2012 was a rollercoaster ride for AEGEE with many ups and downs: great new projects, a strong impact in European institutions, but also a very turbulent spring Agora in Enschede, followed by a huge appraisal for the CD at Agora Budapest. Also: honorary membership for Burcu Becermen, but also the early death of AEGEE founder Franck Biancheri. The AEGEE Golden Times asked a few members how they perceived the year – and what they foresee for 2013. In this second article: read what Alla Resheten, Jana Pokorná, Koen Berghuis, Adrian Browarczyk, Léa Charlet and Zsuzsa Kékesi said.

Alla Resheten, new Agora Chair and former CD member

What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
I have two of them: first, my six months in the Mediation Commission. The fact that we all were good friends before being elected and worked together before, gave us an inspiration and willingness to work all together for six months – and most importantly enjoying this time. Another one is of course the work in the Eastern Partnership Project (EaP). We’ve got two new very motivated members – Elena Toader and Adrian Browarczyk – in May. Now we are as active and motivated as never before and, finally, luck came to us. We’ve organised a YiA project in September in Oviedo and got a big grant for next year’s conference in Brno.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
The presence of Franck Biancheri at the Spring Agora Enschede. One can say that his speech was very controversial. Yes, it’s like this, but it’s a good way to start a proper discussion. I really hope there will be some follow-up on what had been discussed in Enschede, as many things raised by Frank should be discussed in AEGEE. Another important thing for 2012: the election of Miroslaw Krzanik as a board member of European Youth Forum. It’s very important for AEGEE, as Mirek will be one of 11 people representing all European youth. But I’m sure he will do it in the best possible way and the position of AEGEE in European Youth Forum will become even stronger.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
To finish my AEGEE career (smiles). But to be serious, there are quite some things in my AEGEE Agenda 2013: EBM Valletta, two Agorae and plenty of activities of the Eastern Partnership Project. Work on the Spring Agora has started already and I can tell that it will be another Agora with a lot of thematic sessions – this is becoming a very good tradition. As for the EaP project: at the end of next year there will be the closing of the first part of the project. Until November we have planned a lot of activities and for one of them, the conference on EaP and EU integration in Brno, we’ve got already a YiA grant of 32,000 Euro! But the biggest project will be the bus tour around Belarus-Ukraine-Moldova promoting civil society’s important role in the democratic development. Also in the EaP Civil Society Forum of the European Union I was selected as the coordinator of the Youth Sub-Group of the WG 4 “Contact between people”. This is a good opportunity for our project and AEGEE in general to look for external partners and be involved in conferences, seminars and forums focused on the EaP & EU cooperation.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
I hope the EU Parliamentary elections project will become a highlight for AEGEE in 2013. This issue is very important and a lot of good discussions and seminars could be held under this initiative.
Who was for you the outstanding member in 2012 and why?
Alfredo Sellitti. I think that only a person who really believes in AEGEE and lives with ideas of AEGEE in his heart can stay still active in the organisation after what has happened at the Agora Enschede. This person gave to AEGEE seven years and is still ready to work in different bodies of AEGEE: Speaker of Corporate Relations Committee (CRC), member of the EuroArab project and journalist for the AEGEEan.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
In Brussels with my family.

Jana Pokorná, EaP, former Visa Freedom WG speaker and EBM content manager

What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
My personal highlight in 2012 was the successfully organized EBM in Izmir.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Even though I was not present at the Agora Enschede, I remember the humbug and issues with the CD 2011/2012.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
My personal plans for AEGEE is to find a sufficient amount of time for it.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
Definitely the Conference in Brno organized by the Eastern Partnership Project and AEGEE-Brno in April!
Who was for you the outstanding member in 2012 and why?
I think that all of us – active members – are outstanding members.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
Austria, the Alps, in a cottage with my non-AEGEE friends from the Czech Republic.

Koen Berghuis, former Network Commissioner

What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
For me, personal highlights in AEGEE always include the events I visit. Given my love for the Balkans, I really enjoyed going to the Guča festival with AEGEE-Beograd. Also, the pre-event of AEGEE-Cluj Napoca was fantastic. The nice atmosphere and all the nice new people I met at both events, plus the many old friends I did see again made these days among the best of the year 2012. Besides that, my last months in the NetCom were quite lively. Organising two spring Network Meetings, helping out at two LTCs, going on a number of NetCom trips and in general being part of a great international team was a great experience for sure. Plus, I have to mention the work the great people of my own local of AEGEE-Utrecht did during 2012, with the “Where does Europe end” final conference and all other activities connected with our 25th anniversary. Seeing other people work hard for such things and seeing my local gets chosen as local of the month is great to see!
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
For sure Agora Enschede. It was unfortunately a sad Agora which in the end only had losers. It was very sad to see the infighting of the CD, to see some people get unfairly accused of all kinds of things on stage and not getting the appreciation they should actually deserve given their contributions to AEGEE.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
I have some proposals ready for the RheinNeckar Agora. Besides that, I will keep a low profile by just visiting some of my old friends across Europe again and maybe join an event or two. It is time to pass over the active work to the new generation.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
The biggest topic should be of course how to stop the current destabilization of Europe. Since the start of the economic crisis we have seen a huge divide in our continent, nations and people being set up against each other and a possible break-up of the Euro. As AEGEE has played a big role in bridging the East-West divide, it should play again an important role in bridging this new North-South divide. We currently see that a bunch of unelected bureaucrats are putting Europe at risk of imperial overstretch. If we want Europe to stay united in diversity and keep on forging links between countries and people, we need to have a new bottom-up approach. The future should be with us, the European people, and not with Brussels. In this process, AEGEE with all its resources can and should play an instrumental role.
Who were for you the outstanding members in 2012 and why?
My NetCom colleagues and friends during my term in 2012: Marek, Rebekka, Luis, Matteo, Marijana, Anıl, Pavel, Beata and Olga. They all did a really awesome job!
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
After spending the last six new years around Europe – in Prague, Krakow, Zagreb, Tallinn, Voronezh and Kiev – it is now time to see how they celebrate it outside our beautiful continent. I’ll go on a trip with two of my best friends, and around New Year we should be in Saigon, Vietnam, where I will be dodging mopeds, eating exotic foods and drinking snake blood vodka if one is to follow some clichés of the country. For a change I won’t be around with AEGEE people this time, so it might be quite refreshing not to talk the nights away about statutory events or Summer Universities. Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

Léa Charlet, President of AEGEE-Paris

What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
I’m a member since September 2011, so 2012 represents quite all my AEGEE life. If I had to choose one, it would be the Regional Training Course (RTC) we organised in Paris. We had amazing trainers – Lucille Rieux, Edouard Mougin and Eszter Virag. They were truly inspiring and motivated me to be more active.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Agora Enschede. It was my first Agora and so many things happened, but I will always remember the hope and the joy I felt during the elections of the CD of 2012-2013,
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
First to continue my job as AEGEE Paris’ president, all the projects I’m already in and all the commitments I already took. Then I would really like to become more involve at the regional level.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
I definitely would like for AEGEE to be one of the main player of the European Year of citizenship. So I believe Youth participation will still be a highlight in 2013.
Who was for you the outstanding member in 2012 and why?
I know that’s why he is our president, but for me the member of 2012 and I hope 2013 is Luis Alvarado Martinez. He did and is doing a great job, and I believe is inspiring for a lot of member.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
I spent those last three months in Italy, so I need family time and will spent New year’s eve in our family house in the Pyrenees. Ski, fireplace, friends and hot chocolate seems to me like a nice plan.

Adrian Browarczyk, Eastern Partnership Project and SubCommissioner

What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
“Festiwal Wybieram Wschód!” by AEGEE-Poznań – in translation: “I choose East! Festival”. A group of Eastern-enthusiastic people from my local made such a great three-day event! It was the first more serious project that I was involved in as the External Responsible. Lots of new friends from all around the Europe, new experiences, great fun. Our aim was to discover the Eastern Partnership countries and to strengthen the local society – and we made it. I am so proud of that I’d call it my personal highlight of 2012.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Well, I will never forget the Agora Enschede’s two crucial moments: a famous vote of confidence which proved that AEGEE is not only a student organisation but also a place where different interests are in conflict and secondly, a speech of Franck Biancheri which has provoked a serious discussion afterwards. I was overwhelmed after receiving the information that Biancheri has passed away last month so that is my third key moment of 2012.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
I’ll do my best to help the Eastern Partnership Project rock in 2013. The project’s full agenda is about to have no more space for additional events. We are going to organise a series of conferences, panel discussions, workshops and meetings so that I won’t have much time to rest. Please, keep your fingers crossed for our Eastern bus ride that will be an exceptional event linking four countries with a joint aim – to bring the East closer to Europe. The cooperation with Eastbook.eu could be my second priority – I do love working as an independent researcher in Eastern issues. And finally, I’d check whether I’m able to manage the subcommie’s tasks in Inez’s network.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
I predict that AEGEE will deepen its interests towards the Eastern Europe and the Arab world. Our project is about to finish, but the EuroArab Project begins its, hopefully, glorious story – I wish you good luck, guys! Furthermore, I hope the Policy Officers will set a strategic planning for our actions and the implementation of their decisions will follow. In 2013, AEGEE’s involvement in European matters should be as successful as in 2012. The European Parliament elections will be held in 2014 so that the actions we’re providing for next year will let our voice to be heard on the European and local level.
Who was for you the outstanding member in 2012 and why?
I would congratulate Alla Resheten for her commitment in projects, personal and AEGEE issues. Although she’s already got her family life with her lovely daughter Chloé at the top of everything, she managed to be active and even more than active in AEGEE this year – as a reminder I’d like to evoke her last successes: the election as Chairperson of the Agora and EBM 2013 and the coordinator of the subgroup Youth of the WG4 at EU’s Civil Society Forum. My congratulations also come to Mirek Krzanik, a board member of European Youth Forum. He proved that students’ interest in youth issue could be even stronger and that we could aim high all the time. I do appreciate what they have already done and I hope they’ll continue their amazing work in future.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
I’ll spend the New Year’s Eve in Kraków, Poland, surrounded by AEGEEans from all around the Europe. We’ll spend there three or four days, partying and enjoying the time together as it’s not so easy to meet each other several times during the year. I hope it won’t be so cold and snowy there so that we’ll be able to enjoy the firework show at the main square, Rynek Główny.

Zsuzsanna Kékesi, AEGEE-Debrecen

What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2012?
My personal AEGEE highlight of the year was Agora Budapest. It was my first Agora. I took part in it as an organiser and it gave me good experience and unforgettable moments.
AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2012. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Europe in Track is an amazing project. I think it is the best idea that I have heard of and it is awesome that it came true.
What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2013?
I would like to take part in a lot of AEGEE meetings in order to get to know more AEGEE people and organise more events on local or if it is possible on European level.
What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2013?
I think the next year will be as fantastic as 2012, but I am excitedly waiting for the next Agora. I think I became a huge Agora fan.
Who was for you the outstanding member in 2012 and why?
Réka Salamon. She worked hard and now she is the Vice-Speaker of the Public Relations Committee. We – the whole AEGEE-Debrecen – are proud of her.
How/where will you spend New Year’s night?
Me and other active members of AEGEE-Debrecen are organising an NYE ourselves! I will spend the end of this year with AEGEE people. I think it will be a perfect ending of this year.

Check also the other reviews and previews!

Just click on the links.

Part 1: Manos Valasis, Fabian Brüggemann, Shushan Khachatryan, Ada Toma, Oleksandra Sandra Lukavetska, Mateusz Dokurno: https://www.aegeegoldentimes.eu/?p=4352
Part 3: Mariella Rapa, Márton Demeter, Francesca Russo, Alin Florin-Calin, Anna Pritvorova and Ilona Bogomolova: https://www.aegeegoldentimes.eu/?p=4401