Who is the AEGEE member of the year 2016? Which antenna, which project was the best? The Golden Times asked more than 70 locally or Europeanly active members. In the first edition: read what said Zvonimir Canjuga, Lisa Gregis, Ana Gancearuc, Luca Bisighini and Alejandra Piot Pérez-Abadín said.

Zvonimir Canjuga, Financial Director of AEGEE-Europe, AEGEE-Zagreb

Zvonimir Canjuga

GT: What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2016?
Zvonimir Canjuga: I have two highlights. The first one is that AEGEE-Zagreb was selected as hosting local of the EPM 2017. The whole team invested a lot of efforts in planning and preparing the application and we are all very happy and proud to host the EPM, as it will be the biggest event ever organized by AEGEE-Zagreb. The second highlight was when I was elected as Financial Director of AEGEE-Europe. As I applied one day before Agora Bergamo, it was a big decision for me that surprised many of my friends in and out of AEGEE and of course my family.
GT: AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2016. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Zvonimir: I would say that the AEGEE Day celebration and activities during the whole week in April were a pretty amazing thing. When you imagine that during that week we had more than 100 activities all over the network, then you can see how big we are and that people all around Europe are sharing the same values and work hard on the development of themselves and their local communities.
GT: Who was for you the outstanding member in 2016?
Zvonimir: For me the outstanding member is Marina Klanjcic, the current President of AEGEE-Zagreb and main organizer of the European Planning meeting Zagreb 2017. She took over the organization of the EPM after I left for the CD and for that I am forever thankful. I am confident that – together with her team – she will organize the best possible EPM. Also her dedication to AEGEE-Zagreb and AEGEE in general is amazing and she can be an inspiration for all of us. Thank you Marina!
GT: Which were for you the outstanding antennae in 2016?
Zvonimir: I think that every antenna in our network is outstanding and they are all doing a good job all over Europe. But if I need to mention some of them it would be AEGEE-Bergamo and AEGEE-Chisinau for their organization of Agoras.
GT: What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2017?
Zvonimir: I think that the big topics in AEGEE in 2017 will be equal rights and youth development. We can already see that several important institutions and the private sector are shifting to those fields. In my opinion we can have the biggest impact on those two topics.
GT: What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2017?
Zvonimir: My plans are to finish my term in the CD as best as possible and use the remaining months to do good things and improvements for AEGEE. After my term I will take a short break, but I already have something AEGEE-related on my mind.
GT: How and where will you spend New Year’s night?
Zvonimir: My whole vacation period I will try to disconnect as much as possible and spend time with my family and friends. Regarding New Year’s night I will maybe spend it with my friends or crash some AEGEE event in the area, I am still not sure.

 

Lisa Gregis, former Vice-Speaker of the Network Commission, AEGEE-Bergamo

Lisa Gregis

GT: What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2016?
Lisa Gregis: For me 2016 was a big year in AEGEE. I have organized two Network Meetings as NetCommie with AEGEE-Valletta and AEGEE-Cagliari, I was in the Core Team of Agora Bergamo, I have organized the event “AEGEEneration – the Apulian SUrvivor” together with AEGEE-Bari and attended several other events. However, my personal highlight is to have found something I have loved: to be a NetCommie.
GT: AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2016. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Lisa: I remember most vividly the debate about the Hottest Local certificate, the video conference with CD member Maryana Semenyak during Agora Bergamo, the discussion about the Spanish AEGEE foundation La Federacion and the debate about the voting system Schultze Method at Agora Chisinau.
GT: Who were for you the outstanding members in 2016?
Lisa: AEGEE-Europe President Réka Salamon, NetCom speaker Spyridon Papadatos and AEGEE-Valletta President Luke Pace for their commitment, resilience and for being the good guys.
GT: Which were for you the outstanding antennae in 2016?
Lisa: AEGEE-Agrigento and AEGEE-Bari because they showed what it means to be tough and hard to die. They showed us what it means to love AEGEE, even if that requires some work to do.
GT: What was for you the outstanding European project, Working Group or Interest Group in 2016?
Lisa: The ones that we could have had, but we didn’t have because we thought that posting links on Facebook groups was good enough.
GT: What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2017?
Lisa: An evergreen: the Shrinking Network.
GT: What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2017?
Lisa: I think to retire.
GT: How and where will you spend New Year’s night?
Lisa: I’ll be in the North-East of Italy with my best AEGEE friends.

Ana Gancearuc, former Mediation Commissioner, AEGEE-Chisinau

Ana Gancearuc

GT: What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2016?
Ana Gancearuc: Definitely being part of the Mediation Commission. I have learned so much being a MedCom member and also I have learned great things from Damien, Lisette and Niels. We did a great job all together, dears, and I wish all the best to Damien Latacz and Petra Buruzs for the upcoming year!
GT: AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2016. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Ana: In my opinion it was Autumn Agora Chisinau in my home town. We worked so hard for it and I am glad we were able to deliver what we had in mind and that AEGEE loved it as much as we did.
GT: Who were for you the outstanding members in 2016?
Ana: Former Secretary General Svenja van der Tol, Agora Chisinau main organizer Andrei Dodita and my fellow MedCom member Lisette Kunst.
GT: Which were for you the outstanding antennae in 2016?
Ana: The three antennae who organised the statutory events in 2016: AEGEE-Leiden, AEGEE-Bergamo and AEGEE-Chisinau.
GT: What was for you the outstanding European project, Working Group or Interest Group in 2016?
Ana: The Youth Mobility Working Group, the Civic Education Working Group and the Spreading Europtimism Working Group.
GT: What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2017?
Ana: The EPM Zagreb on “Populism and Anti-European Agitation”, and the topics Equal Rights, European Citizenship, Youth Development and Civic Education.
GT: What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2017?
Ana: To attend the HRTC in Passau and help my antenna to recruit the right people for our local. Perhaps I will hold a short training about what I will learn in Passau and definitely use the skills and knowledge for this purpose.
GT: How and where will you spend New Year’s night?
Ana: I have no plans for New Year’s Eve yet, I will just go with the flow. Whatever comes up in my mind or is offered by my friends, I’ll go along with it.

 

Alejandra Piot Pérez-Abadín, Network Commission, AEGEE-A Coruña

Alejandra Piot Perez-Abadin small

GT: What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2016?
Alejandra Piot Pérez-Abadín: Being candidate for the Network Commission and being elected with the most votes. It was one of the best experiences in my life, and I’m so happy to start working in the Network Commission for one year!
GT: AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2016. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Alejandra: Agora Bergamo. Why? There were a lot of discussions about the “Europe on Track” project – my antenna was involved; and about the AEGEE foundation La Federación – my antenna is from Spain so I was also involved. Agora Bergamo was awesome and at the same time with so many problems about this topic.
GT: Who was for you the outstanding member in 2016?
Alejandra: Talking about my personal experience, for me it was my predecessor in the NetCom, Melissa Carreres. She was our NetCom during all this year, but also a good friend! Every time she was so understanding and helpful with everything, and when I decided to candidate for the Network Commission, she helped me so much. Her work all this year was awesome, and for me, she is a point of reference in AEGEE.
GT: Which was for you the outstanding antenna in 2016?
Alejandra: AEGEE-Madrid, for their awesome event about democracy and their Summer University. They did a really good job, and they were ACTive local of the month in July!
GT: What was for you the outstanding European project, Working Group or Interest Group in 2016?
Alejandra: The Gender Equality Interest Group and the LGBT Interest Group. They were founded this year and they are really active everywhere. Also they were able to create one of the new focus areas!
GT: What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2017?
Alejandra: Equal rights for sure. They are doing a really good job, and for sure they are going to continue doing it – and they are going to give us a reason to talk and to think.
GT: What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2017? 
Alejandra: Work hard in the Network Commission with my awesome team of subcommies. I will feel so rewarded if all my locals are growing up and we also can upgrade some of them!
GT: How and where will you spend New Year’s night?
Alejandra: In my rainy and lovely city, A Coruña. We are organizing a New Year’s event called “Feira is on Fire”. If someone wants to come you have until the 10th of December to apply! https://www.facebook.com/events/1495621077120078/

 

Luca Bisighini, Audit Commission President, Speaker of the Migration Interest Group, Financial Director of Europe On Track, The Academy, AEGEE-Brescia, AEGEE-Katowice

Luca Bisighini small

GT: What was your personal AEGEE highlight in 2016?
Luca Bisighini: Among all the great moments, the work I tried to do in a decent way and the either serious or funny events I have been in, I would like to mention the days I spent in the Kara Tepe Refugee Camp during my SU with AEGEE Peiraias in Lesvos, Greece. It was probably, in terms of feelings and emotional moments, the best thing ever happened to me since I joined this association more than two years ago.
GT: AEGEE-Europe had many memorable moments in 2016. Which one do you remember most vividly or was outstanding?
Luca: Well, it has been a great year overall for our network. I saw lots of great ideas arising, lots of great people sacrificing time and resources to try to build something greater. I saw people enough enthusiastic to contribute to an important turning point for our association. Among all the moments, I would say EPM Leiden for sure. In that I realized that our network is really keen on lots of important topics, which we just discuss on the internet or even at the Agorae most of the time. I saw something more concrete in the air.
GT: Who were for you the outstanding members in 2016?
Luca: I would like to thank three people for the most. First, Marije Arentze, because her contribution to our association is incredibly underrated and she is one of few people I would really want to see as president one day. Second, Lisa Gregis, her work as Network Commissioner was remarkable, especially considering that she took it over from the bottom: she was a great inspirational figure this year. And last but not least, the dear fellow Romy Cartiere, because her enthusiasm and her multi-tasking work for this association has really few equals. There are many more friends and team-mates I love so much, like Deborah Pistori and Mateusz Muszalski from the Audit Commission, Nicola Guida and Maria Melero from Europe on Track, Eyrin Kyriakidi from the Migration Interest Group and former CD member Pablo Hernandez Rodriguez, who is an inspirational figure to me.
GT: Which were for you the outstanding antennae in 2016?
Luca: Last year I was mentioning AEGEE-Istanbul, for reasons of the heart. This year I would say AEGEE-Istanbul and AEGEE-Eskisehir, for having organized a SU during a Coup d’Etat by taking care of the safety of their participants and still making something impressively great. Also, AEGEE-Peiraias for having taking the risk of doing something nobody has ever done before: making an SU with a part about refugees. To finish, also my AEGEE-Brescia – for the 4th best SU and our historically best result ever – because hard work and multi-year planning always pay off.
GT: What was for you the outstanding European project, Working Group or Interest Group in 2016?
Luca: The Migration Interest Group, because we came out of a sudden and soon we started bringing in lots of discussions, initiatives, talks with politicians, and support to a global petitions like #WithRefugees in so many different countries. We contributed to make 50 AEGEEans sign a petition for that. After that one, I would like to mention “Your Vision For Europe”. They worked hard, and they really deserve the best.
GT: What do you foresee as a highlight or big topic in AEGEE in 2017?
Luca: Obviously Civic Education, but since I know it would be the answer of 50 more people, I would like to hear after years of “shrinking network” and “shrinking number of members” rather words like “expansion of the network” and the “the Comeback of AEGEE-xxxxx”. Last but not least, I would like to see more discussions about finances in our association: the topic is really underrated, although it regards every antenna.
GT: What are your personal AEGEE plans for 2017?
Luca: Lots of work is coming. I am involved in lots of projects which are taking a lot of my spare time, but I need to save AEGEE one piece every day. I hope to give back my personal vision and ideas on the Audit Commission’s work, to give to it enough new members and ensure a new generation of inspired and trained auditors. I would like to see how the fourth edition of “Europe on Track” will be, since I am involved in. We came from a troubled third edition, I am certain the fourth edition will be one to remember in a better way. Overall, I would like to see just improvements, just positive pro-active discussions, lots of courage by newbies to stand up often and speak their own minds, to see brave decisions by CD and less useless bureaucracy and stupid controversies. And fun! Everything in AEGEE can be done while having fun and discovering great sides of great people!
GT: How and where will you spend New Year’s night?
Luca: I will attend the “Royal Birthday and Highlander NYE” by the one and only uproaring AEGEE-Kraków, the city where I live in now, surrounded by one of the best locals’ and best people ever. I want to be dressed as Polish Highlander, to start the year with happiness and somebody else having the fun of her or his own life laughing at me due to my bizarre dressing!

 

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