AEGEE to host biannual meeting in Malta

AEGEE, one of the biggest inter-disciplinary student associations in Europe comprising 17,000 students in 40 countries, is to hold its biannual General Network Meeting, known as AGORA, in Malta between April 26 and 29.

Six hundred AEGEEans are expected to come to Malta for the event to participate in the intensive plenaries and workshops that will shape the future of AEGEE for the coming year.

David Ciliberti, AEGEE-Valletta past president and the AGORA-Malta main co-ordinator, explained the importance of the AGORA for the whole AEGEE network.

During the event, AEGEE members discuss current issues and topics that are relevant to European students; ideas are turned into projects and launched in several conferences, seminars and activities that are held throughout the year, across the network.

The AGORA being held in Malta presents a perfect showcase opportunity for AEGEE-Valletta, a budding student organisation based at the University of Malta, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.

It is also a fantastic PR opportunity for Malta, because it is ripple-effect on the whole network of over 17,000 students, as well as for the University of Malta, because 600 international students taking part in the event will have the opportunity to view the University's facilities.

"It is our pleasure, as an active student organisation on campus, to have managed to work hand-in-hand with the University authorities, to be able to organise this mammoth project of hosting for four days our fellow AEGEEans on campus," commented Mr Ciliberti.

The University of Malta, together with the support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment, and the Embassy of Austria, is supporting the AGORA event.

Apart from the AGORA, this year is going to be a special one for AEGEE-Valletta, since it plans to celebrate its tenth anniversary with a bang. A special committee, made up of past AEGEE committee members, and led by Mr Ciliberti, has been set up to support the celebrations.

Speaking at a press conference held earlier this month during the jam-packed annual AEGEE-Week, Johann Schembri, president of AEGEE-Valletta, talked about the humble beginnings of the local antenna (branch) of AEGEE, its achievements throughout the past ten years, and what is keeping AEGEE alive on campus, year after year.

Several awards were given to the AEGEE-Valletta over the years. On a local level, in 2000 it received the Youth in Maltese Society Award. On a European level, AEGEE-Valletta won Second-Best Antenna Award in 2004 and Best Event out of all 260 antennas across 40 countries in 2005.

During the last Freshers' Week, AEGEE-Valletta received the award for the Second Best Active Student Organisation on campus for 2006.

"Having said this, we still experience a lot of students who have no clue what being active on campus means!" said Mr Schembri. "Thanks to organisations like ours, quite a few take this challenge onboard. Maybe it is time to emphasise and act more upon the recognition of informal education. Members of student organisations should be rewarded and encouraged to organise more events, debates and activities that will leave a mark on their student life before they move into the working environment," Mr Schembri concluded.

Also attending the press conference were Dr Mary-Anne Lauri, Pro-Rector for Student Affairs, Frans Borg, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment, and Dr. Elisabeth Kehrer, the Austrian Ambassador.

Mr Borg congratulated AEGEE-Valletta on the occasion of its anniversary, and pledged his ministry's commitment to help youth organisations like AEGEE-Valletta, not only to hear their views but also to let them share in decision-making policies. "This is in line with local and European policies with particular reference to the European Pact", Mr Borg commented.

Dr Kehrer said that 50 years ago, the EU's founding fathers had the courage to come up with a project called Europe. "The common interest overrides national ego, while basing everything on trust to continue to build bridges," she argued. "This is where AEGEE comes in, and with its enormous work and volunteer spirit, is building bridges at youth level, the basis of our future."

Dr Lauri stated that she hoped that the AGORA project would bring European students together to discuss issues close to their heart, with an open-mind. She observed that during the AGORA, two particular workshops would be held, to discuss student mobility issues and Euro-Islam.

At the end of the press conference, AEGEE-Valletta launched a special limited edition publication portraying its ten years of activities. It features special articles written by key ex-committee members, describing their years within the organisation.

Earlier this week, Nestlé Malta and Camilleri Wines have confirmed their sponsorship of the event. In fact, Camilleri Wines will be the official Maltese winery for the AGORA.

For more information about the AGORA project, click on www.agoravalletta2007.org