AEGEE-Torino is situated in the North-West of Italy and was founded 25 years ago, organising an Agora in 2004. Currently consisting in around 100 members (40 of whom are active), the local has being blooming in the past three years, organising more and more (thematic) activities. From the 4th to the 8th of May they hosted Spring NWM Not a Waste of Money, which allowed them to stand out of the crowd and earn the title of Local of the Month of May, just months after receiving the nomination for ACTive local of the Month. We spoke with current president Giulia Melis, who aswered our questions.

The AEGEEan: Present your local.  

Giulia: We have around one hundred members among which forty are really active! Of course, that’s thanks to our sex appeal, but above all thanks to our local activities which are not only an occasion to socialise and to have fun but also an opportunity for recruiting. Each month we organise several events, and  the biggest one is the Aperitivo linguistico: USE YOUR TONGUE! with around eight hundred participants each time. Among others I can mention Mix&Match and DrunKaraoke which, together with the two Welcome Weeks (one in September and one in February) are the events dedicated to international students. Last but not least the Buddy Program with EPOG students (Economic POlicies in the age of Globalisation – Erasmus Mundus Master’s course), it is at its third edition, and the inspirational Europe Café.
This year was really productive also at the European level thanks to the organisation of the Spring NWM, to the new adventure with our twin AEGEE-Ioannina and the involvement of some of our members in Committees, Commissions as Subcommissioners, Working Groups and Interest Groups.

You have been elected as LoM of May. How does it feel to receive this recognition?

We are really glad to receive this recognition. When you work hard it’s always rewarding to know that someone appreciates your efforts. In addition it’s a stimulation to try to do our best day by day, especially for the new members.

One of the reasons of your nomination was the organisation of the NWM: not a waste of Money. How did you come with the idea to organise a NWM and managed to succeed in it?

The idea was in the air already with previous boards and this year we put it into practice. One of the reasons was to test us, our organisational skills and our ability to work as a team. It was also an opportunity to understand the proper role for each member of the team. Someone said: “Give yourself a new challenge every day and try to overcome it”, that is the philosophy behind our choice. Furthermore, we were aware of our strong local dimension, so we wanted to bring to Torino the AEGEE spirit for those members who never had the possibility to try it.

How did we managed to succeed in it? Passion, hard work and cooperation. Every member put in this event his contribution and we managed to reach the right equilibrium and work as a really good team.

One of your famous activity is the Aperitivo linguistico (Linguistic Happy Hour). What is the concept behind it? Why do you think it’s so successful?

The Aperitivo Linguistico is perfect place to socialise, through it we are trying each month to create a familiar, comfortable and suggestive atmosphere where students from all over the world and young people in general can meet, talk, know each other, practise languages, share and mix their stories having fun. People have the opportunity to live the AEGEE spirit with AEGEE-Torino mood  for one night.

The format of the event is simple: take your half card, find your other half and Use your tongue, finally do it over and over again! More cards, more known people, more new friends! Before I joined AEGEE, I was always at the Aperitivo as a participant, I went alone, with friends or with people met in the previous one. In this way I also met AEGEE-Torino from which I can’t be away now. Why am I saying this to you? Because the Aperitivo Linguistico isn’t only a good experience for who participates, but it’s also an important opportunity for our local. In one event we can do fundraising, promotion, recruiting, training of new members and team building.

About its success, it’s a complicated question! I’ll try to be clear and concise. The Aperitivo linguistico has a really long history, the first one was done in 2010, but it started to grow only in the last three years. The idea and the passion were necessary, but not sufficient to get to this point. Good organisation and strategy are also fundamental. In 2014 the board focused on weaknesses of the event and worked hard to find good solutions. They perfectly answered to the “5W” questions for organise a great event, i.e. Why? What? Who? When? & Where?, and found the key for the turning point. Since then we’re working hard in order to improve even more and to maintain the experience unforgettable. So I think it’s so successful for three reasons: its authenticity, our determination, and a bit of luck which never hurt!

During the Agora you have been mentioned during the Action Agenda interim fulfilment for your European Cafè. How did you have the idea? How did you develop it?

Yes, we are really proud of the Europe Cafè. Thanks to it we were also chosen from the Action Agenda Coordination Committee as ACTive Local of March. The idea born in the philosophical mind of one of our old presidents, Sergio Genovesi. In his own words:

“EC aims at leading international youth present on the local territory to discuss relevant issues concerning European politics and culture. Therefore, the EC provides the opportunity to compare their ideas about European problems with different approaches and points of view to both local and international youth.”

During the current year, the board decided to invest more energy on it because we felt the need to have an open space of discussion. Every month Stefano and Roberto, responsible for this event, prepared a small presentation about the topic chosen. It will be the opening of the Europe Cafè, after that the discussion is open and anyone can share his/her opinion. The topic is chosen taking into account current processes in Europe and participants requests.

Europe Cafè is a simple event with an amazing impact on participants. If you are curious check the article about it!

How is AEGEE affecting your community?

Torino is a big city and it is not easy to measure our impact on the community. For sure, we are able to create spaces for sharing and discussing and probably a lot of new friendships, relationships and collaborations started during our events. I think that helping young people who move to Torino to find their new dimension is already a great thing.

In addition, this year we started to collaborate with external partners like start-ups, other associations and the municipality of Torino with which we’re planning some activities with the purpose to involve more young people in the social dynamics of the city and to promote active citizenship.

What is your motto? Can you describe your local in one sentence?

To be always ourself, because differences are awesome!

What are your upcoming activities?

This year was really full, but we’re not tired. Now all our efforts are on the Summer University W.I.N.E. – Water Isn’t Nutritious Enough which will be in collaboration with the Civic Education Working Group and Drink-Wise. It is another project to whom we all feel attached. This will be the second edition of that fantastic immersion in the Torino and Piedmont atmosphere: Italian style, superb food, the best wines in the world and the madness of AEGEE-Torino. After that, holidays to recharge our batteries in order to get ready for September!

What is the future holding for AEGEE-Torino?

You are so curious! For three years AEGEE-Torino has been improving itself, we found a common vision of our local and we’re working to ensure that each of our members feels part of a big project. New elections are close and the aim of current board is to be strongly supportive for the new one in order to turn all AEGEE-Torino plans into reality.

Because yes, we have plans, or better, we have dreams! We’re working on collaborations and projects and starting to plan new ones, our intention is increasing our holding in the future and our hope is that you hear about us for handsome reasons. I love mystery, so no spoilers! You will discover them!

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona

NWM -Thessaloniki was held from the 30^th March to the 2^nd April in Thessaloniki. It was one of the first couple of NWMs that opened the spring season this year. It was attended by 30 participants, Spyros Papadatos from NetCom, Réka Salamon from CD and experienced trainers, such as Damien Moon Latacz from MedCom and Lucia Gavulova from Summer University.

The title of this article, which was inspired by Spyros Papadatos’s motto “Make the impossible, possible”, sets the beat and describes in the best way this NWM. It was a united collaboration between the local organisers, that surpassed every obstacle, and the European contribution of NetCom, CD and the other participating commitees. The result was a well organised NWM in both the logistic and the content-related aspects.

The participants came from various parts of the Network. Even though the element of the antennae coming from the distributional area where the NWM was organised was not prominent, this enriched the opinions and practices that could be shared during the whole process. The sessions were held in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and some of them in the local youth council settlement. Specifically, the participants had the chance to learn about the structure of AEGEE, prepare and present a SWOT analysis for their antenna, work on FR, HR recruiting and team management. Apart from this, there were sessions about Agora preparation and “Democracy in AEGEE”, a discussion about the future of AEGEE which was presented by Réka. The highlight though, according to many participants, was the Best for My Local session in which each antenna had the chance to share the knowledge and their best practice for recruitment. It was very helpful and enlightining, especially if we consider the fact that our Network is more and more threatened with shrinking. Moreover, the Open Space Technology, which hosted different discussions, from the Brexit to specifying the Point System, was the one that everyone enjoyed the most, due to the fact that they could be involved and participate actively. Laslty, there were very interesting sessions about the youth carrers within EU, which were presented to us by a representative of Europe Direct.

Despite the hard working during the sessions and the commitment with which everyone handled with it, the social life was enjoyed by everyone.  Thessaloniki is a city well known for its nightlife, tasty food temptations and hospitable people.

The participants had the chance to meet all of these through city tours, partying like superheroes in an alternative style pub, travelling back to disco times and tasting the local liquors in traditional tavernas, even when the NWM was finished. We couldn’t exclude the legendary European Night, which was mostly enjoyed by Spyros, our NetCom, Marios, the local representative, and Alperen from AEGEE-Istanbul, who won an Interrail ticket in the Best of my Local competition.

All these wouldn’t have become a reality without the amazing team of organisers from AEGEE-Thessaloniki and the main organiser, Stella Krokou. Within a hard economical situation in Greece, they managed to keep up to everyone’s expectations and hold an inspiring NWM. The have succeded in fundraising, covering all logistics, gaining the collaboration of the university (whoever comes from an antenna with a difficult collaboration with the university can understand how important this is). The quality of their effort was eminent from the fact that everybody had a wonderful time both during the NWM and after it. Personally, as a participant myself on this NWM, I would like to express my gratitude towards them and wish this NWM to reflect on them the same inspiration and create an equal motivation to them as they did for us all!

Written by Vasiliki Andrioti, AEGEE-Ioannina

Spring is right in front of us and Spring Network Meetings follow closely. The Network is once again presented with ten amazing opportunities to grow stronger together, create fruitful alliances and share best practices. Here you can find AEGEE-Bamberg, AEGEE-Gdansk, AEGEE-Novi Sad, AEGEE-Torino and AEGEE-Yerevan. For the previous five, click here. 

NWM Bamberg: We’ll be Royals [upgrade yourself]!

Royals – Lorde AEGEE-Bamberg

And we’ll never be royals.

It don’t run in our blood,

That kind of lux just ain’t is for us.

We crave a different royal kind of buzz.

Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen  Sir Heinrich II

And baby I’ll rule (I’ll rule, I’ll rule, I’ll rule)

Let me live that fantasy.

My AEGEE friends,

Your majesty Sir Heinrich II invites his imperial followership to an accolade and induction of his most faithful supporters to receive a knighthood in his beautiful city of residence, Bamberg!

“Upgrade yourself by attending this gathering of 25 members of the noble AEGEE-family that will take place between the 20th and 23rd of April. You will not only be offered inspiring workshops, discussion panels and debates in a royal city flair, but plenty of extras that will constitute the royal flair of this event!”

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/735094903322354/

NWM Gdansk: The Greatest ones Do Now! 

Yo, did you miss Agora? The event when dozens of people have a time of their lives? If the answer is “yes”, or “maybe”, or even “no”, just think for a while if you want to improve yourself and learn something essential by the beautiful Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea, huh, doesn’t it sound exciting? NWM Gdansk is your best option! Or at least, organisers think so! Now imagine: 100 amazing AEGEEans will come together to discover different areas, share their ideas and present themselves! Fantastic trainers from AEGEE and BEST! It is going to be something new, stunning, fabulous, something that AEGEE has not seen before… Well, there are a lot of catchy phrases, so to check all of them out – just apply until the 6th of March! It is your occasion to be the Greatest! #GDN

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/632077763643140/

NWM Novi Sad: European by birth. AEGEEan by choice. In Novi Sad on purpouse. 

The second largest city of Serbia, the industrial and financial center often considered as the co-capital of Belgrade, the European Capital of culture of 2021, European Youth Capital for 2019, the Youthful musical city where the Best Major European award-winning festival EXIT happens ever since 2000- the new era of a new age and… is there more? Oh, there is more. YOU can add more by getting more! And if you are thinking “When would be the right time to go? Does Spring 2017 seem like a good time?”, it is certainly the right time! Visit the Balkans, especially if for the first time. Afterwards, you will always want to come back. Right next to the warm and welcoming spirit of the city together with a lot of rich cultural learning, the total catch is simply to come and see- new FA, AEGEE (huge!) achievements: we know how and where, we know why, we are just missing with whom. Networking and strengthening, blending the joint visions into common missions, it is all about getting better. Acknowledge your European self and… Get to learn, get to lead!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/209560836180310/

NWM Torino: Not a Waste of Money! 

AEGEE-Torino is a crazy antenna and their events always have to be huuuge. That is why we decided to have 60 participants in our NWM. The sessions are going to be held in an amazing location in the middle of a park, a few minutes away from the main square and on the Po river bank. The programme will be fun and interactive, the social programme will be tremendous (participants will have the opportunity to take part in the famous “use your tongue” aperitif) and it will be also the best season to visit our great city. It is going to be absolutely fantastic and you are going to pay for it (but we promise it will be No Waste of Money). Save the dates!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1835333460083036/

NWM Yerevan: HAY power! 

NWM Yerevan: HAY power. You are probably wondering what does these 3 letters mean. Sorry, but I am not going to tell you that right now. All I can say is that if you come to Yerevan in May 2017 you will not regret it. Intensive sessions during the afternoon, national dances and music in the evening, an international team and hospitable local organisers, delicious cuisine and a wonderful city, a place for discussion and motivation to be born. Forget about borders in your head and distance on the map. Come and get inspired!

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1439540256344976/

This is part two of a two-parts article. For part one, click here.

Written by the Network Commission of AEGEE-Europe

Spring is right in front of us, and Spring Network Meetings follow closely. The Network is once again presented with ten amazing opportunities to grow stronger together, create fruitful alliances and share best practices. Here you can find the first five: AEGEE-Debrecen, AEGEE-Thessaloniki, AEGEE-Bilbao, AEGEE-Heidelberg and AEGEE-Nijmegen. For the following five, click here.

NWM Debrecen: The phoenix rises again

When it comes to AEGEE, sometimes it is like a double-edged sword. You have the benefit of experiencing and getting into the democratic process, assume responsibilities and make yourself heard at the European level. At the same time, there is a threat of people coming and going all the time, AEGEE represents just a few years of their lives for most of the members. This pilgrimage can sometimes affect the balance of an antenna or even the whole Network; some other times it could also create better leaders and the feeling of being part of this legacy could motivate people even more. AEGEE-Debrecen is no less than this, a few motivated members that will “rise again” and make their voices heard. We will tackle together all these issues and find real solutions for our locals and the Network. How can you get more inspired, if not in a place where inspired people are working and living? Come to discover the capital and the second biggest city in Hungary, its cuisine and its biggest treasure: the great AEGEEans living there!

Facebook event here.

NWM Thessaloniki: Find your thess-aurus
Are you an AEGEEan and you would like to know more about our organisation? Do you wish to gain knowledge and develop your skills in combination with meeting with more than 30 people from all over Europe? Do you want to join a journey to explore AEGEE and yourself? Then the NWM Thessaloniki: Find your thess-aurus is the right event for you! Join us in the beautiful Greek city of Thessaloniki and explore your potential and the AEGEE spirit (except the mattresses and the sleeping bags, we will have real beds!). A team of trainers will help you find your thess-aurus, so do not wait anymore! See you in Thessaloniki!

Facebook event here.

NWM Bilbao: The North is Worth a Meeting

For the second time in six years, AEGEE-Bilbao is proud to invite you all to the NWM: The North is Worth a Meeting. On the second weekend of April, 52 young AEGEEans will gather in Berriz for one of the greatest AEGEE events: a Network Meeting! During three days, invaded by the AEGEE spirit, all the beloved participants will have a great time in a traditional cosy village, being surrounded by lovely nature and learning about the Basque language and the culture. We are going to focus on the needs of the locals: what they want to learn and improve, what they want to share. Also, we can count on some special help to make the wishes of our participants come true.
If you want to discover what is going on in Bilbao, do not miss this opportunity!

Facebook event here.

NWM Heidelberg: Breaking the ice with Friedrich

Breaking the ice with Friedrich is your best opportunity to discover the most romantic city in Germany. Spend the whole weekend with 50 other AEGEEans sharing ideas and opinions and enjoying the best AEGEEan atmosphere. We even have a whole afternoon full of games and opportunities to discover the area! We are not saying that it will be the best NWM of the season but…. well, yes, we can say that! You will not regret joining us! A really participative NWM where you can have a say about the sessions beforehand! Do not let the others tell you about it, be part of NWM Heidelberg!

Facebook event here.

NWM Nijmegen: Bridges across Europe

Nijmegen is the oldest city in the Netherlands, yet it is full of young people, including many AEGEEans. The best part of this Network Meeting will be the variation. The programme contains thematic sessions including a conference about equal rights, as well as organisational sessions provided by at least five different people. You will receive a bike for the whole duration of the event, allowing you to get plenty of fresh air during the day, while you crawl from pub to pub in the night!

Facebook event here.

This is part one of a two-parts article. More NWMs are coming soon.

Written by the Network Commission of AEGEE-Europe

During Spring Agora Bergamo, our magazine got some space to hand out the certificates for Local and Member of the Month. One local in particular had a nice surprise, AEGEE-Voronezh, that discovered they are the Local of the Month of April. We asked Svetlana Merenkova, President of the local, some questions to know more about this them!

The AEGEEan: Please, introduce your local.

Svetlana: We are AEGEE-Voronezh – a local in the central part of Russia

You were selected as the Local of the Month of April. How does it feel?

It feels great. We didn’t expect it and were overwhelmed with joy when it happened.

The reason why you were selected was your Network Meeting, how was it?

Our NWM “Let’s Twist Again” was a successful event full of new ideas, active discussions and AEGEE spirit. We liked it a lot and hope that all our participants did as well. It gave us the motivation to continue our work and develop our local as much as possible and be more active.

What is the strongest asset of your local?

Definitely the people. We are a team and each of us contributes a lot to the development and success of our local. We are all different, but share the same ideas and passion towards AEGEE.

What does AEGEE mean to you?

AEGEE is a mix of everything that young people can dream for: self-development, new opportunities, a chance to really make a difference, great people and experience, which you can’t compare with anything. It’s far more that just and oganisation. AEGEE is a way of life.

How has AEGEE impacted your community?

AEGEE-Voronezh is a small antenna and we can’t say that our community was impacted much by this fact since AEGEE was established in our city, but we are trying to do our best to change that. For example, this April we were involved in “Clean April”, an event dedicated to separate trash recycling. These were small steps towards changing our community for the better and we are hoping for more.

What are your future projects?

Currently we are organising two Summer Universities, so for now these are our main priorities, but we also have other plans and hopefully you will hear about them soon.

You can learn more about Local and Member of the Month here.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona

Don’t miss the chance to join AEGEE-Santander’s Network Meeting happening this spring. They are organising it for the second time and it is taking place between the 7th and the 10th of April, in their beautiful city in Spain. We talked with the president of the local, Marta Vila Cortavitarte, to give us a little information about what they are preparing for this Spring NWM, so you’d better start saving money for the event.

The AEGEEan: Let us begin by giving us a little information about your antenna. Who is AEGEE-Santander, how many members does it have and how old is it? 

Marta: AEGEE-Santander is an eight-year-old antenna from Cantabria, a region in the North side of Spain. Despite being one of the smaller regions of Spain, AEGEE-Santander counts 90 members, more or less.

Is this the first time you organise a Network Meeting in your local? And if not, when did you organise the first one and what new are you planning to bring to this NWM?

No, it is not. We already organised the Autumn NWM in 2013. We want to bring new topics, new activities and of course, a lot of enthusiasm for our new coordination team.

 Could you present us the core team behind this NWM?

The team will be a mix of old and new members who work together to make the most of this event, sharing both experience and freshness. The team is led by Sara Sota, former president and advisor and the following people: Bruno di Lorenzo, Cristina Bengoechea, Bruno, Ignacio Ara, Pablo Carceller, Jorge Gutiérrez, Andrei Simintina, Marta Vila, Sonia Alonso, Rubén Rivas and Sandra Manteca, among others.

What is the main theme of this NWM? Please describe it in 3-5 lines. 

This NWM will focus especially in Civic Education and Spreading Europtimism. We want our participants to learn about  networking, sharing best practices, how to debate,  getting to know the AEGEE structure and last but not least, motivate members to be more active. To reach our objectives, we’ll use different kinds of methods like workshops, energisers, conferences, debates, trainings, ice-breaking games, brainstorming sessions and role-playing games.

Are there also gonna be thematic parties? What kind of thematic parties are there gonna be? 

Sure! We’ll have a thematic party every day. The first one will be an EN (European Night). On Friday night the S-party will take place, where each participant will dress up as whatever they want, as long as his/her costume or character’s name starts with an S (in this party originality is a must!)

How many participants do you plan to accept?

40 people

How much is the participation fee?

Just 40 euros

 Which is the easiest way for participants to reach Santander?

By plane. Ryanair has connections with Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Málaga, Sevilla, Tenerife Sur, Valencia, Dusseldorf Weeze, Frankfurt Hahn, Brussels Charleroi, Dublin, Milan Bergamo, Roma Ciampino, Edinburgh and London Stansted. Iberia has connection with Madrid while Vueling has connection with Barcelona El Prat and Alicante. 

It’s also easy to flight to Bilbao or to Madrid airport and then you can travel by bus (ALSA), train (RENFE) or Car Sharing (BlaBlaCar). In fact, Santander is also easily reachable by train, bus or car from most of the cities of Spain.

Do you also plan to give the participants a city tour or an optional trip? 

We have nothing planned yet, but it is the role of our incoming team to plan a city tour or a hike around the hostel area if most of our participants arrive before the official starting time of the NWM.

Tell us something interesting about Santander that few people know.

A lot of tourists in Santander miss the old city centre. They only find some ‘randomly’ spread old buildings in a mass of majestic, organised streets from the 50s or even more modern. Do you know why? That’s because Santander had to recover from a disaster twice (in 1893 from the ‘cabo machichaco’ boat explosion and in 1941 from the greatest fire of Spain). These episodes made most of the old wooden buildings disappear and force Santander to be rebuilt. 

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

After attending Network Meeting (NWM) Berlin, some members of AEGEE-Mainz-Wiesbaden thought it would be great to organise a NWM themselves. They didn’t just get the chance to organise a NWM, but also to organise a NWM different from the others. NWM Mainz-Wiesbaden is not organised by the Network Commissioner responsible for AEGEE-Mainz-Wiesbaden, making it the first NWM that proves the vision of AEGEE for a borderless Europe. The AEGEEan asked one of the organisers, Rene Schröder, and Network Commisioner, Hanna Alajõe, about the upcoming NWM.

The AEGEEan: Tell us more about your local.
Rene: AEGEE-Mainz-Wiesbaden is a small, but highly motivated antenna. After the board had nearly completely changed, we as well faced to restructure our antenna to a more networking attitude. We are willing to participate in more European events than before and will also organise events ourselves. With the help of the new recruitment strategy and new PR-work, we hope to get recognised both in Europe and in Mainz to gain more interested people.

Why did you decide to apply for hosting a NWM?
The organisation of the Spring NWM 2016 was a ‘glimpse of a moment’ idea. Because some of us had recently taken part in the NWM Berlin, we were quite enthusiastic organising one for ourselves – to show the AEGEE network how motivated we are. The idea reached immense support within the antenna. However, we had to face some challenges in finding an accommodation, because our usual accommodations are crowded with refugees, both in Mainz and Wiesbaden. Thanks to our Network Commission, we were able to create an all-time-first: because our Netcom (Marieke) has got to plan another NWM, we got into contact with Hanna, who is normally responsible for the “Nordic Stars”. Thereby, we already live in borderless Europe while organising beyond borders. It would be great if other antennae follow our path to make Europe even more open.

What is the name of your NWM? Can you explain it?
NWM Mainz-Wiesbaden: How to…? Crazy theme, right? No! Because do you know, how to enjoy the AEGEE spirit? Do you know how to recruit people and overcome difficulties in your antenna? Do you know how to have fun the “Rhine-hessian” way? Do you know what it’s like to spend three nights in two cities in one antenna? See, that’s why we have chosen this topic! We are excited to show you that and so much more in our workshops and our social time, where you will get to know around 30 people from all over the network, a nice Netcommie and also a Comité Directeur member, as well as an external speaker.

How is the cooperation with the NetCommie?
We’re working together with Hanna, and until now the cooperation works pretty well. We’re exchanging information and ideas about the social program, the content and everything else. As we’re not living in the same part of Europe, we are communicating via Skype and Facebook instead of actually meeting, but it still works out fine!

What does the program of the NWM include?
Hanna: Although the program is not completely set yet, I can say that there will be some awesome sessions happening. For example, besides me and a CD member as a trainer/facilitator, there will be at least one European Body represented and also another NetCommie – so a lot of variety in sessions is sure to be. Some of the sessions of the program are also already announced in the event description and I am very open to suggestions from participants as well. NWMs are there for the Network, so when applying, don’t be shy to express your opinion about what you’d like to see.
And talking about the social program – AEGEE-Mainz-Wiesbaden will make it amazing with the EN, pub crawl and a city tour.

What is the main goal of the NWM? Can you share some ideas you already have about it?
The main goal of the NWM is as described in the CIA: “sharing best practices, keeping the locals closer to each other, connecting them with the European level, updating them about last progresses and launching initiatives. Network Meetings should improve the functioning of the locals, increase cooperation between them, to inspire and renew the motivation of active members.”
But the name of the NWM in Mainz-Wiesbaden is “How to…?” meaning we will talk about different how-to’s, like how to get new members, how to be more active as a local, how to cooperate with European Bodies, how to have fun in Wiesbaden etc.
My biggest goal and hope for the NWM is to have active participants, willing to express their opinion and being motivated afterwards – I want the NWM to be a discussion, not a training [she smiles].

What are your plans for the social program?
Rene: Of course we want to show you the best parts of our both home-cities. Both of the cities have beautiful historic centres, and you will get to know it in a cool pub crawl and a city tour, where you will get to know the wine, which is very common in our region. Of course, we will have an awesome European Night, too.

What are AEGEE-Mainz-Wiesbaden upcoming activities?
After the NWM we will fully concentrate on our Model European Union, which will take place in July this year. It is our big annual event since 2009, now having its seventh edition. We’re also planning to do a Members’ Weekend and some internal training for our team. As our board term has just started on February 1st, we don’t have a completely finished schedule for the upcoming term, but we are working on it consistently and we are looking forward to a good year in Mainz-Wiesbaden. And, foremost, we are excited for our NWM in April!

You can apply for the NWM here and here.

Written by Lia Tuska, AEGEE-Kastoria/Sofia

AEGEE-Groningen members are preparing their ship to set sail on their new NWM (Network Meeting) that will take place between the 13th and 17th of April. We talked to Anna van den Berg, the Captain of the crew, to find out further information about their NWM and their plans for the event.

The AEGEEan: At the beginning, let’s find out some information about your antenna. Who is AEGEE-Groningen, how many members does it have and how old is it? 

Anna: AEGEE-Groningen is the northernmost local of the Netherlands. It was founded in 1988 and we currently have around 300 members. We organise many local and European events, but we also organise excursions and hitchhiking competitions about six times a year.

Is this the first time when you organise a Network Meeting within your local? If not, when did you host the first one and what will be different in this NWM?

It is not the first time we will host a Network Meeting. Six years ago, we conquered the island of Schiermonnikoog, but this year our ship will set sail for the lovely island of Ameland. Of course, we will also show you our beautiful hometown: Groningen.

 Could you present us the core team behind this NWM?

Our committee consists of six highly motivated pirates. Captain Anna, who prefers to be called Koekwaus, has only one goal in life: to find the secret stack of rum! There is nothing in the world that could stop her from finding it. Her servant, or actually First Mate, Lisette, is quoting everything that has been said, in her diary. She will publish it afterwards to get rich, so she will be able to spend it all on travelling. Treasurer Mark began his voyage at the far eastside of the Netherlands, in search of treasures to finance our journey to the island of Ameland! On his trips, he always brings his own secret stash of rum, and keeps it hidden from his Captain.

And then we have our three masters. Patrick is our Sailing Master. He is responsible for our promotion, so we may find the landlubbers brave enough to join us during our grueling journey. Also, do not overlook Leny, our Master Gunner, she may be quiet at first, but when she is sailing on the Wadden Sea, she feels like being at home. And don’t forget Frank. Frank is just…Frank. He is our Quartermaster and beware of him as well. He has a dangerous skill: his sarcasm will blow your mind.

What is the main theme of this NWM? Please describe it in 3-5 lines. 

The theme of our NWM is Pirates of Ameland. People of AEGEE-Groningen are adventurous and they like to travel, and we would like to offer our participants the opportunity to be part of our adventure by taking them to Ameland on our boat. We will make sure that this is going to be an adventure that they will never forget.

Are there going to be thematic parties? If yes, what kind of thematic parties? 

There will be a thematic party in Groningen, during which you will get the opportunity to show your inner pirate. Of course that on the island, we will organise a European Night. Besides that, we will have more parties, many games and a lot of interesting workshops.

How many participants do you plan to accept?

We will accept a maximum of 30 participants to join us in our adventure.

How much is the participation fee for this event?

This event costs only 65 euros, and it includes our travel to Ameland.

Which is the easiest way for participants to reach Groningen?

Groningen is easily accessible by train, bus or airplane. The airport Groningen-Eelde is located just a few miles away from the city. In addition, there is also a direct train connection between the city and Schiphol airport (Amsterdam). It is also easy to reach Groningen from Eindhoven airport or Bremen airport by train. Flixbus also offers many different connections between Groningen and other cities in Europe.

Do you also plan to give the participants a city tour or an optional trip?

The participants will get tours of both our hometown, Groningen, and the beautiful island Ameland. There will be the opportunity to learn about AEGEE and to develop themselves during the workshops, but we will make sure that they enjoy the beauty of the Netherlands as well.

Tell us something interesting about Groningen, something that a few people know.

Groningen is a city that never sleeps: in our city, the bars do not close until the last person has gone home. So if you are up for the challenge of partying all night long, Groningen is definitely the right city for you!

Written by Gabriela Geană, AEGEE-București

In spring, ten Network Meetings (NWMs) will be hosted in ten cities scattered all around Europe. The local who will kick off this cycle is AEGEE-Niš that is expecting 20 AEGEEans from the 17th until the 20th of March. We spoke with their president Bratislav Bojić to get to know more about this event and the future plans of the local. 

The AEGEEan: Can you tell us more about your local?

Bratislav: Well, the most important thing to say about AEGEE-Niš is that… we are sooo cool [he laughs, ed.]. AEGEEans in Niš are always ready for new friendships and adventures, and this is why we’re the best student organisation in the city.  Obviously, we are very modest too. The local in Niš was founded 17 years ago, and all these years we’ve been spreading AEGEE spirit and showing all the great possibilities AEGEE has to offer. I think we’ve been doing pretty good job, but of course, there are so many things that we still need to do.

Why did you decide to apply for the NWM?

One of the things AEGEE-Niš has never done before is NWM. So this is officially the first NWM that AEGEE-Niš will be organising in its 17 years long history! And this AEGEE generation has the honour of organising this kind of AEGEE event. This is the exact reason we’ve decided to apply – the honour of organising it and making history by doing that!

How is the cooperation with your Netcommie?

Oh, our Netcommie Jovana is a real sweetheart! She has become our great friend and advisor, we couldn’t possibly have gotten a better mentor. We love you, Jovana!

How many participants do you expect to have? Only from your area or from other parts of the network too?

We expect around 20 participants. Most of them will probably be from the countries nearby, but we hope that some non-Balkans will visit us as well!

What is the name of your NWM? Can you explain it?

Our NWM is called “Seize the days”. We thought this would be the perfect name because we know that all the participants will have their days in Niš seized in the best way possible! Carpe diem is something that professor Keating (Robin Williams) from “Dead Poets Society” would want all of us to do – learn, love, inspire – and this is exactly what the NWM is all about.

What are your plans for the social programme?

Since Niš has a very rich history, there will be a city tour for sure. And, of course, a party every night since the city offers a very rich night life. There will also be a “kafana” night, which is a big part of Serbian tradition.

What are the upcoming projects of AEGEE-Niš?

We are planning to do several new projects, and to continue some of the AEGEE-Niš traditional projects, like Habla with moi (project about language and culture), Be Smart and Start (project about entrepreneurship), and of course Summer University. This year’s SU is named “Vampires and Gods”, and we are organising it with our friends from AEGEE-Thessaloniki. The main topic is history and Serbian and Greek mythology. This will definitely be an exciting year for AEGEE-Niš!

You can find more information on the event on Facebook. You can apply here and here.

Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona

AEGEE-Catania’s Summer University (SU) was elected as the best SU during Autumn Agora Cagliari, but that, for sure, does not mean this Sicilian antenna’s work is done. Not at all actually, because the local is on fire with a Network Meeting (NWM), another Summer University and contribution to the upcoming Night of the Seven Antennae. We spoke to Alfio Koshimanu Bonaccorsi, Main Organiser of the NWM, to find out more about the secrets of this local and their upcoming events.

The AEGEEan: Why did you apply to organize the NWM? When did the idea start?

Alfio: Well, we applied for the previous Autumn NWM, but the network was asking for a meeting in North Italy after many in the south, so we had to wait for Spring 2015 to host this event. We applied because we are proud to be part of the Rainbow and to give its members a great event of reunion. Plus, everyone was asking for an event in Catania, aside from a SU, so here it is!

Who will be responsible for the organisation?

I will be the Main Organiser, but I have a great team of twenty people, including the former and present presidents, Antonio and Elisa.

When will the NWM take place and how many participants will be there?

From the 12^th until the 15^th of March. We started with 45 places, but we extended it to 50 due to the high number of applications.

Do you already have plans for the NWM?

The sessions are fixed by the Network Commission (NetCom), but in the free time we will show some of the icebreaking games and activities that make our SU events so unforgettable. Plus, the participants will have a special dinner, they do not know about yet! And of course, European Night!

You are also organising a Summer University again. What is the plan for your SU, and how do you manage to combine the SU with the preparation for the NWM?

This year we are going to take a risk. We are going to change our winning theme and challenge ourselves again. We are going for a Mythology theme, because Sicily is an island full of myths and legends. The coordination will be difficult, but the team is already active for the SU and we will have our first meeting on the 1^st of February!

What are your secret plans to become the best SU for the fourth time?

Changing the theme and the content of our SU is a risky decision, but it will also give the old and experienced members new energy and enthusiasm. Furthermore, every year we improve something based on our participants feedback, and this year will be no exception.

Next to the NWM and SU, you also signed up to organise the Night of the Seven Antennae. How do you plan to combine these big events?

Fortunately, the NWM and 30^th Anniversary both take place in a weekend and both have sessions that will be hosted in university halls. We are creating a great team to manage both of them, keeping some things similar (lodging, meals, session rooms) to make things easier.

Why should people come to Catania for one of your events?

The applications for the NWM have already closed, but you can apply for the Night of the Seven Antennae event soon. It is a good chance to visit us, to discover this magic city among the volcano and the sea and find out why we organise such unforgettable events. I think it is a great combination of European timing and organisation (every detail is very important), and Sicilian warmth and friendliness. Oh, and we will sleep in a bed and breakfast, so we have real beds, that is important, too!

Do you have any other big events coming up that AEGEEans should not miss?

The Night of the Seven Antennae from 17^th until 19^th of April, the Summer University from the 7^th until the 18^th of August and another secret project for next autumn! Catania is thinking big. We are very optimistic about the present and future.

Written by Svenja van der Tol, AEGEE-Nijmegen