Europe for Dummies - Conference for raising the students' awareness about the EU From 24th to 28th of February, in the city of Amsterdam, the local branch and the International Politics Working Group of AEGEE, European Students' Forum are organizing Europe for Dummies' conference. This event will answer the never-ending questions about the European Union.  The EU seems to become more and more influential on our everyday life. All the politicians have talked about "Brussels' increasing power" but these statements do not answer the basic questions that every average student has to know. What does the European Union do? What has the European Union accomplished and how did it emerge? What will the European Union's future bring us? Will the European Union remain an intergovernmental organisation or will it become a supranational body? All these and other questions would like to be answered. These three days are filled with interesting lectures by experts on the European Union, exciting workshops about the EU and a spectacular final debate entitled "The Future of the European Union" on Sunday, where the participants can use their recently obtained knowledge to discuss the European Union's future with several experts: Kathalijne Buitenweg (Member of European Parliament), Sander Simmons (Writer "Europe for Dummies"), Hans van Meerten (Erasmus University Rotterdam), Nico Wegter (representitive European Commission in the Netherlands).  The debate will focus on five central themes. One statement on each of them has been prepared. Every statement will be the centre of a debate among experts, students from Amsterdam and the conference participants. The following themes and statements will be discussed:1) Governmental future. 2) Military future. A European army must be created.3) Agricultural future. Subsidies to farmers must be revoked.4) Juridical future. The European Constitution will not create a better Europe.5) Democratic future. The election of the government of the European Union is not democratic. The debate is meant to be broad-ranged, both topic-wise and participant-wise. Therefore not only five experts have been asked to discuss the issues mentioned above, but every student of Amsterdam has been also asked to attend the debate. 80 up to 100 participants are expected. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at: Virag SzaboDirector for Public Relations, [log in to unmask] European Students' Forum (AEGEE)Rue Nestor de Tiere 15B-1030 Brussels(t) +32 2 245 2300(fax) +32 2 245 6260www.aegee.org AEGEE is one of Europe's largest interdisciplinary and voluntary student associations, operating without being linked to any political party, promoting a unified Europe, cross-border co-operation, communication and integration in academic environment, and at the same time striving to create an open and tolerant society by involving students and young graduates in valuable projects and discussions over the topics of importance for the communities they live in. It is represented in 260 university cities, in 42 countries all around Europe and has about 17000 members.