Renove is one of the most popular events in Spain, and there’s a good reason for that. It has the perfect combination of oldies and newbies, fun activities and workshops to introduce and motivate AEGEE members. Many members became active after the first Renove organized by AEGEE-Madrid, and the second Renove made AEGEE-Valladolid become Local of the Month. Renove 3.0 was organized by AEGEE-Burgos, and once again the antenna together with the Network Commission team of Pilar Lop managed to increase the motivation of many AEGEE members.

Renove 3.0 was not just an event, but a journey in many ways. First of all, because people from all over Spain and France travelled for hours to reach the destination, Belorado; and secondly, because it was an opportunity to take a journey through AEGEE and reflect upon what AEGEE means to you.

Arriving to this small village close to Burgos it was amazing to experience the energy that was created by this gathering of friends, “oldies” and newbies all together. The first stop of the Renove 3.0 journey was celebrating the famous “Morcillote” mascot of AEGEE-Burgos, having many of the 100 participants dancing around the streets of Burgos in pink.

The next day, it was time to reflect on AEGEE and the influence it has on its members. Events such as Morcillote and NWM Burgos have made this city in the North of Spain famous for cooling down the Southern Europeans. However, Renove 3.0 was different in this aspect and took the participants through a short, sunny journey while walking 12 km of the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago). This was an innovative idea by AEGEE-Burgos to have AEGEE people enjoying the beautiful landscape of Northern Spain while getting to know people from other antennae.

On St. James’ Way

Divided in groups, the participants discussed the topic of what motivates one another to be active in a youth organisation like AEGEE. It is always interesting to hear how people have ended up in AEGEE, especially the stories that start in a different manner than “I wanted to go to a Summer University”. Friends, fun, personal development, learning, making a difference, and many other key terms were all reasons brought up by the participants and it is obvious that events like Renove contribute greatly to motivate these members.

Behind every successful event there is a strong team working hard to ensure that the participants leave with a smile from ear to ear. AEGEE-Burgos managed to do that in all ways, by hosting the people from all over Spain and few from France in a great hostel; ensuring that participants were never hungry; and making sure the participants could enjoy warm showers (many fear the cold showers when sharing with 99 other people). Before the Explorers party and European Night, AEGEE-Burgos made everybody have fun in a gymkhana, a small competition through different tests, considered an important part of the Renove as teambuilding between the members of the different antennae.

Organisation team of AEGEE-Burgos

Renove is a perfect combination of motivation, fun and information about the organisation for new members. During the last day of the event, the NetCom Team, called “La Tripulación”, used the opportunity to take participants to walk through the strategic level of AEGEE. Topics such as the AEGEE identity, the Strategic Plan as well as the Action Agenda were all touched upon.

From the strategic level, the discussion moved on to the European Level of AEGEE and introduced all the different AEGEE terms: from Comité Directeur, to the different Commissions, Working Groups, Project Teams as well as the EBM and Agorae. The event was an opportunity to prepare delegates and visitors for Agora Zaragoza, explaining everything about the responsibilities that are to consider of high importance for the ones attending the big event next month. Preparing participants is something highly valued by the Comité Directeur and Network Commission, so it was great to feel how experienced AEGEE members ensured that the next generation knows what it means to take part in an important Statutory event.

Another important topic brought on was the introduction of YVote2014 by project manager Léa Charlet, who also took part in Renove 3.0 before the kick-off conference in Valladolid, organised from September 18th to September 22nd 2013. And last but not least, the participants also got the opportunity to talk about voluntary work and what it means to be a part of an association.

Members of “La Tripulación” giving workshop about the European Level of AEGEE

In the end Renove 3.0 was organized in a perfect way; not only by the subcommissioners of Pilar Lop, but also by AEGEE-Burgos as it brought everybody together in an event of high quality in all aspects.

Written by Patricia Anthony, AEGEE-København

Thank you for the Pictures Miguel Alejandro Martinez (AEGEE-Santander)

On Saturday, March 17th 2012, « Le Forum des Initiatives Jeunes » – Youth Initiatives Forum, initiated by Animafac, took place in Paris. This initiative stems from the observation that negative prejudices about young people remain in French society. They are seen as egoistic, lazy, only thinking of getting drunk and having fun. The idea was to prove them wrong by showing how creative, involved, and enthusiastic the French youth can be. The creativity, the involvement, and the enthusiasm of the youth in France. That is why all French citizens and residents were invited on that day to come and discover the Associative Village, while young artists performed entertaining live shows.

AEGEE-Paris? “Present!”

Of course AEGEE-Paris had to be there and they came in high number, managing to get a stand in a very strategic place. Furthermore, the event was attended by one member of AEGEE-Lyon, and two members of AEGEE-Toulouse were also present. The involved spent two nights in a bus in order to be there, and they say that it was definitely worth it! This was a big event for AEGEE in France because it attracted many young people and therefore helped the involved antennae to attract new members, but mainly because it made them visible to the other French non-governmental organisations, as well as to the French political world. Indeed, Bertrand Delanoë (cf. picture above) came to congratulate the representatives, saying that their action is important and it is in their hands to wake up the European Union. Jack Lang, a politician from the Socialist Party, well-known in France for the initiatives he took when he was the Minister of Culture and then the Minister of Education, also passed by the stand. “One more little anecdote: as we could not hold the stand all day long, I spent the afternoon walking around with Bubulle, the mascot of AEGEE-Toulouse, and with our flag on my back. And randomly, François Hollande, the Socialist candidate for the upcoming presidential elections ran into me, and asked to see our flag!  Unfortunately, I do not have a picture so you will have to trust me on this,” Pauline Létard tells The AEGEEan.

Animafac

Animafac is a network of French student associations in which AEGEE-Toulouse, AEGEE-Paris, AEGEE-Lyon, and AEGEE-Strasbourg take part. This network aims at encouraging exchanges and solidarity between student associations, since we encounter the same difficulties and are quite similar in our structure and organisation. Animafac also provides youth activists with various trainings all year long. For example, they organise an Academy in Paris every year. The last one in January was attended by several members of the above mentioned antennae and they all learned about human resources, visual identity, and financial management. They also had the opportunity to follow thematic trainings: welcoming international students and successful intercultural exchange, fighting against discrimination etc. It all taught them a lot thanks to the participation of great trainers and mainly to the possibility of exchange with the representatives of other associations about common issues and common solutions that they can resort to in their work for AEGEE.

French antennae are small but they are hyperactive! Next step is the project “Speak-Up, Bouge ton Europe” which is a project that will take participants throughout large French cities this fall. “I’m telling you, you’ll hear a lot more from us in the next few months,” Pauline ends of the article.

Written by Pauline Létard, AEGEE-Toulouse

It was a YES! The Speak Up team were hoping for it, longing for the answer from the French National Agency of the Youth in Action Programme, and they said YES, and approved their project! « Speak Up – Bouge ton Europe » is not just any project. It is one which has been built and supported by members coming from all of the French antennae and joining Lucille Rieux, project manager, in this incredible adventure.

How did it all start?

A few months ago, while thinking about the situation in France, the weaknesses of the Network, and the difficulty of having young people get involved, an idea occurred. Lucille decided that what was needed was a huge project which would promote youth participation, and at the same time, would finally give a lot of visibility to AEGEE, in several cities all together.

When considering what the special thing about AEGEE is, what field of expertise they have, and what could catch the attention of French youngsters, Lucille came up with this answer: AEGEE is a learning space and the members believe in the possibility of transforming their ideas into reality, AEGEE people are Europeans and they know that whichever European country they may come from, they share the same values, and they respect each other. Moreover, AEGEE people have an understanding of the importance of raising their voice in order for their needs to be taken into account. They understand that ideas have to be shared, that young Europeans have to express themselves and get involved in what is important for the future of every single one of them, and of each one of us: Europe.

This gave Lucille the idea of making a train tour with a lot of active AEGEE members and go through several French cities, in order to encourage young people to give volunteering a chance, to participate, to get to know a new face of Europe: AEGEE-Europe.

But let us go deeper.

Imagine a train filled with 40 young AEGEEans, coming from a wide range of AEGEE antennae, crossing eight of the biggest French cities in just 15 days. These cities will be Paris, Lille, Strasbourg, Lyon, Grenoble, Montpellier, Toulouse and Bordeaux and in each city, several activities will be organised  (AEGEE presentations, participation in workshops, visits, street actions, video shooting and more) in collaboration with a local association, in order to encourage young French people to become active, to discover what it means to work in an association, and to live an experience of active participation!

Through this project, which will take place from September 15^th till September 30^th 2012, the Speak Up team hopes that young people will become more aware of the cultural diversity which characterizes Europe, but also that the actions which they will participate in will inspire them to continue to be locally-engaged, whether it is in AEGEE or in another association.

Now, let us go behind the scene and see WHO are those making this possible:

Together with Lucille, quite a few French AEGEE members have signed up for the experience and there is no doubt that you will meet some of the representatives soon, at the upcoming AEGEE fair of Agora Enschede, for example. The team is made up of Léa Charlette from AEGEE-Paris (Social Network Responsible), Thomas Bonnefoy from AEGEE-Lyon (Corporate Relations), Pauline Letard from AEGEE-Toulouse (Local Events Responsible), Marie Chicaud from AEGEE-Paris (PR Responsible), Youness Touzani from AEGEE-Paris (Treasurer),  Nefeli Roubaka from AEGEE-Strasbourg and Mathieu Savary from AEGEE-Bruxelles (Content Development Responsible). Actually, the team keeps growing and growing. Very soon, a French volunteer service (Service Civique) will also be working on this project and helping the team to make it possible.

The team has decided to get hold of YOUTH PARTICIPATION and to increase the knowledge about it. It is one of the most important issues, being among the three thematic topics of the AEGEE strategic plan of last year. Therefore, you can be sure you will be asked for your opinion about youth participation very soon!

And now…

The team is set on working a lot harder, on searching further for funds, on developing the implementation of this very ambitious project, and on giving it some more visibility! This visibility is being increased through their Facebook page, activity on Twitter and they are also working on launching a blog in the near future. Most importantly, if you have any questions and you are one of the lucky ones going to Enschede in less than two weeks, you will have the opportunity to approach the team at the AEGEE fair, where they will have a few surprises for you!

Written by Lucille Rieux, AEGEE-Toulouse & AEGEE-Las Palmas.