They belong to the most essential key players at every Agora: the members of the Juridical Commission (JC). However, their work is not limited to statutory events, stresses Claudio Gennaro (22), since May JC member. “In the JC you cannot skip to check your inbox for one day”. He told the Golden Times what he likes about dealing with AEGEE’s law and how he is planning to make the work of the JC even better.
Golden Times: Hi Claudio, can you tell the readers what the Juridical Commission is doing?
Claudio Gennaro: We just had a very interesting knowledge transfer period, focused on the pre-Agora phase and also released the new version of the CIA.
GT: What do you like about being in the JC?
Claudio: When you are in the Juridical Commission, doesn’t matter if you are a subcommissioner, commissioner or president, you know that you are part of something big and extremely relevant for the whole network and this is the biggest motivation for each member of the team.
GT: Most people see you only at the Agora. How busy are you during the whole year?
Claudio: Each Agora is the consecration of six months of daily work. We are active seven days a week, trying to solve each task or request in the most efficient possible way. Let’s say that for sure you cannot skip to check your inbox for one day.
GT: Do you also have to solve conflicts in the network or between bodies? Maybe you can give an example?
Claudio: If a conflict rises up, first of all we need to check the sphere of competence of our Commission. It can happen that someone addresses the case to the JC, while the competence belongs to another commission. Our duty is to ensure that every conflict is solved following the correct procedure, prescribed by the statutes or the CIA.
GT: How stressful is the JC at the Agora?
Claudio: During the Agora you are point of reference for a lot of members and you shall always be ready to clarify any situation. But until now I’ve been there only as subcommie, so I will be able to give you a better answer after Agora Cagliari.
GT: Do you sometimes reach the limits of your legal knowledge?
Claudio: Yes of course! And this is the most challenging and exciting thing of being in the JC. Sometimes we need to go beyond the CIA, to check national laws, old and current. You never stop to learn something new.
GT: You joined the JC as subcomissioner already last year. What did you do then?
Claudio: The work of a subcommissioner is always quite flexible. We checked statutes, supervised online elections, gave interpretations and assisted the Commission during the Agora, by counting votes, registering delegates or being present at prytannia. I suggest to everybody who’s thinking to apply for the JC, to apply as subcommissioner first.
GT: Do you have a task distribution within your team?
Claudio: We are still a newborn team; we get to know each other better before having a definitive task distribution. The fact that we were all subcommissioners during the same term surely helped a lot. Right now we distribute our duties whenever we have to face a new task, communication is the key.
GT: When did you read the CIA for the first time?
Claudio: During my first LTC, three months after I joined my first local. Reading the CIA for the first time was like having a time travel through AEGEE from its foundation to now. Each paragraph has a story to tell, written by the background and idealism of its authors. I consider the CIA to be a living being.
GT: This is so true… Which skills and what experience should a JC member have?
Claudio: A JC member must be curious, ambitious, must love challenges and must be patient and determined.
GT: In your Agora candidature you said that you want to see the Juridical Commission closer to the average member. What is wrong with the current situation? What would you like to change?
Claudio: Nothing is wrong with the current situation. I would like the JC to be more known and to be seen and used by the average member as a guide. Already a couple of times it happened that, after some misunderstandings, I suggested to some members to call me directly on my cellphone or on Skype. I like to have a more extensive communication, not only limited to an exchange of e-mails.
GT: You also said that you want to reduce waiting times. What kind of waiting times? And how?
Claudio: Now that we are three members, I expect our work to be more accurate and, with a proper and clever task division, I expect us to be able to solve any problem in a shorter period. Waiting for an answer can be frustrating when your work is stuck because you miss a reply.
GT: Is there anything else you would like to achieve in your term?
Claudio: Not a specific goal in particular. My main mission is to continue the high-level tradition of our former commissioners and to be helpful for the whole network.
GT: A few words about you: how old are you, what and where do you study?
Claudio: I just turned 22 and study Law in my city, Agrigento.
GT: How and when did you join AEGEE?
Claudio: I joined AEGEE in November 2011. I’ve been told about AEGEE by my father who met, for work reasons, some former board members of AEGEE-Agrigento. So one day, with a friend, I decided to go and meet them during a social meeting. A few days later we applied for our first event and then for the board. I was member of AEGEE-Agrigento for two years. Now, since February, I’m member of AEGEE-Cagliari.
GT: You did a lot of tasks locally in AEGEE – from bartender to translator. Can you tell some funny stories of your AEGEE time?
Claudio: When you work in a small local and you cannot afford a lot of external services, all you can do is trying to do it by yourself. For this reason, during an SU for example, the president can be a plumber if the shower is broken. Last year we had an entire school for our Summer University, which finished the first week of September, and we had to give it back completely clean before the beginning of the school period, five days after. It was a hard job, but extremely funny.
GT: You studied in Poland for a while. How was studying abroad for you and how is your Polish?
Claudio: Studying abroad is definitely an experience that everybody must do. It is a right of every European student and a power-up for your career and personal growth. And mam polsku is just terrible; I should continue to study it…
GT: Why did you join the European level and what did you do there? You were speaker of the Human Resources Committee, which is not such a well known body…
Claudio: AEGEE is changing the life of many young people and I really wanted to be an active part of this! About the HRC, it is not a well known body but, if well managed, extremely useful. I have some regrets about some projects we could have done, but I’m sure that who will come after me will make an awesome job.
GT: When will you join the CD?
Claudio: Right now I’m totally focused on the Juridical Commission. Maybe I will start to think about it in the future, maybe after finishing my master degree.
GT: What was your favourite AEGEE event so far?
Claudio: “One love, one heart, one destiny… Agrigento” – our Summer University 2013. I’m still in touch with almost all participants, I met a lot of them again and they are all awesome! The atmosphere of this event was just magical.
GT: What was your dream job as a child?
Claudio: Painter first and then airline pilot.
GT: And what will you work later? Lawyer?
Claudio: I would like to work in the sphere of defense of human rights.
GT: What hobbies do you have aside from AEGEE?
Claudio: I like cycling and football a lot, I play the guitar and love trekking into the nature.
GT: If you could change AEGEE, what would you change?
Claudio: We all can change AEGEE, is our duty to do it. I would change the way in which AEGEE is often advertised at the local level.
GT: What is never missing in your fridge?
Claudio: Lots of orange juice, especially in summer.
GT: Please complete the sentence: “AEGEE is for me…
Claudio: …the place where you can freely express and develop yourself.”
GT: How would you describe yourself in five keywords?
Claudio: Curious, friendly, positive, motivated, team player.