"We inspire new ideas and do our best to put them into force"
Projects are the way AEGEE implements his aims. Each project his managed by a project team.
Every year, thousands of young people across Europe participate in the projects created by our members. All projects are related to AEGEE four main fields of action:
- Active Citizenship
- Cultural Exchanges
- Higher Education
- Peace & Stability
Our Current projects
Active Citizenship:
Youth and Globalisation is a series of events dealing with the impact of globalisation on modern society. It aims to empower young adults to initiate projects ameliorating the negative impacts of globalisation on their communities.
The Bridge: connecting mobility and disability is a project that deals with the mobility problems of young adults with disabilities. The project's main aim is to enable this group to actively participate in creating and developing civil society by joining events and other activities.
Take Control: Ways to Democracy in Europe This project consists of a series of training events, conferences, political campaigns, educational and media activities all intended to increase the involvement and engagement of young people in the (European) political process. The project focuses on informing young citizens about the European Union and how they can influence European decisions, as well as providing them with the skills to do so and encouraging positive attitudes to participation.
Caucasus Project aims to foster cooperation and cultural-exchange between young people from Georgia and Azerbaijan and the other parts of Europe. We are determined to overcome the geographical distance, economical and political differences, with desire to enjoy together our European cultural heritage and develop open civil society all over Europe by strengthening youth NGOs.
Democratic Ukraine-with EU or Russia The project objective is to offer insights into the future relations between Ukraine, EU and Russia, not only at the government level, but also at our own ' that of young people living in each place. Cultural Exchange:
Summer Universities More than 5000 students every summer go for an adventure somewhere in Europe, to learn about the language and culture of another country for two whole weeks. This project is the longest-running in AEGEE, starting in 1988. More than 130 local branches organise around 100 courses.
EuroIslam is a project dealing with the theory of a modernized way of living the Islam in harmony with democratic structures. It aims at providing knowledge of religions and the differences between religion and tradition; fostering intercultural dialogue between all religions, especially Muslims and Christians.
Find Europe is a culture-oriented long-term project with the aim of bringing young people together at high quality cultural exchange events across Europe. These events take place throughout the whole year, and focus on an in-depth exploration of the culture of the hosting country or region. Higher Education:
Education for Democracy This is a programme of full one-year scholarships for studies in EU member countries, for students from the Western Balkans and Southern Caucasus. The project includes a regular academic course at the university, and regular seminars on conflict resolution and related issues.
European Day of Languages sin dal 2001 since 2001, AEGEE has organised language-related activities all over Europe every year. Besides that, this project also ran sub-projects such as organising language courses at the beginning of each AEGEE Statutory Meeting. Other projects:
- Aegee TV
- Address Book
- Gazette
- Internal Education Projects (in collaboration with Academy Working Group)
- Key to Europe
- News bulletin magazine
- One Europe Magazine
- Shooting Europe! The european short film festival
- YNTERACT
Moreover every year, during the general assembly (AGORA), members decide on a YearPlan Topic according with the Long Term Programme. A specific thematic frame for projects and the focal points of action e.g. 'Youth & Globalization' -2003, 'European Identity' -2004 and 'Tolerance - Acceptance - Peace' - 2005.
AEGEE's Yearplan topic for 2006 is 'Democracy in Europe,' dealing with the development of democracy in Eastern Europe, the democratic legitimacy of the European Institutions, and the role of the media in building and sustaining healthy democracies.
Further information about AEGEE's Projects can be found at http://www.aegee.org/projects.
Working Groups
The Working Groups (WG) are groups of AEGEE-members who are particularly interested in discussing about certain issues and organize events (conferences, workshops..) about those topics. The members of the WGs elect the board-members - a Speaker, a Treasurer and a Secretary. Often this happens online.
In AEGEE we have 3 types of WGs: AEGEE, Supporting and Thematic Working Groups.
AEGEE-WGs
The particularity of the AEGEE-WGs: is that they are registered as associations, have their own statutes and delegates at the Agora and consequently voting rights.
They are:
Academy, also called Human Resources WG since their task is to motivate and provide training for AEGEE members. They organize internal education events giving more specific focus to the particular topic in question like in the European Scholl (ES), PR European School (PRES), Fund-Raising European School (FRES), and IT European School (ITES). Prospective trainers for such courses are given the necessary preparation in 'Training for Trainers' (TFT) . If you wish to become really active in AEGEE and organize many great events, you should check out the calendar of events for Internal Education events, especially European Schools.
Education WG topic is Higher Education and its development. They promote the exchange programs and spread information about them.
Cultural WG the name says all! They organize and support cultural events (like the Performing Arts Summer School) and collaborate with the projects which enhance cultural understanding and diversity (like the Euro Islam and Find Europe project).
Human Rights WG Its topics cover Balkan matters, visa issues, immigration, crimes against humanity and more. They often organize conferences.
International Politics WG people sharing passion for international politics! Celebrations for the EU Enlargement, conferences about European Identity, diplomatic seminars... a very active WG! Thematic WGs
are a kind of platform for discussion and knowledge on a specific topic.
They are:
Dance WG (DWG) discovering the roots and traditions of other cultures by dancing.. DWG organizes events with dance workshops, dance exhibitions. The motto of this WG is "shake it!". East West WG they support the development of AEGEE-locals in Central and Eastern Europe and their integration with the ones from Western Europe. Meanwhile AEGEE expanded to the Caucasus - not bad if we consider that 15 years ago it didn't exist in Eastern Europe.
Supporting WGs
they support the CD and the locals in a specific task.
They are:
Bobigosa is the WG with the most curious name coming from BOrgonobili di BIbiano di GOdena di SAnt'Urbano. A neverplace for us, our own little town where people with common ideals meet for elaborating new and useful proposals, and spread their own visions of what AEGEE should be but it is not. Irony and sarcasm are used as main tools and please: smile before entrance.
Public Relations WG. they support the CD and the Network in PR activities and work to improve the image and visibility of AEGEE.
Information Technology WG Of course they manage the IT infrastructure of AEGEE (databases, servers etc) and deal with IT related topics. They have an own IE event which is the IT European School.
Visa Freedom Fighters (VFF) they are a group who strive for the abolition obstacles for persons' mobility in Europe. If a local organizes an event, they have to care about the visas of participants who need it. Did you ever ask yourself how to ask for a visa (and obtain it)? Just read the online-visa booklet on http://web.aegee.org/visabooklet , published by the VFF. Did you find YOUR WG?
Then... go to www.aegee.org/wg and get registered to your favourite WGs! Just login with your aegee-ID then click on the WG and "JOIN".
The WGs have their own mailing list.