The not so glamorous parts

CD-life isn't all conferences, networking, representation, finances, application writing and press releases; sometimes the gutter simply clogs, a leak is created and it rains into the office. With cleaning it as only solution.

Y Vote 2009 Playlist

Democratically chosen by the young voters around Europe these songs will mark the Y Vote 2009 campaign!

Launch of Europarl TV

Yesterday a new on-line TV was launched by the European Parliament: Europarl TV.

The headoffice was interviewed to take part in their first reportage about European education, not on-line yet.

You can find more information together with our comments on Euractiv

Collecting business cards at Place Lux

A fancy Y Vote launch in Vienna with many big names as keynote speakers is not a reason to loosen grip on the Brussels' scene - so Ivonne and I put on some fancy clothes and joined former president of AEGEE-Europe Theijs van Welij to the 'Politiek Cafe': a gathering of Dutch politicians, bureaucrats and journalists discussing the theme of the week (Europe and the Media) in informal setting. While enjoying a nice glass of red wine, we were introduced to several MEP's and told them about Y Vote, after which business cards were exchanged with the promise to keep them informed.
A second glass of wine and a cigarette resulted in a long talk outside with two freelance journalists that were pretty fascinated by our life and work in Brussels - again an exchange of business cards and a promise to visit our legendary Headoffice.

The third and last stop at Place Luxembourg - the social hub next to the European Parliament - just outside a cafe where we had one final drink with a group of British and French men. A discussion about traveling, financial management and how to cook Belgian mussels or a traditional British-Indian breakfast resulted in two more business cards and the satisfaction of a highly successful networking night.

NetMetSanPet

Красуйся, град Петров!

Last weekend Peter the Great's magnificent city hosted the first Network Meeting of the term!
Participants from Russia, Ukraine, Finland and even Slovakia took part in the event.
Through the lectures and workshops - delivered, among the others, by the Network Commission, the Academy and the CD - many motivated fresh members got to know the association, while several found their way into their future development in AEGEE.
At least 2 concrete and ambitious plans for new international events were made. Furthermore, the founding of 3 new Contacts (2 in Russia and 1 in Ukraine) is prospected in the near future.
And... new friendships are born!
Long life to AEGEE-Sankt Petersburg and to the marvellous people who made all this possible! To those who built step by step a big local with astonishing variety and potential and to those who are filling it with new energy every day. To you my friends.

Друзья мои, прекрасен наш союз!
Он, как душа, неразделим и вечен —
Неколебим, свободен и беспечен
Срастался он под сенью дружных муз.

Cyprus needs youth

Dragan and I ( Percin ) attended the breakfast policy meeting that was organised by European Policy Center. Turkish Cypriot Leader Mehmet Ali Talat was invited as the speaker for this briefing.

The topics discussed by Mr. Talat were civic dialogue, womens role, the relationship between the two sides, trade, the EU, human migration, his point of view in two sides in Cyprus in general, civil society, Turkish & British troops and religious contacts.
I have asked Mr Talat the question about how he sees the contribution of youth and youth associations in that matter and how he supports this work by organisations. After a long answer, his most memorable sentence was ' Cyprus needs youth '

After the conference, me and Dragan had the chance to approach Mr. Talat and inform him about the Spring AGORA 2009 in Magusa and the general works of AEGEE.

In the News :-)

Also, check my editorial in the European Movement International Newsletter, here.

Member's Manual 2008

The new Member's Manual 2008 - a tool every AEGEE member should always have handy - is ready!

My predecessor, Network Development Director Stefan Wittwer, worked hard on it to obtain a clear structure and update it thoroughly.

Please, make use of the MM! Upload it on your computer, print it and keep it in your local AEGEE office, show it to new members, have a look at it when there is some AEGEE mystery for you to discover. There is always more ;-)

And... comment! Do you think it is an useful tool or would you prefer another one? Printed or online? Should it be implemented? If yes, how?

Looking foward to your input! Download

Building a Better Future Together

So close, yet so unfamiliar with each other - that’s how one could describe the EU and Israel. This week I went to Jerusalem to join a meeting of the EU and Israeli networks of students and young professionals willing to bring these two closer together. Meeting was the first step in a networking initiative by the Young Israeli Forum for Cooperation and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung – aiming to raise the knowledge on Europe and Israel, and consequently cooperation between two civil societies, through activities of young people. All this was discussed for 4 days in Jerusalem and will hopefully result in a set of concrete activities – with study visits for young people of different backgrounds from Israel to Brussels and, vice-versa their European counterparts to Jerusalem, as something where AEGEE could play a great role.

It was of course a memorable experience to visit Jerusalem – city where nations, religions and cultures have been meeting for centuries – now so bitterly divided by long lasting conflict and a rather new fence.

AEGEE Family getting bigger

Yesterday the CD approved 4 new Contacts in fashionable Antwerpen, imperial Magdeburg, perspective Velika Gorica and lovely Banja Luka. Last week, Catanzaro, Linkoping, Lutsk and Ozurgeti were approved by the outgoing CD. A warm welcome to them!

Furthermore, Darmstadt and Ogre were upgraded from Contact Antenna to Antenna. Congratulations!

Several Contacts are now running for signing the Convension d'Adhésion at Agora Aachen, with the Juridical Commission taking care of checking and approving their statutes. We wish them all good luck!

How to become part of the AEGEE world? Check it out on www.aegee.org/network.

What Do You Think?

This Autumn Agora will be a rather special one - as in Aachen we are going to adopt a brand new Strategic Plan 2009 - 2011. As a part of consultation process for the drafting of this important document two surveys were presented to the network. One was addressing individual members on the matters of AEGEE thematic focus; the second one was targeted at local boards and their organisational needs.

Here are the first results of both surveys.

3 - 2 - 1: New Term!

On September 1, exactly at midnight, the new AEGEE European Board of Directors came into force.