset to her work, collecting data and researching what has been done in the past, to not reinvent the wheel.

You can read Elena’s full candidature here.

Find her interview here.

Evrim Emiroğlu is Vice-Speaker of the Network Commission and has been part of our organisation for six years. The 24-year old member of AEGEE-Eskişehir sees it as natural to take a step further and runs for the Comité Directeur at Agora Kraków, ideally for Network Director, but with a strong focus on restructuring the EPM.

Take a look at her interview here.

You can read Evrim’s full candidature here.

Two years in the Comité Directeur: not many people make that. Marco Daniele from AEGEE-Torino has been Network Director since last summer. Now he wants to run again – but this time he prefers to focus on switch to external relations and projects. “Since this year, thematics are again in the middle of the AEGEE interest. What we need now is a better usage of our resources”, Marco pointed out in his candidate interview.

Check his interview here.

You can read Marco’s full candidature here.

Müge Güner is one of the very few members, who actually founded a new antennae in recent years. Now she wants to apply her experience as founder and president of AEGEE-Muğla as CD member. She is one of five candidates for four places.

Check her interview here.

You can read Müge’s full candidature here.

She started her adventure with AEGEE in 2013 through Summer Universities, then actively participating in her antenna, AEGEE-Budapest. She was in her local board for two times, attended almost every local event and currently she is a member of the Mediation Commission. Recently, she was also main organiser of the conference “Education for the Present, Democracy for the Future”. She is Petra Buruzs, and she is our Member of the Month of April, with her work before and during her last – at least this is what she said – Agora being recognised with this nomination.

The AEGEEan: Can you tell us a few things about yourself?

Petra: I am Petra, from Budapest, and I do love my city but lately you can find me there, if Budapest is hosting an event. I love to organise, or coordinate or help and discover Budapest with participants but I am also addicted to travelling and I am aware of it. Nowadays I am still writing my thesis about AEGEE, and organising Erasmus+ projects.

When did you join AEGEE? Which projects do you work for?

Considering the fact that I kind of grew up in the voluntary and youth work field, it was just a matter of the time when I would be an AEGEE member. The magic moment came in 2013, when I met with Agnes Deme who was organising the SU in Budapest and after it I just went with the flow. My path in AEGEE was step by step: I started with active participation, later on HR mid-leader, then Vice-President of Internal Relations and Secretary as a board member, so basically I was there at almost all the local events and projects. Later on I started to open up more towards the European level as Sub-Com, and lived with the CD54 as CD assistant. Currently I am still a member of the Mediation Commission.

What kind of activities do you usually do in the Mediation Commission?

You cannot specify it, but there are several activities, according to the local’s need. For sure you have to be there and give suggestions, advice, NDAs and sometimes concrete decisions. In my term I would love to create a template which clarifies to members the difference between the advisory and the official cases.

What is your feedback as Main Organiser of the conference “Education for the Present- Democracy for the Future”?

That it was an honour to organise it; the Franck Biancheri award gave the huge opportunity to our local and the Network to organise, cooperate and participate to the conference. To experience that incredible amount of trust from the Association des Amis de Franck Biancheri was already a huge excitement and to find out the learning points of the co-operation was also a nice experience. So I can just suggest to locals to apply for next year!

Can you tell us something about the content of the “AEGEE Alumni event- Back to Budapest”? Which was the aim of this event?

The aim was to gather three generations of AEGEEans and provide a safe space for sharing experiences, memories, points of view and to realise again and again that we can still learn from the past and implement it in future, in terms of structure, motivations, multicultural environment, and creative  co-operational ways as well. Also the General Assembly of the Les Anciens took place and celebrated the years of success that we already left behind us.

Tell me the thing you like the most in AEGEE and why. 

Unconditional trust. – In the way that you have that playground under your feet, you can find several AEGEEans for support if it is needed but at the same time you can realise your crazy ideas and feel the seriousness, even if you are open up for sponsors and externals. In the way that if you would like to visit a city and you are searching for a host, we are able to trust blindly and give our house key to a person, of whom I only know he or she is also an AEGEE member. In the way that after twenty years you could hear a story with perfect details, like it just happened yesterday, and our connections (or babies) keep us together, in touch, in friendship or relationships. In the way that personal conflict might happen, but you still say that you are or you were an AEGEE member and it is a lifelong learning experience. In the way that you know if there is an AEGEE sticker, that place will be cool even if it is on another continent.

Which skills did you develop in AEGEE?

Let me list up with some example:

– Creativity – To create a song together with AEGEE-Budapest for Heidelberg who just stole our flag (during EPM 2017) or drawing flip-charts with closed eyes according to some instruction (during TNT Cluj 2016) or explain to a very strickt russian train conductor that you have a ticket, but you just cannot prove it, because your friend Balint Caesar, who is still not there two minutes before the departure time, has it (during NWM-Moscow 2016);

– Problem solving skills – The police came for a one-by-one check up, since during the European Night we were too loud (during Barcelona-Utrecht-Budapest Exchange 2015) or the canoe flipped over in the middle of the Velence lake and also the police came to rescue our participants (during Funtastic4 Summer University 2016);

– General IT skills – design trainings in Budapest, use of several communication channels (like Slack and Telegram) and during my secretary work with Intranet, supporting the members of my antenna from the background;

– Selective listening – During every event when you are an organiser;

– Communication – Internal and external as well, even if you are little and your voice is really quiet.

And I believe that there are many other skills I have not even realised yet.

Written by Matteo Lai, AEGEE-Cagliari 

As a professional developer, Fabrizio Bellicano from AEGEE-Genova has been very active on all IT-related aspects of AEGEE-Europe since 2014. But his commitment does not end there: he was among the organisers of EPM Zagreb and is a member of the newly revived Human Resources Committee. Now he is candidating as member of the Comité Directeur, and we interviewed him about his candidature and his programme.

The AEGEEan: What is the thing that over time you find most motivating in AEGEE?

Fabrizio: I am impressed about the potential that this organisation could reach, and the impact that has on its members (only on its members.. for now).

If you had to summarise why you are candidating in two sentences, what would you say?

To empower people, and to shape the future of European youth.

You are a professional developer. What do you think your professional experience can give AEGEE and what do you think a year in the CD could give you?

The main contribution I can give is of course technical: knowing what tools but also what methodology is best for a specific task. However, I am also a listener and a thinker, and I notice many things: for instance that people are hiding too much under the “oh, but I am a volunteer” shield even though they decided to take responsibility. I am planning to make it clear that there is a line between volunteering and having a work ethic, and the way to do that is to make work more fun and enjoyable. After all, we all claim that we join AEGEE not only for the fun, but also to get useful real-life experience for our future. Well it is time to demonstrate it! Since that is going to be my non-technical contribution, I expect to hone my soft skills in the meanwhile: while I am comfortable in speaking in front of an Agora, speaking now to the whole Network is a different scale!

Your programme is really ambitious. If you had to pick just one main goal, what would it be and why?

The creation of an AEGEE working culture, where work actually means fulfilling one’s responsibility (possibly in a fun environment). Work does not mean seriousness, work means achieving the objectives set: why not have fun during it?

In your mind map you ideally indicate no more than seven hours of work per day. Do you think that is achievable, considering that one of the main struggles of CD is the work-life balance?

I believe the CD has become too central in AEGEE: the CD should only coordinate the real workers, the Committees (the supporting bodies by definition). Unfortunately this is not happening: the IT Committee is 30% functional ever since I joined; the Human Resources Committee (HRC) is just being revamped (Andrea, Ana, Svenja – love), the Public Relations Committee (PRC) is not handling all it could/should (locals are still not Visual Identity (VI) compliant, so they are spending so much time on it). The result is that the CD needs to do it itself. My idea certainly cannot be implemented within one year only, but by promoting a culture in which people actually want to join Committees (to do real things, not for their public image), this will become more affordable. That said, it is also psychological: a happy worker is a productive worker, but a busy worker does not mean s/he does things.

You mention that you want to achieve “healthy habits (…) to make us willing to follow them”. How would you pursue that?

This has so many aspects that I do not know where to actually start. Probably the most clear is the “recognition culture” that we don’t have. When was last time that somebody thanked a specific local or person for something they have done? When was last Agora that you’ve heard “the next Agora will be hosted by AEGEE-X but thanks to AEGEE-Y and AEGEE-Z who put themselves in play and applied to host our most important event”? I just read an email thanking “all the locals who participated to the AEGEE Day”: who are they? I know that starting with the habit of saying “Thank you”, the motivation can increase greatly. What happens instead is that at Agorae, you can only see people getting on stage to throw excrements at each other, or stating their opinion instead of leading by example. This has to change.

Knowledge transfer is a well-known struggle in AEGEE. Can you elaborate on how you would envision it?

An important role into that will be taken by a new IT system (O RLY?), but before having it ready (we are almost there, by the way. Thanks to Nico, Flaviu, Sergey, Derk – but really, only four people who joined in the last two years?) I will take care of some “quick wins” both in IT perspective and on the HR side. IT-wise, new services popping out every time (thanks to cheap/free/NGO discounts for always-more-common technology and services) will make it possible to “renew” the IT infrastructure, where tools can be installed and maintained more easily. HR-wise, it is about fostering cooperation between locals for real – not just pretending to exchange best practices at Network Meetings with only a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) session. Exchanges between antennae should not be just “A goes to B to party, then B goes to A to party”, but have some content: and not by statute or by regulations or whatever, but simply because it is NICE to do so.

Questions from the Network

We know that the final task division will be done only during the Knowledge Transfer, but what is the position you would like to cover?

‘Classic’ positions are a myth; responsibilities shift between positions all the time. That is why I talked about things I want to tackle, so to apply my transversal skills; that is why I have put forth questions I want to solve, instead of just a “named position”. I believe my tasks are mainly focused towards human resources, though not necessarily stay in that field and instead expand to communications (I want to be involved in everything we do as a team and act as its motivator) or into IT, undoubtedly the most neglected part of the organisation in the last three/nine years.

What is your experience in writing grants?

I don’t have any. I believe this question comes from my (probably unclear) point in the mind map about applying to as many grants as possible: what I was thinking of in particular is simply that we should promote the culture of fundraising – as in, it does *not* mean begging (as some cultures perceive it). Thus, again, my focus is into changing the mindset (for the locals), not really into applying for grants (for AEGEE-Europe).

You can read his full candidature here.

Written by Federica Soro, AEGEE-Cagliari

Florian Hauger is a member of AEGEE-Heidelberg and the current president of the local. His experience in the local and as assistant to a Member of Parliament of Baden-Württemberg helped him decide to run for this position. We asked him some questions in order to find out more about him and his wish to become the next Secretary General.

The AEGEEan: Florian, can you describe yourself in five words?

Florian: Sociable, curious, passionate, caring and AEGEE-addicted.

You are the only candidate for the Secretary General. Why do you think is that?

I really do not know. Secretary General of AEGEE-Europe is an incredibly interesting and exciting job. On the other hand, it is probably one of the busiest and most time-consuming jobs in the headoffice. Balancing both in- and external tasks is quite a challenge. Maybe that is what scared people off. But previous secretaries Svenja van der Tol and Kasha Sokolowska proved that it is manageable by doing an amazing job. They are both AEGEEans to look up to and I am happy they convinced me that Secretary General is the right position to run for.

Why do you think that the position of Secretary General fits you best?

I have always been deeply impressed by the wonderful projects and events in our locals across the continent. There cannot be enough appreciation and support for their amazing contribution. Two terms in the board of AEGEE-Heidelberg taught me about the daily challenges of local frontline duty and how to deal with problems. Renewing the bond between locals and headquarter is the most pressing issue in the upcoming term. Apart from its internal and administrative tasks, the position covers external representation, too. As primary contact in the house, I could help our bodies to develop their ideas as well as making them recognised in Brussels. The hybrid character between grassroots and politics in Brussels is extremely tempting and probably one of the main reasons I decided to run for Secretary General instead of External Relations.

You mentioned visa issues and the political impact in your programme. How would you make EU politicians understand the meaning of the barriers for us, for AEGEEans?

Indeed. We should use AEGEE’s formal access to the European institutions to strive for our vision and promote improvements like visa affiliations. Many politicians do care about our work and the situation of young people in- and outside the European Union. AEGEE-Heidelberg just managed to get a visit from our Minister of Research to talk about exceptions for tuition fees for foreigners. I would like to use my political experience as MP assistant to promote AEGEE’s goals. Meetings and hearings in Brussels are great opportunities to make our ideas recognised in European politics. We should also not forget that we are not alone. As a member organisation, AEGEE enjoys the support of its influential umbrella organisations, such as European Movement International (EMI) or the European Youth Forum. If we want to have an impact in Brussels, we need to work together! I am not a wizard and won’t make promises but I will never quit fighting for our vision!

What will be the first thing that you will do in case you get elected?

We have four people running from my local in Enschede. We will probably need to kill a bottle of Bourbon in case all of us get elected. Hint: please vote Viola, Álvaro and Fabian, too! They are amazing! AEGEE-Heidelberg rulez!

Tell us the most relevant aspects of your candidature and why should people vote for you.

As stated above, I would like to renew the bond between AEGEE-Europe and its antennae. The passionate work of the locals is the backbone of our Network and deserves the best support from Brussels. I want to be there for the locals. Unfortunately, AEGEE is losing more and more members and locals every year. We should not panic but start to discuss new ways to get more young people excited about our amazing organisation. My local work in Heidelberg helped me understanding the importance of promotion and recruitment. If we want to raise our numbers, we need to raise AEGEE’s visibility – both on the local and European dimension of our Network. Let’s make people understand we are not AIESEC!

Due to my EaP background and the lack of candidates from outside the European Union, I’d also like to speak up for our members from non-EU countries. Although most AEGEEans enjoy visa-free regimes, many members from non-EU countries still need to apply for costly and time-consuming visas to attend AEGEE events abroad. I already stated that I will keep on fighting for youth mobility and visa affiliations. Everyone should be able to attend AEGEE-events. It breaks my heart that it is still not affordable for everyone. That is why I also strive for more social fund promotion in the Network.

Question from the Network

In the CD you share house and office with Financial Director, other members and President. The work of the CD is really dependent on the President and her vision of AEGEE. Which candidate would you prefer to work with, Reka or Loes?

Although I appreciate Réka’s long years of service, I support the candidature of Loes Rutten. She is kind, smart, lion-hearted and a true AEGEEan. I had the pleasure to work with her during the preparations for EPM Zagreb and appreciate her reliability, passion and creativity. We share the same vision for the future of AEGEE and how to get more people inspired about our beloved organisation. Furthermore, I really enjoyed reading her programme. Both of us value our locals’ hard work and agree that there should be more support provided by the Comité Directeur. Let’s hope we can take our ideas into action!

What is your experience in taking minutes in English?

Working in different European Bodies renewed my appreciation of proper protocols. Successful teamwork and transparent communication require conscientious recording. Especially my engagement in the EPM Zagreb Content Team was a great opportunity to gain some experience in minute-taking.

What is your experience in writing grants?

Two years of local board experience taught me that sustainable fundraising strategies are crucial for our development and progression. AEGEE-Heidelberg receives both institutional and public grants we need to apply for every year. Furthermore, we obtain generous support and partial coverage of our European events by the University of Heidelberg Students Council. The financial stability of AEGEE-Heidelberg has always been a team performance and I do not claim to be an expert on fundraising. I will do my best and hope I am going to make a contribution towards the projects’ funding.

You can read his full candidature here.

Written by Raluca Radu, AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca

If you have not heard her name yet, you must have been living under a rock. María is (among other things) member of the Civic Education Working Group, content manager of Europe on Track 2016/2017, moderator of the Gender Equality Interest Group and an AEGEE-Academy trainer. Her next step: running for Member of the Comité Directeur. Let’s get to know her personality and programme even better!

The AEGEEan: Hi María! Only a few weeks until Spring Agora Enschede! Are you ready?

María: Nobody is never fully ready for an Agora! I am really looking forward to it.

What makes you a perfect candidate for the Comité Directeur?

Whether I am the perfect candidate or not, is up to the Agora to decide. Being a CD assistant last year for 2,5 months definitely gave me a good insight into what it is like to be a CD member, so I am fully aware of what I am committing to and I am willing to do it. Among my tasks was the responsibility for the archives of AEGEE-Europe, a challenge that provided me with good knowledge about our association since it was founded, a deep understanding of what has been done and what is being done currently and many ideas and inspiration. Apart from that, I consider all my AEGEE experience really valuable for my learning process and therefore to my potential contribution to this position. I also consider my ability to multitask a big asset if I get elected. For several years now I have been used to simultaneously performing many tasks and carrying them out successfully, leading to more efficiency in my work. Last but not least, thanks to my studies (Translation and Interpreting, and Political Science) I come with good theoretical and practical knowledge that would be useful in representing AEGEE.

You want to give Interest Groups a bigger role in AEGEE. How do you want to implement this idea?

Firstly, I found a lack of knowledge of their potential, and a lack of guidance when it comes to internal structure. Of course, being flexible can be an asset for Interest Groups, so I would like to offer them guidance and regular meetings among the Interest Groups’ coordinators and active members to share best practices. In the end, it is a matter for each Interest Group to find their own identity within our organisation, but all possibilities should be on the table from the beginning.

Secondly, one of the biggest disadvantages that I find in Interest Groups is the lack of real-life meetings, which serve multiple purposes, among which team-building and developing projects, ideas and activity plans. In my opinion, progress meetings at Agorae for them should be given a priority, as they could be crucial for their development. Besides, resources should be allocated in order to allow them having real-life meetings in the CD house, just like the other thematic bodies.

Connecting the two points mentioned before, in real-life meetings (or even online), training in project management, moderation and other needs of the Interest Groups should be carried out. The Academy has plenty of materials to provide in this sense, so that these groups feel empowered to unlock their potential.

Finally, I want to foster cooperation among the thematic bodies of AEGEE. Working Groups and Interest Groups can easily work together and collaborate to organise thematic activities and to support each other, as well as with the NetCom and ACT. Furthermore, in the end we are all members of locals, so the more a member with an interest and knowledge on a topic feels supported, the more thematic local activities will happen, and I believe a domino effect could start in this sense.

What are your thoughts on the new Focus Areas for AEGEE chosen at Autumn Agora Chisinau? Is there a specific one close to your own interests?

The current CD did an amazing job representing the Network in the best way possible in the development of the new Strategic Plan, a real democratic process. I was at the Ideas Factory in León and it was amazing to see so many people engaged and motivated in the discussions. So I think the new Focus Areas are ready to be a success, and also I am very happy to see that there are candidates for the four future Working Groups and many more people interested in joining them.

To be honest, I feel connected to all four of the new Focus Areas, as I have worked in a related area in one way or another. I am a member of the CEWG, moderator of the GEIG and a member of the Academy. I study Political Science specialising in the European Union and last year Europe on Track had as its main topic “Borderless Europe”. However, I must point out that I was most involved in the development of Equal Rights, as it is the most revolutionary Focus Area and it had a lot of work behind it. That process taught me a lot about advocating and defending your ideals, compromising and being true to your values, as well as leadership. I wish all the members to have such an intense and exciting experience in AEGEE.

There are multiple people running for External Director. Do you see yourself fit for any other CD position?

Yes, in Projects Director, due to my personal experience. However, I would like to point out that the tasks of CD are flexible and in the end all members of the team do external representation. Furthermore, all members of the team are appointed to a number of European Bodies. My preference is to take both a part of the External Relations portfolio and part of that of Projects Director, as I also think that, for the latter, handling all bodies is an impossible task that should be divided.

If you had to choose one aspect of your programme, what would be the most important one?

Connecting AEGEE with the external world and other stakeholders through thematics is the basis of my programme. More specifically, I would like to highlight enhancing our External Relations in all dimensions and contexts of AEGEE, which is more detailed in the answer to your last question.   

What are your personal strengths? And your weaknesses?

Strengths:

–      Being a solution-oriented person with creativity to find solutions, taking into account different perspectives.

–      I am a seeker of consensus. I believe dialogue and common understanding are always possible and beneficial, leaving space for everyone to contribute and express themselves.

–      I consider myself a responsible and committed person.

Weaknesses     

–      Due to the fact that I have lived in different cities since I joined AEGEE, my local experience is limited, not having been a board member of any antenna. This experience has allowed me to know the reality of different locals and the diversity of the Network at some extent, though I have a lot to learn and I hope to be given the opportunity to do so from the European Board.

–      As I am a very active person and there are many topics that motivate me, I tend to take (too) many tasks, and this is a concern I have if I am elected to be part of the CD, as having too many tasks does not mean that you are performing well in all of them.

–       I have to admit that my memory is not my best skill. I always carry a notebook with me to write everything down and set reminders often not to forget anything.

Are there any aspects where, in your opinion, external representation of AEGEE is lacking right now? Do you have a strategy to improve this during your term as CD member? 

In my opinion, the main problem of AEGEE’s external representation is the limited human resources that we have. Of course, this would be solved by developing a Secretariat that would allow the CD to take less bureaucratic tasks and therefore to be able to improve our external representation.

An idea I have discussed with Maarten and that will be probably on the table already before his term is the possibility to create a Committee grouping all the Liaison Officers and Pool of Representatives. Some of the objectives of this initiative will be to coordinate our actions on external representation and more easily share practices, contacts and information, while at the same time individual support to each one of them from the CD is provided.

As stated in my programme, I think many European Bodies (Working Groups and not only), with the support of AEGEE-Europe, could develop partnerships and collaborations with relevant partners in their fields of expertise. I would like to develop, together with them, a strategy to cover this field in an appropriate way for them, providing them also with contacts and opportunities to approach other stakeholders in their topics.

Another thing AEGEE is lacking currently is positions in current issues. Not having a clear position on certain topics of relevance makes us unable to send a clear message or to represent a clear perspective or idea, which ultimately is detrimental for our external relations. Encouraging our members to make research and consultation and take initiative in such positions, with the support of the CD, will empower our members to take ownership of current issues and take also further action, involve a bigger number of people, create awareness on different topics and connect them with AEGEE-Europe, among others.

Questions from the Network

With the juridical statement about late candidatures, explain why we should consider yours valid when you only started to write motivation and programme just on the 28th. Don’t you think that almost one week after the deadline to insert, not to improve, is too much?
According to the current system, candidates are allowed to edit their candidatures a certain number of days after the deadline has passed, a fact that I personally consulted with the Juridical Commission. Due to the fact that the days prior the deadline I was at the Education for the Present, Democracy for the Future Conference in Budapest, for which I was Content Manager, and a number of unforeseen issues, I was not able to finalise and insert my full candidature in the system by the deadline. This said, I do not think it is my competence to decide whether my candidature should be accepted or not, as it was submitted on time and according to the rules. If the Network thinks this system is not appropriate, a new one should be proposed and voted at Agora to be changed for the future.

In CD you share house and office with Financial Director, Secretary General and President. The work of the CD is really very dependent on the President and her vision for AEGEE. Which candidate do you prefer to work with, Réka or Loes?

First of all, I would like to state that the answer to this question is strictly professional, referring to ideas and working aspects. After having read both candidatures and talked to both of them, I can affirm that Loes and me have a very similar vision of AEGEE for the upcoming year. We share many points and believe in small, concrete changes rather than in revolutionary ideas, and would like to see more action and thematics in our association, for which the implementation of the new Strategic Plan and its first Action Agenda in the upcoming year will be crucial. Furthermore, we see the team dynamics and life in the house in the same way, being her leadership style supportive and empowering, which is, in my opinion, one of the main roles of the president. Finally, I can say we are on the same page as we belong to the same AEGEE generation, willing to provide new energy and ideas to our association.

What is your experience in writing grants?

I was the responsible to write the Franck Biancheri Award Grant from EoT and the CEWG, together with AEGEE-Budapest. I have also been part of the team writing the grant for an international activity for the European Youth Foundation for a training course on gender equality, led by Noemi Lowi and Kasia, together with other GEIG members, which will be submitted in October. As content manager of EoT, I have supervised and provided content for several grants we applied for as a project. I am aware this experience is not enough, and I am willing to train myself in this precious skill in different ways, as I did in November 2016 by doing the online course on Erasmus+ opportunities and grant writing.  

We know that the final task distribution will be done only during KT, but what is the position you would like to cover?

My main preference would be External Relations Director.

You can read her full candidature here

Written by Mireille Voorendt, AEGEE-Utrecht

Since Giuseppe became a member in 2014, he has been active on a lot of different levels in AEGEE. Event and Agora organiser for AEGEE-Catania, SubCom of the Juridical Commission, SubCom of the NetCom and most recently: job shadower of CD is just the tip of the iceberg. Now he is on track to contribute to our organisation even more actively as he is running for Member of Comité Directeur. So let’s get to know Giuseppe even better!

The AEGEEan: Hi Giuseppe! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Giuseppe: Hi, I’m Giuseppe Aquilino, I’m 28 and I am from Aegee-Catania. I study law at the University of Catania. Law is what I really love (keep in mind that I started to think about law when I was a child – I always had a very big sense of justice and always wanted to be active part in initiatives related to legality, as visiting prisons in my birthplace and talking to prisoners about the value of legality  and so on, for a project developed in my high school and created by my teachers and me) . My dream is to become a judge one day (and, if lucky, a judge of CGUE). I am specialising in European Criminal law and I should be graduated at the end of June. I joined AEGEE in 2014 and I started to become very active because I started to love the association since the first time. Now I am subcommissioner of the current JC, I was subcommissioner of Network commissioner Lisa, that I admire really much (especially for the task she gave to me: national beurocracy – I know, boring but I liked it – and organisation) and for the love she has for AEGEE. Now I want to be part of the CD as you all know, because, as I wrote in my programme, AEGEE gave me a lot and it’s time to give AEGEE something back. Some friends asked me: “Why not the JC?”. I love the Juridical Commission; being a SubCom of the JC was the most beautiful experience in my life as AEGEEan BUT I want to be more active to contribute actively to the decisional process of the organisation. I want to be as much active as I can.

We can read in your application that you have been a CD job shadower. What vital experience have you learned from those days?

“I was CD job shadower” is not completely exact. I mean I was “Maarten’s nightmare” for two days. I was, I think, annoying him every time, with questions and stuff, but he was (and is) too kind for telling me to go ahead, so he was patient and he explained to me as much as he could. What did I learn from those days? Well, I learnt that two days are not enough, and I learnt how hard is it to work “in da house” but I also learnt that you (me in this case) have to firstly trust yourself: if you want to do it, you can do it. And last but not least, I learnt that if I will be elected, I will go to Bruxelles before the “knowledge transfer period” in order to stress all CD members and to learn as much as I can, also contributing to their work and doing as much as I can.

There are multiple people running for External Director. Do you see yourself fit for any other CD position?

I saw that, after me, other friends started to run for External Relations director so I didn’t think about another position. Of course that position is the closest to me, but, of course, if elected, the most important thing, for me, is AEGEE’s own good. That means I will cover any position needed. It doesn’t matter how hard it is to learn everything needed for the position I could have after the CD task division. And after all, during these days, I was working as local HR for AEGEE (our HR broke his leg) in “university box” in Catania. So, why not starting to stress a bit Lia, our HR director.

You want to promote ‘AEGEE identity’ through traditional and new media channels. What is your view on what the ‘AEGEE identity’ is?

The answer to this question is very easy. I studied a lot about AEGEE identity, also because I am an active member of my local and I always start to talk about identity – at European level, to the new members. We have three “levels” in our identity: Vision, mission and means. The vision is related to the kind of Europe that AEGEE dreams of (democratic, diverse and borderless Europe, which is socially, economically and politically integrated, and values the participation of young people in its construction and development); the mission is to have a role in reaching this vision, so AEGEE empowers students and young people in Europe to take an active role in society, creating a space for dialogue and learning opportunities as well as acts as their representative towards decision-makers and also AEGEE strengthens mutual understanding and brings Europe closer to young people. And 3^rd we arrive to the means, i.e. tools AEGEE uses in its work to achieve its mission, that are the methods we are using in the activities that our association carries out: we have Intercultural Exchange; Personal Development and Non Formal Education; Thematic Projects; Advocacy and Policy and Forum for Discussion. In my vision, we “just” have to promote all of that and let the people discover how amazing AEGEE is. We can do it, I can’t do it, not alone, but all together we will find a way to come back to the period in which AEGEE was very strong, and we will make AEGEE stronger. A vison to the future but learning from the past.

In your programme we can read you want to do more about the knowledge the Network has about the external relations, especially for new members. What is the value of educating the new AEGEE members on what AEGEE does externally? 

There is an immense value to that. I mean, during the Agora there are a lot of people that are delegates, but, many of them have no idea what a Strategic Plan is, or what they are really voting for, or something like that. It’s just “internal knowledge” they miss of what AEGEE really does. Can you imagine the same for what AEGEE does externally? I mean, we had a lot of results in our mission to be borderless for example. Who really knows about that? My big experience on that comes from my own local: new members (what a mess!) think AEGEE is just fun, Erasmus world, parties and so on; I tested the ground during our main events where I was delegate, the Agora, and people from other locals thought the same, except for the fact that in our European events there are not Erasmus but only AEGEEans. So, let’s try to teach what AEGEE really means, of course in an “easy way”, in a “fun way”, but let’s teach, and that includes also, if not at the top, what AEGEE really does in Europe. Let’s give to our new members a bit of our love for AEGEE and give them the tools to develop their own love.

What are your thoughts on the new Focus Areas for AEGEE chosen at Autumn Agora Chisinau? Is there a specific one close to your own heart?

I was in Chisinau and I was there during the discussion of the choice of the new focus areas. It doesn’t matter if there is or there is not one close to my own heart. I respect Agora, the decision of delegates that represent all the local, so I will work (if elected) for all of them. Maybe one year is not enough, but, you know, if elected I will do my best from the CD, if not elected I will do my best from my own local, I love AEGEE and I respect all the ideas and the points of the new Strategic Plan. But, I can’t deny that I like the aim “Promote civic education by increasing the civic competences of young people and by putting civic education on the political agenda” from the thematic focus area and I like all the organisational improvement of the new Strategic Plan, each part, each point.

What are your strengths and weaknesses as a person?

As for strengths, I am very patient and I never give up: I try and try and try till the time I achieve my goal. Weaknesses? Well I didn’t think seriously about that, I think, maybe, I take care of the opinions of other people and often I try to find a common point, but I don’t think it is a weakness. I could see a defect as a weakness: I am stubborn.

Finally, since the work of the CD is greatly dependent on the vision of the President. Do you have a preference to work with either Réka or Loes as President?

It is a very bad question you know? I have no preference. I know both of them, I like them and I like their programmes (I really read both their programmes). I am feeling comfortable in any case if elected and I, of course, will do my best in one case or in the other. I just say to them both: you are awesome! Good luck to all of you, and I hope to work with you at the house.

Questions from the Network

What is your experience in writing grants?  

My experience in writing grants? I’m writing all the grants for the next agora Catania as member of the legal team. Every kind of grant. I also prepare grants for rentals in my experience in “Anfitrione project” in Catania with students of the Erasmus project that need help in Catania. I am a legal counselor in three different condos.

We know the final task distribution is done during KT, but what is the position you would like to cover?

I thought my programme was clear, maybe I have to look at it again. I would like to be External Relations and Communications Director but, if needed, I will be flexible for AEGEE’s own good.

In your programme you are mentioning communication, external relations and the Academy. What are your relevant experiences in these fields, since you haven’t done much on the European level?

I know I have not much experience in the European level of AEGEE, but, you know, in my opinion for sure it is important but not fundamental. I mean, if I was a commissioner of any other commission, would I have maybe any experience in the CD work? I don’t think so. I mentioned the Academy because I believe in the collaboration between all the European Bodies. I mentioned ER because I always worked with other institution, of course at the local level, but after all I studied European institutions, international law, European Union law, I know how they work and I also, let me say that, know how to formulate a request or anything else to a public institution or European body, I can understand rules of civil and common law and, consequently, I can find the proper way to contact them in each country. Of course, to have a positive feedback is another thing. About communication, I wrote in my application I was press responsible for my high school and, in AEGEE, I am in the IT & press working group, of course I am there for the press and not for IT. About the Academy, there is a guy in the Academy that is my mentor, he talks to me about his ideas, his vision of AEGEE and also the Academy. I agree with his vision and I think CD and Academy can collaborate. Isn’t the main point the future of the association? May the Academy refuse to help AEGEE to become stronger? I don’t have much experience, it’s true, that’s why I need help from the Academy, they “teach”, they are experienced, and I trust them. I also want to learn as much as I can also because I will be not at the top if elected. Conversely I must learn more than before, in order to do everything as better as I can, because, as I learnt during my first experience in Europe (and I was just a SubCom), European bodies in AEGEE – especially the CD – exist to protect and to serve the association. Of course the CD leads, but it can lead only if followed, and to be followed it must serve and protect. I promise: if elected I will do my best to serve and protect.

You can read his full candidature here.

Written by Mireille Voorendt, AEGEE-Utrecht

Here you have one of the candidates for the Comité Directeur: Adonis Meggos, from AEGEE-Peiraias. He is the project manager for the Drinkwise project, the financial manager for Your Vision for EUrope, moderator of the Migration Interest Group and active member of the Language Interest Group, and now he would like to put forward some ideas about statutory events. He is ready to spend one year in the AEGEE House by filling any position in the CD. Read the article for his candidature. 

Adonis Meggos, AEGEE-Peiraias: Adonis Meggos is a multicultural being that seeks a busy living. A passionate, motivated, dreamer he claims to be. And it is on his AEGEE profile, where he spends 55% of his time. That person is me and I am partly a nerd (gamer~Nintendo fanatic, comics & series addict~DC supporter, ex-drummer~3 LIVEs). I want to improve my already healthy lifestyle (cycling, following a diet, attending the gym). And I, that extroverted and hard-working person, can always find a way to relax.

Why did you choose to apply for this European position?

I’ve gathered enough experience and knowledge through these four years and I think it is time to take the final, most challenging step. Being a member of the Comité Directeur is not an easy task for sure. Dedicating a year to volunteering is not a problem. I love AEGEE, but living inside the house is a problem indeed. A house with mold on the wall, crazy showers, zero soundproofing and (as we know) not the best internet connection. That “living with your colleagues and working with your friends” situation seems to be the hardest level of social interaction. But I know what I am applying for and I say … Bring it on!

What would you like to do as a member of the CD?

I am open to any position and that means, wherever/whenever I notice something that can be improved I will focus on it. On the other hand, during the task division I will be in charge of several responsibilities. However, I have always been a team player in my local board and inside European bodies. I was also leading the Drinkwise team and I had to overcome many obstacles in order to build up from nothing a fully functioning and well known AEGEE project. I have a creative and bold personality. I will try to solve issues related to the organisational tasks which are directly connected to some AEGEE upgrades I am planning to work on.

How do you envision the future of AEGEE and what can you contribute to it as a CD member?

I want to see AEGEE growing again in numbers. All those global changes made many people lose their faith in the European idea and it is up to the younger generation to reformulate it. To bridge the gap between Eastern and Western Europe. To develop a prosperous feeling for a sustainable and united future. AEGEE is the right place to start if you are seeking self development. You can dream big and have an impact, presenting your worthy ideas for our common future. Because the followers will approach and support you voluntarily. AEGEE also has to raise critical thinking and support constructive debates within its members. Otherwise, we may end up victims of manipulation and populism. Fight against drama and replace it with fruitful discussions. Allow anyone to raise his/her voice and speak up for personal beliefs. Because our association is just a mixture of individuals that share a common vision. And the only way to contribute to this purpose is by equal participation and equal responsibilities.

How did you learn some basic French and Russian?

I have studied French at school for three years but I haven’t been practicing it regularly. During my first SU in Sankt-Petersburg, I developed an interest in the Russian culture and language. After the SU, I attended a conference at my university about EU-Russia relations and BRICS association. A year passed learning the Russian language, which I tried to speak during the NWM Moskva and the LTC Sankt-Petersburg but Русский язык очень трудный!

Do you have any plans for the 30th anniversary of the SU Project?

The SUpporters Interest Group has already started the working preparations for the upcoming celebration. I will secure its success by supporting it on behalf of the Comité Directeur. I will also search for previous active members of SUCT and other relevant Alumni. The Editor in Chief of the 25th anniversary, Hara Kogkou, was still active in AEGEE-Peiraias when I joined and she explained to me everything about that project.

Can you tell us something about “EU Debt & Refugee Crisis” event?

The “EU Debt & Refugee Crisis” was just a part of our local’s campaign. We are an antenna that has been very sensitive to the refugee crisis because of our city’s location, which is the first city/port in EU territory. At the time of the conference I had huge amounts of work for my job and that’s why I only helped with the preparation. I attended the evenings (where I was asking the participants to cover me on the content and to send me feedback). Unfortunately I missed the speech of the former President of the Greek Parliament, Zoe Konstantopoulou, about her experience of the “Truth Committee on Public Debt” but we recorded it. No wonder why I joined the Your Vision for EUrope team a couple of months later.

What do you suggest to make more AEGEE members able to approach a European body?

<<To make more AEGEE members able to approach an European body>> requires more AEGEE members in general. I think the answer is: Better Internal Communication and rebuilding our Recruiting Policy. About the Internal Communication I will introduce a new system during my presentation. AEGEE suffers from shrinking. Locals’ human resources affect highly the human resources of European Bodies. And the European Bodies lack in human dynamic and funds. If we manage to strengthen each European body then there is no doubt that the locals will approach them for content-filled events.

Can you tell us what CIRC is for newbies?

They say that organisational bodies of AEGEE are the unseen heroes. Corporate & Institutional Relations Committee is probably the most underestimated European Body because only there are you able to provide materialistic fuel for our organisation. CIRC supports the work of AEGEE-Europe by ensuring its financial sustainability and providing help on fundraising strategy. They support locals and other European Bodies on fundraising issues. It is the Bruce Wayne of AEGEE.

How quickly do you answer e-mails?

This interview took me two days to fill, it is an exception. Lia Touska showed me some guidelines for organising my gmail account. I use the filters correctly and whenever I hear the notification in my phone I check it immediately. If it requires a fast response I reply immediately. Otherwise, I reply as soon as I have access to a computer.

Questions from the Network

What is your experience in writing grants?

For corporate grants I never faced an occasion where there was not a prototype paper available. I just had to change a paragraph or two. For institutional grants my experience is limited to financial parts, preparation of the budget with an explanation for the estimated expenses. I am far from being an expert on fundraising. I feel that one person is not enough for all the fundraising and financial tasks. I have some knowledge of finance and I will support the work of the Financial Director whenever it is needed.

You are mentioning Agora Reform. Can you state what is your experience within Agora Reform since you were not part of the Task Force?

I have heard about the task force but I got to know it accidentally, when I messed up with the rooms during Agora Bergamo. Even though I was a delegate, I was totally absorbed by Maarten’s progress meeting and so I went late to my prytania. I attended both Share meetings from the last two Agorae, where Agora reform was always on the table. But most importantly, when Pablo’s article with the title “We Are Making AEGEE Great. Or Are We ?” created the crosstalk in the Facebook group, we asked Maarten to open up the meetings of the task force so anyone interested could have the chance to understand the work of the task force. I attended that open meeting and while I was job shadowing Lia Touska, I had the chance to participate in another one.

In general what is your experience within the Agora?
I attended Agora Patra as an organiser in the social team. I had only night tasks so during the day I was entering different slots, which I found interesting. In Agora Bergamo I was a delegate and I had no time to relax at all. In Agora Chișinău I attended both as envoy and helper. I managed to have a double role because I informed the organisers which slots I wanted to attend in advance. In Agora Enschede I will be a delegate again. It may be exhausting but the responsibility towards my local is a task I gladly take. In conclusion I have attended only three Agorae, but I’ve had the chance to experience all the different roles.

What are your ideas for our statutory events?

There is nothing more beautiful than the view of “hugging session” during the first day of a statutory event. The statutory events are the best opportunity for massive reunions. But statutory events have another role. For the Agorae I believe that delegates are overloaded with the obligation to attend prytanias where visitors go for sightseeing or attending progress meetings and workshops (probably more interesting than prytanias). For the European Planning Meeting we are spending one and a half days on a well prepared conference and one and a half days on a drafting procedure for the Action Agenda. Afterwards the proposed A.A. will be edited many times through online inputs and then ratified at the Spring Agora. Something is wrong with the whole current structure. I believe the European Board Meetings could be reintroduced as completely reformed statutory events adapted to the current needs of AEGEE. We have to think outside the box.

We know that the final task distribution will be done only during the CD Knowledge Transfer, but what is the position you would like to cover?

Being the Financial Director for AEGEE-Europe is not something that everybody wants, unfortunately. But the ones that do want are extremely motivated. We have Teresa Carene Kiambu from AEGEE-Udine as a candidate for this position, and below you can find her motivation for becoming the next Financial Director of AEGEE.

The AEGEEan: Teresa, can you describe yourself in five words?

Teresa: For who does not know me, my name is Teresa, but everybody calls me Terry. I am 25 years old and I come from Udine, a small city in the North-East of Italy, even if I have African origins. About myself I can say that I am ambitious, perfectionist, open minded, dynamic and a cheerful person. I love to make new experiences and to improve myself and the environment that is around me, so I hope that running for the Financial Director’s position will be for me a chance for adding something positive to AEGEE.

You started in your local as treasurer and then president. How do you think that this influenced you in deciding to run for Financial Director?

Since I was treasurer in my local, I dreamt to be Financial Director one day, because I really believe in the impact and in the power of AEGEE, but I didn’t have the possibility to run for it until now because I was focusing more on the local level and on the other responsibilities that I had. Being in the local board as Treasurer and then President and having to deal with many tasks, issues and experiences at local level, but also having the possibility to be part of the Audit Commission as SubCommissioner and of the Migration Interest Group at the European level, and seeing the good results I achieved with my mates at local and European level, despite some difficult moments; all these things, little by little increased my desire to become Financial Director. So, working in teams for so much time gave me the opportunity of experiencing teamwork, ripening the sense of responsibility, respecting deadlines.

You are the only candidate for the position of Financial Director. Why do you think is that?

I think that financial stuff has always been seen as something difficult and unintelligible within AEGEE and in the world. All things related to numbers, calculations, accounting have always been not appealing for people in general, and AEGEE as the mirror of the nowadays young Europe reflect this fact, the small appeal that finance has within people.

You have experience in the financial department, but mostly at local level and theoretical. How will the knowledge that you have help you manage some unknown situations at a higher level?

The theoretical knowledge I have about the financial subject is a strong foundation for the position I am running, as I will be engaged, in case I am elected, in accounting, budgeting, reporting. I have been studying economics for almost five years at University, and since I have started my master’s degree, I have been learning economics from the theoretical point of view but even from the practical point of view, as I attended some practical courses that gave me the opportunity to get in touch with some firms, analysing their balance sheets, budgets, reports and having to solve and give advice on some issues they had: in a few words, I can say I was engaged in consultancy manner and problem-solving processes, and this is a quite important part within AEGEE and the Comité Directeur, as AEGEE-Europe is comparable to a “firm”, where not every future situation is known in advance, but despite this, is faced. In fact, I know that not having been in the Comité Directeur before I will face some unknown situations, but it happened even at local level; this fact didn’t make me give up, rather made me understand that for achieving the best results you should fight and use the knowledge you have as a starting point. Let’s also not forget that I will be part of a team.

One of your direction in your programme is fundraising. How do you see fundraising as a candidate for Financial Director and for AEGEE-Europe?

To be Financial Director means to be the one who is engaged in the management and control of the economic flows, outflows and inflows. In fact the balance sheet, the budgets and the reports are documents that show people which was the performance of the entity they refer to. As I see the fundraising, it is a way of improving and increase the inflows, not only in monetary terms, but even in terms of having more opportunities for AEGEEans all over Europe, making some agreements and partnerships. In fact, AEGEE-Europe, meant as our European network, has the possibility to do all these things, as it is the biggest youth association and it is a huge network of young people spread in about 200 cities on our continent. Fundraising is also an instrument that can allow our network to do many other things and activities that we are not doing for now, or improve the ones that we have been doing for many years.

You are doing your master’s degree now, and next year by this time you will have to present your thesis, which is not something easy to do. In case you will get elected, how do you think that you will manage your duties as Financial Director and writing your thesis?

First of all, my idea is to write my thesis on my experience in AEGEE as Financial Director, in order to make a thesis that could be useful for some young people who are scared of starting the experience I have, to get them motivated and this can also be useful to make AEGEE well known. Secondly, we all know that being Financial Director, I won’t have so much free time but if I am running for this position now it is because I feel enthusiastic and ready for it. In fact I almost finished my exams, which were according to me the most important part of my master’s degree, so the thesis will not be a problem. If I don’t manage to write the thesis and being Financial Director at the same time, I will still have time to write my thesis after my experience in the Comité Directeur and finish my studies almost on time. It is worth to write my thesis not in the time I was thinking, but get the experience of being the one who can improve AEGEE and do something more for the association.

Tell us the most relevant aspects of your candidature and why should people vote for you.

My candidature is based on few important points as: continuing the job done by the previous Financial Directors, managing,  AEGEE’s money and finance in the best way that I will be capable of, having a good budgeting and planning scheme at the beginning of my mandate, so that everything will be clear from the beginning and we could save money; doing good fundraising and arising the awareness about the importance and how to deal with financial matters within the locals. Using few words, I can say that, on the one hand, I want AEGEE to be known and supported by more and more entities, so that will try to guarantee to AEGEEans many other opportunities that we don’t have within the association, and on the other hand, I would like to make financial matters less difficult to understand among the treasurers within AEGEE.

As conclusion, I would like to say that I am ready for being the Financial Director of AEGEE-Europe and work with other people in the Comité Directeur House. I am motivated and enthusiastic for it and I really want to work for AEGEE, for its improvement and wellness. I have the background needed for the position I am running for and the motivation. I have been in AEGEE for three years before taking this decision and I think that now is the right time for doing something bigger for and with AEGEE, to arise our power and influence within Europe and the world. Don’t forget I am perfectionist, so I will invest myself to be as perfect a treasurer as I will manage to be.

You can read is full candidature here.

Written by Raluca Radu, AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca