It’s already the seventh part of the AEGEE Golden Times review on 2012 and preview on 2013. This time you will find the opinions and expectations of AEGEE-Europe President Luis Alvarado Martinez, of Hara Kogkou, Gizem Karslı, Réka Salamon, Hans-Peter Bretz and Tika Kukhianidze.
Luis Alvarado Martínez, President of AEGEE-Europe
What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
Seeing in different events the predisposition of the Network to change the direction of the association to a more policy and thematic oriented one, without forgetting the fun of course.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Receiving a message with 100 percent of all my team members supporting me, during the conference in Russia before the protest. Having their total support and reading that they were proud of me inspired me and gave me so much energy I will always remember it.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
Implement our CD Activity Plan and get even more people on board with our work and initiatives. We need the network to feel ownership over our work.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
Well we have a lot! We are planning an online campaign on youth rights with the Council of Europe, the EP Elections 2014 Project, a big conference in June in Brussels, many thematic consultations around the network, moving to a new house, press conferences and other events in the European Parliament with our projects etc etc etc…
Who were for you the outstanding members in 2012?
I would like to mention many people here, starting with my amazing team of crazy workaholics in the CD who never rest of wanting to make this association better. Marko Grdosic for being there with every single thing we need and helping us with the closing of the Beyond Europe project, as well as his mum for being an extra AEGEE worker. Alexianne Galea and Marcus Khoury for giving us so much legal advice and helping all the time. Christophe Leclercq and Dan Luca from Euractiv and former AEGEEans for advising and being very in touch with the CD, the Europe on Track Ambassadors, our Policy Officers, Manos Valasis for working on the Online Membership System, Les Anciens for supporting us. Burcu Bercemen for being Burcu. Mayri Tiido and Matthijs Overhaal for being as crazy as we are here in Brussels, Sandra Oborska and Diana Lesko for representing our association in an exquisite way in many conferences – every time I travel I hear from them. Franck Biancheri for starting all this craziness which drives our everyday life. And of course every single AEGEE member who wakes up every day thinking how could they improve and do something for the association. To all of them thank you.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
At home with my family in warm Canary Islands! I might decide to go for a swim!
Hara Kogkou, MedCom Member, SU25 Booklet Editor, Former SUCT
What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
Definitely the great year in the SUCT with Maurits, Magda, Costas and Alma!
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Agora Enschede. I feel like everybody else who was there, learnt something and felt something. Call it the speech of Franc Biancheri, call it the vote of confidence, every single day was unique.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
To create a nice Anniversary Booklet for the 25 years of the Summer University Project and to have a smooth and nice year with my fellow great MedCommies!
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
I would say the new structure of AEGEE.
Who was for you the outstanding member in 2012?
There are plenty of names that come to my mind right now, but I’ll name just two that have something in common: Alfredo Sellitti for his ongoing motivation and Luis Alvarado Martinez for being a source of inspiration!
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
Nothing concrete yet, but 97% in Athens!
Gizem Karslı
What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
The first memory that came to my mind is our transition night, last hours of our mandate and how the year flashed before our eyes with a ten-minute long video.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
I feel anybody can answer that on my behalf; the entire EBM İzmir! But, the second night was exceptionally outstanding thanks to my dramatic nervous breakdown due to all stress – Turati, Olimpia: thanks again for keeping me alive that night.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
To survive, I am working as a political advisor to the vice-chair of the main opposition in the Turkish Parliament and when you have a glimpse at Turkey’s political agenda then you can easily understand what I mean with survival.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
European Parliament Elections and correspondingly active citizenship!
Who were for you the outstanding member in 2012?
Each of my CD mates for taking one of the biggest challenges of our lives – and Mirek for making us truly proud!
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
In İzmir with my childhood friends.
Réka Salamon, “Europe on Track” Coordinator, PRC Vice-Coordinator
What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
Discovering the European level of AEGEE and diving right into it! From my extraordinary trips to Brussels through the Public Relations Committee (PRC) to becoming the coordinator of the “Europe on Track” project. I will probably remember 2012 as the year when my life turned upside down.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Similarly to many others I will probably remember Agora Enschede for a long time, but since I decided to choose a happy memory as a highlight for this year, it was the amazing four days in Budapest. Not only because my country’s capital was hosting the Agora, but also because I do believe it was the milestone in reshaping the identity of AEGEE and getting more serious about our work on the European sphere.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
Keeping up this tendency of mine and putting AEGEE on the top of my priority list. Public Relations Committee, Corporate Relations Committee, the European Parliament Elections Team and the AEGEEan should keep me occupied enough without having too much on my plate. Or maybe the next edition of “Europe on Track” should also be added?
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
“Y-Vote 2.0” – and getting more involved in the political sphere. With having so many discussions lately, questioning the European identity and the situation of young people, being more involved is the right way to act accordingly to our principles and build a better future for Europe and for ourselves.
Who were for you the outstanding members in 2012?
There are many people I’m glad to have had the chance to meet and learn from. So on the top of “My list of inspirational people” stand: Jüri Kirpu – for daring to stand out from the crowd, taking the critical approach and a rather unconventional path towards making AEGEE better. Marko Grdosic – who managed to handle more tasks during his term in CD then he was supposed to and is still providing the current CD with a lot of help! Michael Makowiecki – for me personally, because he played a key role in the realisation of my real interest in PR and Communications. Thank you Michi! And my list continues with a few more names…
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
I really don’t know yet. AEGEE-Debrecen is organising a new Years’ event this year, I might end up attending that and see how my local is doing.
Hans-Peter Bretz, SUCT
What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
My first event of 2012, the Network Meeting Hamburg in March. It took place only a few weeks after I finished my studies, and was just the right mixture of interesting content, smooth organisation, relaxed surroundings, ridiculously funny parties and lots of my good older AEGEE friends. It finally gave me the push to decide to leave Aachen and move to a new city for a new job: Berlin.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Well it was probably the plenary during the Spring Agora Enschede with the vote of confidence against the CD members. Before that, there were already rumors spreading that there would be a vote against one member of the Comité Directeur, and many participants were confused and wondering what had happened and would happen further on, and that plenary than was a huge surprise for everybody.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
I will focus on my work in the Summer University Coordination Team which will surely be enough for the first half of the year and beyond. I’m also still a member of the Environmental Working Group, although not in the board anymore, and will see if there are some tasks I can help with. As giving talks and workshops might be part of my regular work as well next year, I’m thinking about finishing my pro-train mentorship I have started earlier this year and gather some experience as trainer inside AEGEE as well, if there is the possibility and time for that.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
The current Comité Directeur seems to have a lot of ideas and I’m very interested to see what else will come up in the next year. Apart from that, I think the results from the work on the visual identity and the survey about the identity of AEGEE will be topics that can influence AEGEE for long after 2013.
Who were for you the outstanding members in 2012?
It is really hard to evaluate the work of others and say who was the most outstanding or important members for the network. So I’ll make a personal choice and pick the members of AEGEE-Berlin with whom I spent a great Fall Agora in Budapest and who made it very easy for me to feel integrated in Berlin.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
I will spend my holidays with my family and will probably meet friends in Cologne for New Year’s Eve, but I don’t have any solid plans yet.
Tika Kukhianidze, Network Commissioner
What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
Becoming a Netcom – I was considering that for some months, but I made the final decision two hours before the deadline, as some other circumstances changed in my life, that enabled me to take this responsibility. And I’ve never regretted it! I would also add the Netcom Meeting in Katowice. From this perspective I cannot imagine my work as a Netcom without this meeting: fruitful discussions, great atmosphere, an amazing team and some emotional moments in the end.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
The very first thing that comes to my mind was Agora Enschede and the famous vote of confidence. Those days were quite emotional for me though I didn’t know most of the people involved in person before.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
My plans for 2013 are mostly connected to the Netcom. I would like to leave my traces on the prosperity of the locals in my area and want to see results of the work my subcommies and me are doing right now. Though I haven’t decided what I’ll be doing after my term ends. Maybe will stay as a subcommie, helping around, but most probably I will return more actively to the local level.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
The Eastern partnership project with the amazing plans they have.
Who were for you the outstanding members in 2012?
I think the most outstanding members are just somewhere in the local boards, or just being active in their locals, dedicating huge amount of their time and energy to AEGEE, creating an environment in which those people that are active on European level currently emerge. My subcommies are one of the bright examples for me.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
I will meet New Year at home, with traditional champagne and a lot of fireworks. Later with friends, we’ll be visiting families of other friends, toasting and drinking with them for the happy New Year. I hope we’ll reach the final point and continue the party there.
