Whether you are a delegate, a visitor or an envoy, you are definitely going to love the workshops planned for the upcoming Spring Agora Bergamo! They are new, they are fresh and interactive, aimed for new members coming as visitors, some of them being for the first time at an Agora, eager to learn valuable things, AEGEE related or not,  from trainers and members with experience. Three of them will briefly be presented in this article and are the following: “Be water, my friend!”, “I was killed by PowerPoint” and last, but not least, “Peace it Up!”. Read more to find out about each one of them and don’t forget to join one during Agora Bergamo! See you there!

Workshop I-A: Be water, my friend!

Held by the Speaker and Vice-Speaker of the Public Relations Committee (PRC), Gerardo Garcia Diaz (AEGEE-Oviedo) and former Comité Directeur (CD) member, Mayri Tiido (AEGEE-Tallin), the workshop will take place on Thursday, 19th May at 12:45 and will end at 14:15. This workshop encourages you to refresh yourself and teaches you how to adapt to different situations, to be like water, as the name suggests, through improvisation theater and role-playing. Although this workshop will be a lot of fun,  a decent level of English is required, so if you are having trouble with that, start revising!

Workshop I-B: I was killed by PowerPoint

As the name suggests, we are all sick and tired of PowerPoint presentations and dull speeches. The means used to spread education & knowledge have changed a lot, the best example for that being TEDx, with events taking place all over, featuring worldwide known trainers, experts and great leaders that inspire us with their speech and stage act. Why shouldn’t you try to be like them? Through tips and tricks presented during this workshop, you will learn how to keep the participant’s attention, leave them speechless and falling in love with your presentation. The workshop will be held by Academy trainer, Ana Potocnik (AEGEE-Ljubljana) and will take place on Thursday, 19th May between 12:45 and 14:15.

Workshop I-C: Peace it Up!

So far, the year of 2016 wasn’t too great when it comes to democracy and peace-making, considering all the terrorist attacks that happened in Paris, Brussels, Istanbul and Ankara. However, it definitely brought us together and motivated us to take our own actions to contribute to a better and more peaceful Europe. The collaboration between the “Democracy in Practice” and the “Your Vision for EUrope”
project has resulted in an interactive and meaningful workshop called “Peace it Up!”, which will offer you this great opportunity to come, share and support your thoughts and feelings about the current situation. It will be held by Noemi Lowy (AEGEE-Debrecen) on behalf of the “Democracy in Practice” project and Adonis Meggos (AEGEE-Peiraias) from the “Your Vision for EUrope” project and it will take place on Thursday, 19th May from 12:45 until 14:15.

For more information you can download the Agora Agenda and the Workshops and Progress Meetings booklet.

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

Do you want to discover how the AEGEE Fair will look like at Spring Agora Bergamo? In that case you are reading the right article. The AEGEEan interviewed the organisers to show you how the next fair will look like, its scenario, its protagonists and also what kind of work lies behind all the preparation. To gather all this information two people have been interviewed: Salvo Schillaci, Fair Manager for the Public Relations Committee (PRC) and Lisa Gregis, Agora Fair responsible for AEGEE-Bergamo.

Salvo Schillaci, Member of AEGEE-Catania and PRC Fair Manager.

The AEGEEan: Many participants of Agora Bergamo probably know what the AEGEE Fair is, but not all of them. So, what is a fair and, in your opinion, which are the main reasons of organising it?

Salvo: Can you imagine a place where you’re able to meet the most active AEGEEans? Well, I do and its name is the AEGEE Fair. The fair is the place where you find the actual core of AEGEE with all its projects, committees, coordination teams and working groups. A brand new world of perspectives and possibilities where you can enrich you cultural background. This is the meaning it has to me, since the very first moment I joined the organisation. At my first Agora in Patra, I didn’t know the European greatness that lies behind AEGEE-Europe, but when I saw this world in front of me I was astonished. It was incredible and then when I realised that I could be part of it…Well, you know the rest of the story!

Who is the Fair Manager and the people involved in its organisation?

Salvo: The Fair Manager is the bridge between those who want to join the fair, which means the bodies, and the fair itself, the landmark for all those who want to say something about the fair. The Fair Manager actively collaborates with the Fair Responsible of the hosting antenna, prevents any problem and ensure the success of the event. This year I’ve been lucky, because a lot of people supported my work and I want to thank all of them: Gerardo Garcia Diaz and Mayri Tiido (PRC Speaker and Vice-Speaker), Gabriele Nicotra (PR Manager of AEGEE-Catania) and Lisa Gregis (Fair Responsible of Agora Bergamo). Without their “ausilium et consilium” my work would be way more difficult and nearly impossible.

Lisa Gregis, current Network Commissioner and AEGEE-Bergamo Fair Responsible

The Fair is always a collaboration between local organisers and a body of AEGEE-Europe, in this case the Public Relations Committee. How difficult is it to organise everything from a distance?

Lisa: The fair is just one of the pieces of the collaboration between different bodies, in fact the entire Agora is an event organised by different groups of people. For instance I’m not the only one working on it, since I have two amazing team members: Andrea and Ambra. As you said in this case, the cooperation is between local organisers and the PRC. We are working especially with Salvo who is the Fair Manager and we are very well connected. We are in daily communication and we are also able to have fun while working. I’m very happy we are working together, because I think he really understands the needs of the two sides: local organisers and AEGEE bodies.

The magnificient Donizetti Theatre, in front of which the AEGEE Fair will take place. Inside it Agora Bergamo will begin.

When and where is the fair going to take place?

Lisa: The fair is going to take place at the Bergamo city centre, on the first day of the Agora, May 18th, at 3 pm. It will be the first activity of the Agora. The place is very beautiful and it’s in front of the Donizetti Theatre, where the Opening Plenary and Opening Ceremony will take place. It’s a public open space and we will be enjoying also the city centre while attending the Agora Fair.

The open space where the fair will be held.

 Usually the fair was taking place on the second day of the Agora, this time it will be on the very first day. Why?

Lisa: We wanted to save time and try to do things differently. We thought that it could be a good way to start the event, since the fair is a moment during which people can meet, discuss and share opinions. We didn’t want to put the participants in a closed space since the beginning.

How many AEGEE bodies will be present at the fair? Can you give us a spoiler about what they will organise?

Salvo: There will be around 20 AEGEE bodies, with great projects for all the AEGEEans. I’m not a spoiler guy, I don’t want to be mean, but making a list would take so much time and this article would be a booklet. That’s why we edited one: by downloading it you can get a little preview of what is waiting for you.

AEGEEans participating at Agora Kyiv Fair

What do you expect from it and why should people visit the stands?

Salvo: Like I already said, the fair is to me the fresh start for all the AEGEEans already active on a local level,
but that also want to become even more active on the European one. So, for all the AEGEEans with great expectations and projects, for all the AEGEEans who want to be something more: this fair is addressed to all of you! I feel so lucky because from my point of view I can just see a huge family I joined two years ago, while I was wandering at my first Agora and now I’m giving my best to make all this happen again. My hope is that among you there will be another curious AEGEEan, ready to get close to us, to fall in love with our dream.

Excluding AEGEE bodies, which partners will be there? Why should we visit those stands?

Agora Fair banner. You can see the partnership of the Municipality of Bergamo.

Lisa: There will be the University of Bergamo and some of the sponsors which helped us organise the Agora. The Municipality will be there in order to let you discover all the places you can visit in the surroundings of Bergamo. And last, but not least, something
very cool: ten computers will be there in order to let you play some video games.

Finally, will it be open only to Agora participants?

Lisa: The Agora Fair is open to everyone who wants to take part in it. We also printed some promo materials and we invited all the students of the University of Bergamo.

Here you can find the Facebook Event.

Written by Mattia Abis, AEGEE-Cagliari 

“This is not in Visual Identity!” – probably a sentence you’ve heard either from PRC, a member of your local or even someone else. And hearing this makes you frustrated. “What? Why do I need to use VI? What is this!?” Say no more our friend! Here you can find eight obvious reasons why using Visual Identity is cool and the most awesome thing you can do!

Reason no. 1 | You Can Create Materials Much Faster.

Locals can simply go to the Members Portal, download some template/element, customise it to their own needs and everything is done in no more than 15-30 minutes.

Reason no. 2 | Design Artist or Not, using Visual Identity Can Make You Look Like A Pro.

You don’t have to be an expert in Photoshop, Illustrator or other programmes related to design. You can make your own VI puzzle just by using the Design Elements and following the Visual Identity Manual.

Reason no. 3 | You Contribute to AEGEE’s Identity.

By using the Visual Identity, you strengthen AEGEE’s identity both internally and externally: you and your local play an important role in building its identity. It’s like the code from a website or app; if just one line in the coding is incorrect, it cannot work properly.

Reason no. 4 | Your Mind is The Limit.

Visual Identity doesn’t limit your creativity. “No, ma’am!” It can be creatively adapted to your own ideas. People who are saying the contrary might have not really worked with it yet. So don’t believe the rumours, just give it a chance and you will see what we are talking about. 

Reason no. 5 | You are More “Ready, Set, Go” to Promote Yourself.

Other international youth NGOs and especially famous companies, also have a Visual Identity and follow their own specific manuals. When you see a Coca-Cola poster,
(think of the typical one with no bottle displayed at all) you know it belongs to them, even before noticing the logo. You can check out the visual identity of every big company and you will see that we are not just saying that to impress you.

Reason no. 6 | Cool Locals Who Use The VI are An Endless Source of Inspiration.

The more the locals who use the VI, the more the approaches are different, showing the diversity inside a common path. You can bring your own cool approach to the table and maybe you can inspire others to follow your example, why not? After
all, we can all learn from each other and form an awesome community. Plus, you will help improve the “design templates archive”, to make Reasons no. 1 and no. 2 even more awesome.

Reason no. 7 | You Look More Professional towards University and External Companies.

When your local is going to fundraising meetings, sending e-mails or delivering presentations using the VI, you are using the power of a network of 13,000 members to support your project. Then, you are not just representing your local, but the whole AEGEE network is there helping you out.

Reason no. 8 | You Save Yourself from PRC Setting You in “red” in the VI Check.

Once you adapt your antenna to the VI, you will mostly forget about PRC chasing after you for having an identity that makes you look like a completely different NGO, and most importantly, the red mark will be magically turned in a lovely emerald green. So, quit the rebellion and start using the VI. You can save a lot of time, energy and resources, but also, you can learn a lot from it, whether you are experienced in design or not!

If you need more information or have any doubts, simply contact us at prc@aegee.org.

From PRC with love! #PRChard

Written by Mayri Tiido and Gerardo Garcia Diaz, vice-speaker and speaker, Public Relations Committee

Matthijs Dirks finished his term as president of AEGEE-Nijmegen not too long ago. The AEGEEan talked to him to find out more about his efforts in changing promotional material according to the visual identity, the life as a full-time board member and his future plans.

The AEGEEan: Matthijs, please introduce yourself, your hobbies and studies to our readers.

Matthijs: Hi dear readers of The AEGEEan, I’m Matthijs. I’m in my third year of membership with AEGEE-Nijmegen (And in my first year of membership with AEGEE-Eindhoven). Some of you may know me from my partake in organising two Summer Universities or the Network Meeting (NWM) in Nijmegen or Eindhoven, or maybe from an Agora or the Night of the Seven Antennae.

For those who don’t know me: I’m a third year Linguistics student, and I’ve tried to make myself valuable as President of the XXIXth board of AEGEE-Nijmegen. I’m currently 22, and my favourite colour is blue. My hobbies include, but are not limited to, making video animations (especially teaching students how to do that), fooling around with Photoshop, and enjoying a beer with the good people I have surrounded myself with over the past few years.

What was your first reaction when you heard that you were elected as Member of the Month?

I was, at that point, at the formal party ‘Show Your Colour’ organised by AEGEE-Leiden, where I’ve had a beer (or two). So I may have overreacted by shouting – a bit – that “it couldn’t be true because I feel like I don’t deserve it. I don’t feel like I did something special for AEGEE-Europe or AEGEE-Nijmegen”. Anyhow, of course I take great pride in receiving this title – and I can take a compliment when I get it. It’s an honour to be Member of the Month and I hereby would like to thank my parents for their support in this race, and my friends for never having stopped believing in me – even last January, when my biggest rival ever (Svenja) got the title.

You have been a board member of a Dutch local for one year. There are always some rumours going around saying that being a Dutch board member means working a full time job. Can you tell us about your experience?

It’s certainly true that you can devote a lot of your time at being a board member of a Dutch local, but you can do that everywhere. I mean – if you’d want – everyone can work for 40 hours a week on projects for their locals. That doesn’t make it a Dutch thing, though in a lot of countries it’s very uncommon to do so.

In the Netherlands it actually is very common. Student associations are a real big part of studying here. When you get into the uni, the question is ‘which association shall I join’, because you know for sure that you will join one. The universities recognise the benefits of a board year, so they highly recommend a position in a board of something you love. Also student associations have been around for a long time in our student life, in Nijmegen for example there are associations that are almost a 100 years old.
I guess the support of the university, and the fact that a gap year is socially accepted, make it easy to devote all of your time on your board year. So in my experience I have had weeks where I’d easily work for 60 hours on AEGEE-Nijmegen. But there are also weeks that are more quiet, and then a good 30 hours would be sufficient.

What was your favourite task in general while being a board member?

That would surely be the part where you’re socially obligated to talk to everyone. Of course you don’t HAVE to like everyone, but I wanted all our members to like AEGEE-Nijmegen. I got to know a lot of people whom I’d maybe never had spoken to otherwise. I’ve now befriended them, and it’s hard to imagine an activity with AEGEE-Nijmegen where I don’t feel like coming home.

One of your main achievement was to re-design all the promotional material and bring it in accordance with the visual identity. What exactly did you have to do? Was it a difficult task?

Luckily, the XXVIIIth board of AEGEE-Nijmegen tried to convince our members to change the visual identity before us. I have a passion for design and I liked playing around with the design programmes, so I didn’t mind making a few rough sketches. After the local Agora approved the change I got in close contact with the Public Relations Committee (PRC), and with their suggestions the logo was complete. Everybody is used to it now. It was not a very difficult task. It was just slightly annoying that I had to convince the members and change the logo several times after so some resistance was met. Luckily, I wasn’t alone, and I had a great team of board members with me to go on and change the logo accordingly.

Imagine someone asked you why the visual identity is so important and worth working on so intensively. What would you answer?

It’s surely worth it. As I said it’s slightly annoying that you have to change your design over and over. But following the PRC’s instructions is certainly worth it, they’re genuinely knowledgeable about visual design and they wouldn’t ask you for impossible stuff. It takes some time, but not more than a couple of hours – so it’s not the end of the world.

And what was your most valuable AEGEE-moment?

I guess that moment would be the last few seconds of my term as a board member because it was an amazing year. In that year I grew very close to Isa, Bob, Bart and Kim – whom I was in the board with. On the last local Agora of our term I kind of recapped the year. A few seconds before I said the words of dechargé, I swapped my presidential AEGEE hammer for a hammer that I received from my dad (he’s been president of some associations too) and I had a piece of family history in my hand. While looking my beloved board members in the eyes thinking about what we’ve gone through and looking my successors in their eyes. I said the words, and dropped the hammer. Therewith we were free of duty and everything was over. After a year of hard work, a lot of fun and a spending a lot of time on trying to improve AEGEE-Nijmegen the time was over. It was both sad, because I knew I’d miss it, and happy because it’s a weight off your shoulders. It’s a moment I’ll cherish forever.

Are you striving for any other positions in the network? Maybe even on European level?

I don’t really know where I want to go. I’ve missed a lot of lectures last year – and my parents weren’t too happy about that. So I’ll make them proud this year by catching up on my linguistics skills. With that being said, I’m still an active member locally, and I’ll be giving a training on the NWM Delft. I’ll take it slower than last year at least. Maybe one day I’ll join the PRC or the Key to Europe to exploit my knowledge of design. Maybe I’ll join a Training for Trainers (T4T) one day. So I don’t know – probably see you somewhere in Europe!

Written by Katja Sontag, AEGEE-Aachen

Since the beginning of January, the Public Relations Committee (PRC) of AEGEE-Europe has a new team of speakers. Read the interview with speaker Jelena Stankovic (AEGEE-Beograd) and vice-speaker Gerardo Garcia Diaz (AEGEE-Oviedo) and find out about their field of work, their aims for the upcoming term and their plans for the Fair at the European Planning Meeting(EPM) in Burgos and the upcoming Agora.  

The AEGEEan: First of all, for those who do not know you yet: Can you briefly introduce yourself?

Jelena: I am Jelena and I am 25 years old. I live in the beautiful city of Belgrade.

Gerardo: This is Gerar, 24-year-old guy from Gijón, at the northern coast of Spain. I am an Electrical Engineer Bachelor and Design Management Master, and right now I am studying an Industrial Engineering Master. I am currently AEGEE-Oviedo’s president and PR responsible and member of The Academy, and I have been the publications responsible of the Summer University Coordination Team (SUCT) since Agora Budapest until Agora Cagliari. Then I got involved in an ambush and became PRC vice-speaker (he laughs).

Maybe not everyone knows what your actual work looks like. How exactly would you define the work as a member (and now even a speaker) of the PRC?

Jelena: PRC is here to give a hand to the network if they have some problems or requests related to PR, such as design, consulting, logo requests, AEGEE Fair, etc. Currently, I am working on the Fair and PRC membership renewal. We are trying to reorganize, motivate and activate our team.

Gerardo: It is kind of funny, but I am a newbie in PRC. I have been Oviedo’s PR responsible since 2011, but with my involvement in the SUCT, I decided not to grab more things than I could hold (Réka wanted to “hire” me in 2012 but I kindly refused the offer due to it). I only joined PRC when my duties at the SUCT were done. Now that I am in the Speaker Team (ST), what Jelena said is my daily work.

What is your favorite part of this work?

Jelena: I can hate what is the least favorite: sending emails.

Gerardo: Well, as in any other “directive” position, the satisfaction of actually doing things for people and being useful makes it a nice thing (you can have that feeling from every position, but the ST gives you more power to achieve goals), but if I would need to say that a “favourite task” would be helping antennae to create or redesign their logos, since it is quite challenging.

Why did you apply for the position of a speaker/vice-speaker? What is your personal motivation?

Jelena: When I decided to join PRC, we had such a great team and time while organizing the AEGEE-Fair at Agora Patra, so I ran for the position in the ST as vice-speaker. This is my second term, because I felt like I had unfinished business in PRC.

Gerardo: When I joined PRC I just planned to be a “regular member” at least for one year, to get to know things and then, maybe, candidate for the ST. But some time after, and specially at the Public Relations European School (PRES), my fellow trainers encouraged me to jump to the ST due to the general ideas I had in mind and that I previously told Jelena when she made me the “welcome interview” to PRC. I like to call it “ambush”, but actually, I was fine with it (he laughs).
All in all, I decided to apply for the ST because from this position it will be easier for me to propose things and be useful to others, and I think I have several plans in mind that are worth the effort.

What are your previous experiences in the field of Public Relations?

Jelena: Currently, I am working as PR in an HR agency and on one student art festival. Before that, I worked in a brand design agency. I am also studying marketing at the University of Belgrade.

Gerardo: I have been helping in the field of PR since the moment I joined AEGEE actively, in September 2010. Shortly after that, I created several materials and videos, and redesigned the logo of the antenna including the “silhouettes” to our Visual Identity (VI). Four years later that element became part of the logo inside of the customizable area. In September 2011, I was elected as PR responsible of my antenna, AEGEE-Oviedo, a position that I have been holding since then, creating several campaigns for local and European projects – Summer University (SU), EiE and Language Working Group (LWG) logos are made by me and I created the SU Maps format two years ago, which now the incredible Ksenia Lupanova (AEGEE-Moskva) is improving for this year’s campaign. I have been a trainer of PRES last year and it all ended in joining PRC!
At the local level, this year I’m sharing the position with the awesome Elena Sicilia Blanco (AEGEE-Oviedo), who is also my fellow co-responsible of the PR at AgorAsturias.

What are your specific aims for the upcoming term? Is there any project you would like to support specifically or any concrete goal you want to achieve?

Jelena: Since the term of a ST in PRC is really short (six months), we have some unfinished things from the past term. Now, we are focusing on the upcoming AEGEE-Fair both in Burgos and Oviedo, and the renewal of the members in PRC.

Gerardo: Internally, we would like to get PRC members active (with the quoted members renewal) and make the Committee more efficient in its tasks creating several teams of work-force for different PR areas. I would also like to modify the internal elections scheduling (so they will be right after Autumn Agora and not at the end of the year) and also to make terms last one year instead of only six months, but that is something that will need to be discussed with all the members.
On the external side, I would like us to be helpful to the network and to show our fellow AEGEEans what our work is really about, and that things such as the visual identity are not “that pain in the ass that limits our creativity” but actually the way the AEGEE-brand gets stronger and recognizable everywhere empowering it.
Do you know why Apple or BMW always use the same scheme of colors and fonts? Because they have a visual identity and follow it to strengthen their brand. Why should we just blame on the AEGEE VI and not take advantage of it now that we have one, then?

What will your job be at the AEGEE-Fair at EPM Burgos?

Jelena: Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend the EPM, so I am doing my job from Belgrade as a communication manager, taking care of applications, communicating with the bodies, project teams or locals, as with local organizers.

Gerardo: Since Jelena cannot be there, we will divide our work “in order to be one” – she will take care of the previous work and I will be the one managing the Fair “live”.

What is your favorite PR material or your favorite PR campaign in AEGEE?

Jelena: For sure the SUPS Cluj-Napoca!

Gerardo: I do not want to toot my own horn (well, just a little), but I really think that the SU Maps are quite useful and efficient as PR material (all-in-one map, poster, mini-booklet, flyer… almost 20 more times the units and almost half of the price than booklets). I am looking forward to seeing what Ksenia is preparing with them. But aside from that I would like to mention Kyiv and Mosvka’s NYE campaign (they even had tattoos and wristbands at Agora Cagliari) and the outstanding work that Konstantinos Pappas performed with the Official PR materials that can be found at the Members Portal.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Jelena: I would like to invite people who are creative, motivated and enthusiastic to join our team!

Gerardo: Well, first of all thank you for being interested in us and interviewing us, and, as Jelena said, anybody interested in our work field (including public relations, communication, graphic design, strategic planning & journalism among others) is more than welcome to apply (just go to wg.aegee.org/prc/apply) and get involved in this big family. Have a good day!

Written by Katja Sontag, AEGEE-Aachen

Every year the Academy, in cooperation with the Public Relations Committee, organises a one week training: the Public Relations European School (PRES). This event is an unique opportunity to develop skills in terms of PR strategy and in particular in the fields of corporate identity, presentation techniques and development of PR materials. This year, PRES will take place in Poznań, Poland (23/11/2014 – 30/11/2014): The AEGEEan met Zsofia Komaromi (AEGEE-Budapest), manager of this upcoming event, in order to understand what we should expect of the next edition of PRES.

The AEGEEan: Zsofia, can you tell us what we should expect from the next PRES in Poznań?

Zsofia: We have a great team of trainers working on the program of PRES right now, so participants should expect a week packed with exciting training sessions and workshops as well as invited guest speakers from the corporate sector. Thanks to the organizers in Poznań, a social program in the evenings and a sightseeing tour will complement these sessions.

Which are the main topics of this upcoming event?

In each element of PRES, we focus on giving participants practical knowledge and providing them with an opportunity to explore and develop their skills. The main aim of PRES is to support participants in taking a strategic view on PR and communications and help them explore the various tools, channels and best practices that they can use in order to drive the success of their antenna or European level project. Within this framework, we will cover the topics of branding, online communication, social media and media relations. Another important element of PRES is using creative messages and communication tools in order to get the message of AEGEE across and stand out from the crowd of an increasing amount of youth organisations.

What can you tell us about the trainers and the training methods?

We have a team of six trainers (you can get to know them here) who have a lot of experience in PR in NGOs, as well in the corporate sector. Many of the trainers are also members of the Public Relations Committee and Mayri Tiido, Projects and Communications Director, will also be joining us for the event.

As for the training methods, we would like to make PRES as interactive as possible, and thus allow participants to learn by doing and learning from the experiences of each other. Real-life case studies will also be an essential part of PRES, allowing participants to put their knowledge into practice, while contributing to AEGEE’s projects too.

According to you, who are the ideal participants of Public Relations European School?
We are looking for participants who would like to work in the field of PR in their local or on the European level of AEGEE. They should be enthusiastic to learn and develop their skills while exploring their creative side.

In which terms do you think that the upcoming PRES may influence a member or local’s activity?

I think that PRES provides a great opportunity to learn from the best practices of other locals and come up with new and improved ways for doing PR after the event. As for the members, we hope that PRES will motivate them to contribute to the work of AEGEE on the local or the European level.

Why shouldAEGEEans apply for this event?

They should apply because PRES is a great opportunity for them to learn from experts as well as their peers and at the same time get inspiration or figure out what could be the next step for them in their AEGEE career.

So what are you waiting for? Join PRES this autumn!

For further information visit the official website and follow PRES on facebook.

Written by Larisa Smajlagic, AEGEE-Verona

The Public Relations Committee (PRC), the body responsible for supporting AEGEE-Europe in the field of public relations with the aim of improving the communication within the association, has two new entries in their Speaker team (ST): Ksenia Lupanova (AEGEE-Moskva) and Jelena Stanković (AEGEE-Beograd). Ksenia and Jelena are respectively the new Speaker and Vice-Speaker of the PRC, positions that were formerly held by Réka Salamon (AEGEE-Debrecen/Aachen) and Panagiotis Barlampas (AEGEE-Athina).

Both Ksenia and Jelena have a long-lasting experience in the role of PR in their locals: Ksenia is studying Architecture and was the PR responsible of AEGEE-Moskva for a year and a half, whereas Jelena studies Marketing in Beograd and has a four-year-long experience in public relations in her local. These two energetic AEGEEans are excited about their new roles and really motivated to do their best: “I chose to candidate for the Speaker team because I  realized that for me it is a treasure, exactly what I want to do in AEGEE, where I can contribute the most for now”, says Ksenia. Jelena has the same positive view and thinks that this new experience in the PRC represents a perfect opportunity “to do something creative, inspirational and motivating.”

Our two new Speaker and Vice-Speaker are grateful to Réka Salamon and Panagiotis Barlampas, whom they consider inspiring and one of the main sources of motivation in their new adventure in the PRC. That is why Ksenia and Jelena will “have big shoes to fill”. Anyway, they are not scared about this new challenge because “when you do something that you love, you do it with pleasure”, according to the new Vice-Speaker.

Enthusiasm is fundamental, but so is sense of responsibility. Ksenia and Jelena know that, that is why they are ready to work hard and keep on learning in order to reach new important goals: “We would like to continue with the AEGEE Fair, as it was an amazing experience to make it as a team and we got really good feedback, so based on our try in Patra we will apply again for Agora Cagliari. During the summer period we can concentrate on developing the AEGEE photo Database and intensively keep up with bringing the Visual Identity to Network”, says Ksenia. Another important project is the development of an online platform to support the locals in their public relations activities, by giving tips and transferring knowledge to the AEGEEan PR Responsibles in all over Europe.

They have great plans for the future, but in order to reach their aims, one of the hardest challenges to face is the lack of active members in the committee. In order to obtain new members and motivate the passive ones, according to Jelena, “it is necessary to inform people about the importance of this committee, by promoting the PRC during relevant AEGEE events, like the Agorae”.

If you are interested in working or developing your PR skills, you can join the PRC by visiting their Facebook page or their site.

Written by Larisa Smajlagic,  AEGEE-Verona

Let’s be honest. One of the favourite moments during the Agora is the Fair and this year the Public Relations Committee teamed together to deliver another amazing Fair. The AEGEEan interviewed them to discover the plans they have.

The AEGEEan: Can you tell us a little bit more about the team?

PRC Fair Team: The active and enthusiastic team of Fair Managers consists of a mix of designers and PR consultants, Ksenia Lupanova (AEGEE-Moskva), Jelena Stankovic (AEGEE-Beograd), Dimitra Amorgianou (AEGEE-Kastoria), Réka Salamon (AEGEE-Aachen) and the Speaker Team of PRC, Panagiotis Barlampas (AEGEE-Athina). We have all attended Agorae and AEGEE Fairs before and we were full of ideas about turning this event into something that would give a lot of visibility to the European level of AEGEE and would get a lot of members active.

The AEGEEan: Normally we have one or two fair managers, what pushed the PRC to apply as a team?

PRC Fair Team: The AEGEE Fair is an effective tool of internal public relations. We wanted to take on the challenge as a team because if a team is responsible for different fields (communication, creative director, community managers, action managers and a team coordinator) we can ensure that the Fair itself will be carried out perfectly. It is always helpful to have more heads with more ideas, sharing our experiences and combining our skills etc. We are actually considering to apply as PRC for Fair Managers for the upcoming Agorae as well to ensure a proper knowledge transfer regarding the organisation of the event.

 The AEGEEan: In the very first mail you sent to the Network you used a lot of hashtags. Can you explan us why?

PRC Fair Team: We love hashtags! Already the Summer University promotional campaigns are using a lot of hashtags and as social media is a key element of public relations these days, we decided to integrate  also this element into the Fair thematics to give a modern look and possibly more online visibility.

 The AEGEEan: What is the idea behind the #ChooseUrColor campaign?

PRC Fair Team: The name aims to refer to both the new idea of colour-coding the bodies – aligning it with the new Visual Identity of AEGEE, which was also a PRC project from the very beginning – and also to the fact that the elections of our new European board and a lot of other positions are going to take place in Patra. Delegates are invited to choose the AEGEE body/candidate they like!

The AEGEEan: What is going to be the major feature of Agora Patra fair?

PRC Fair Team: Besides the colour-coding of the bodies? Yes. The #FairHangout is a brand new idea for the Fair. We are going to place couches in the middle of the Fair room and have parallel discussions with 4-5 bodies. The idea is to provide an informal space for discussing things that could interest the Fair attendees, like intercultural communication or education and sustainability.

The AEGEEan: Will you introduce major changes?

PRC Fair Team: The idea of the AEGEE Fair as a platform for getting AEGEE members informed and interested in the thematic work on the European level – is going to stay the same as always. We are only trying to improve it in a way that the Agora newbies have a better understanding of the layout, and the opportunities present. Also, we are focusing more on the visual part, as the visual memory of people always works better. With bigger logos for bodies, clear navigation by a presentation screening and the colourful templates, it will be easier to integrate new members in the work of the European level!

The AEGEEan: Can you give an advice for people who are going to attend the fair for the first time ever?

PRC Fair Team: Maybe watch the presentation about the Fair which will be shown on the wall at the entrance. It will explain the colour-coding of the Fair, the work of PRC and will also present the different bodies from the Fair booklet! Other than that, look out for the #FairManagers and feel free to ask them any time you feel lost. Don’t be shy, ask people behind the tables and look for the body or project that interests you the most. And enjoy!

“So you have just arrived home from your last AEGEE event where that guy was telling you about a European level body in AEGEE he was secretary of and was convincing you to join the team based on the common interests you share. Sounds good but maybe you want to learn a little more about this body, so let us turn to Google for a second. Well, this page has AEGEE on it and the name of the body but the last post is from 2012. Are they doing anything then? And if they do, where can you find the information? Ah, giving up, maybe it is not a good idea to join after all…”

Have you ever been surprised by the amount of pages related to AEGEE, or how many of them are outdated or simply abandoned, or how many different appearances these pages have – as if they did not belong to the same organisation?

We have good news for you: all the information you need about AEGEE is in one place now, always updated and following our new Visual Identity: the Members Portal has been launched!

And let’s see the 5 (top) reasons why you should visit the Portal:

1. AEGEE History Line: With AEGEE celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, there is a lot to read about the past to get inspired by the great achievements and to recruit new AEGEE-enthusiasts for your local by telling the true story of how awesome AEGEE is. But forget about a never-ending PDF file: check out the interactive AEGEE history timeline!

2. Get Involved!: You are already a hyperactive member of your local but feel like you would like to challenge yourself a little more by joining one of the Projects or Working Groups? The Get Involved! section contains all updates from all European level bodies in AEGEE from their latest activities to the application process for new team members, presenting a clearly structured system of Committees, Commissions and Working Groups. “We need you!”

3. Downloadable Materials: Under Resources you can find various guidelines that will help you understand AEGEE better, the Strategic Plan to help others understand AEGEE’s work better, and you can also download PR materials for promoting AEGEE in your city! (Compulsory advertisement here: in case you are interested in developing further materials, please contact the Public Relations Committee at prc@aegee.org!)

4. Offers for members: Check out the list of our partners and the various discounts they offer for AEGEE members. Also – do you know what ASRF stands for? It is way of benefitting or contributing to our shared interest of overcoming financial obstacles that would permit some of our members from fully experiencing AEGEE – this is all I can tell here!

5. Events: Being directly connected to Intranet, the Members Portal offers an always updated page about the next AEGEE events that are going to take place. Furthermore, the PRC and the Quality Assurance Committee are working on another platform to have a clear overview of AEGEE events, open calls and finding a way to help the locals with the promotion of their events. Stay tuned!

Convinced? With the endless amount of concentrated information on this page, you should bookmark aegee.org/portal in your browser right now!

And if you would like to submit your suggestions for improving the Members Portal, please fill in the following form!

Last but not least, we would all like to thank Pavel Zbornik – Communications and European Institutions Director of AEGEE-Europe who has dedicated an endless amount of his time creating the Portal and making our lives easier. Thank you, Pavel!

 Written by Réka Salamon, AEGEE-Debrecen/Aachen

An important re-establishment of the currently-operating solid local dates back to 2009 but our antenna was originally founded in 1991 with the help of Dutch students.

AEGEE-Debrecen has around 40 members but the core team of the most active ones is smaller. What we think is special about us is that we aspire to turn our relative shortcoming of having a small team into advantages. Having a small group leaves us with a clear understanding of each other’s competences. Allocating responsibilities and tasks accordingly makes us able to turn each other into real assets for the antenna and for each other.

Another essential thing is the fun element. Although we are creative and challenge-takers, we do not forget about monitoring ourselves and each other from an outsider’s point of view and we have a great sense of criticism. We do not take ourselves too seriously and prefer not to forget about enjoying participation.

Last summer you took up the challenge of organising the European School & Summer University. 

Indeed. Imagine the first summer ever in AEGEE history when AEGEE Academy encouraged locals to organize a balanced mixture of a European School and a Summer University by merging them into one Summer Event. It was super-challenging for the organizers, trainers as well as for the participants. Yet, “European School: 4 Elements 4 You!” has been an amazingly unique experience for all of us. We rarely visit the same café the first ESSU meetings took place in, but when we do the memories still instantly put us back into that same hyper-enthusiastic mood.

This year we are organising a Travelling Summer University together with AEGEE-Sibiu. “The HungaRomanian Adventure” will be an excellent opportunity for our participants to discover the beauties of two countries: Hungary and Romania. Apart from letting participants discover true Central-Eastern-European hospitality, we will focus on introducing Romanian and Hungarian culture, more specifically by sightseeing and other outdoor activities, by trying traditional cuisine and providing insights into our languages and history. Both Northern-Eastern-Hungary and Transylvania are wonderful and we are all very excited to welcome an exceptionally diverse group of participants here.

Thus, when the Comité Directeur and the ITC issued an open call to find a hosting antenna to organize an Information Technology European School, it came naturally to apply. After our multicultural New Year’s Eve there was time to prepare. The low number of participants also further multiplied the good, cozy team spirit and enthusiasm. We believe that all the opportunities and benefits of working in the field of IT in AEGEE have been clearly presented by our guest trainers, Pavel Zborník and Maurits Korse and we hope that AEGEE-Debrecen has contributed to inspiring potential ITC members. We enjoyed the event and we would gladly do it all over again!

As a focus area in the Strategic Plan of AEGEE-Europe for the period of 2011-2014, Inclusion of Minorities aims at confronting young people with the reality of minority groups by involving them in direct personal encounters in order to create mutual understanding.

Knowing general local realities as well as witnessing the influence of recent years’ global economic and moral crisis in Hungary, we think that such projects are relevant and should be promoted. With the rise of populism and dogmatic thinking, certain minority groups are often falsely blamed for the common bad. Capitalizing on citizens’ lack of knowledge and an increasing xenophobia is pretty frequent nowadays. We hope that we will be able to organize Living Libraries in Debrecen regularly in the future to promote understanding and respect for diversity.

We consciously try our best in keeping our members updated about all the relevant information on the many opportunities AEGEE offers. Weekly local meetings, info evenings at the university, newcomers’ camps, university-based or city-wide cultural and career fairs and summer festivals – these are the regular events at which we promote our local and international activities face-to-face internally and to the external world too. The fact that we have (former) board members currently active on the European Level (Réka Salamon in Public Relations Committee, Liliána Tóth in Events Committee, Diána Leskó in The Euro-Arab Project and Nóra Abdel-Salam in The AEGEEan) makes things a bit more easy when it comes to promotion.

Although the, locally considerable, geographical distances make it quite challenging to have actual joint projects to work on and realize them together, we follow each others’ activities and help each other if we can. As it is one of the largest locals in the entire Network, we regularly have guest trainers from AEGEE-Budapest at our thematic events and at our Local Training Courses for years now. AEGEE-Debrecen members also frequently attend their events. Sharing best practices and striving for a closer national cooperation have also been among the aims of a recent Regional Training Course of Hungarian antennae organized by AEGEE-Piliscsaba in April.

Written by Patricia Anthony, AEGEE-København