Dear Network,

This is the very last AEGEE-Europe newsletter before heading to Bergamo, and we cannot be any more excited to the #AgoraOfThe1000! We cannot wait to see the further developments of the organisation that will be taking place and how we are all shaping together the future of AEGEE. Remember to come well-prepared to Bergamo - for this, you have the full list of proposals, candidates and positions to be voted upon on the Members Portal. Do not forget to check that and make a well-informed choice!

In the meantime, yesterday we were also celebrating the Day of Europe, a day that we remember the words of Robert Schuman on its declaration, which built the foundations of the European Union as we know it nowadays. While fear is dominating the current narrative on Europe, we must not let ourselves lead by populism; instead, we must take action and believe that we can make a change for a better, more integrated, borderless Europe.

We wish you a pleasant reading, and see you soon in Agora Bergamo!

Europeanly yours,
Comité Directeur 2015/2016
Aleksandra, Ander, Anna, Maryana, Pablo, Réka & Svenja

Are you an energetic and hardworking individual full of ideas to support one of the most important documents within our organization – the Action Agenda? Would you like to contribute to the implementation of the thematic work in our organization? Would you like to be part of an international team of motivated people? Would you like to make a change inside AEGEE? Then ACT! More information can be found in the Members Portal.

Are you concerned by Civic Education in Europe and want to gain experience in campaigning while contributing to a great project? Then help us from now until June 2017 to make noise and collect signatures in your country! Apply to [log in to unmask] with 'ECI TEAM' as subject of email. And spread the word also among non-AEGEEans because everyone is welcome to join our effort! More info in the 6th Civic News.

The event "Borderless Europe: Blessing or Burden" has taken place! The Your Vision for EUrope project and AEGEE-Cluj-Napoca have worked hard to make it a high quality event, funded by AAFB. Besides this, an Erasmus + application for a next conference is submitted through AEGEE-Nijmegen. A sneak peek to the topic: the conference in Nijmegen will address "Student protests and the future of higher education in Europe".

As the escalating terrorism in Europe and the World has quite negatively affected our lives and societies, Democracy in Practice took the initiative and launched a campaign to promote peace and understanding. If you want to take part in defeating the terrorism, take a look at the Member’s Portal and go for the activity that suits you!

"Europe on Track" is back with its 3rd edition! 6 travellers are crossing the continent with Interrail and have 1 fantastic month to discover how “borderless” Europe is. It started on the 20th of April, and will conclude in Agora Bergamo with presenting the first results of the productive sessions the travellers held on their way and the interviews' outcomes. Follow us on the Facebook page and the Members' Portal!

 In a couple of weeks the Policy Paper on Civic Education will be presented and discussed at Agora Bergamo. You can check the Policy Paper in the following document and add comments to it if you want. We are waiting for your feedback. You can also check the results of the survey used to collect opinions for the Paper.

We are preparing for the new edition of the Key to Europe! Do you want to make it shiny and awesome with us?

The Key to Europe is AEGEE-Europe's annual review of the highlights of the year, and what the AEGEE Network has done. Do you have any event worth being mentioned in the next K2E? Send your idea to the K2E Team via this link!

16th of April 1985 saw the birth of EGEE. 31 years later, we have established the very first edition of the "AEGEE Day", aiming at organising several thematic events all over our AEGEE Network. And it was a great success! The topic of the year was "breaking borders": language borders, mobility borders, employment borders, inequality borders... all in all, what prevents from bridging young Europeans to cooperate. And from Las Palmas to Samara, and from Manchester to Athens, we have seen a big variety of events: roundtables, information sessions about AEGEE, quizzes, workshops...

AEGEE was founded on the 16th of April 1985 and, after the special celebration organised last year, the Comité Directeur decided that it was time to establish “the AEGEE Day”, whose first edition was very promising. Over 60 locals celebrated this important day organising something, from a football tournament to barbeques, from round-tables to informative days.

We have been checking all the statistics, initiatives and records that we got from the Network... and we have the data! Over 60 AEGEE locals participated in the first-ever AEGEE Day celebrations. However, many locals organised more than one activity on the week of the 16th of April. This means that, in total, over 100 activities took place throughout the Network! We cannot be thankful and excited enough for the overwhelming response to the AEGEE Day. Thank you very much, and see you in (less than) one year!

Each month The AEGEEan elects the locals and the members who gave a noticeable contribution to AEGEE. In March AEGEE-Maribor and Naira Pérez Rodríguez from AEGEE-Tenerife caught our attention. The Slovenian antenna organised a Training for new Trainers, while Naira was chosen for having been an exceptional main organiser.

AEGEEans are travellers by definitions, so what's better that some travelling tips from our Editor-in-chief's hometown, stunning Venice? Here 10 things to do, visit and eat in the city on the lagoon... Do you want also be part of the AEGEEan travel guide, disclosing your city deepest secrets? Then, fill this form, we are waiting for our next destination.

The Europe Day, on 9th May, marks the anniversary of the Schuman declaration, signed in 1950, as the first move towards the creation of the European Union and the roadmap towards a stronger integration. Europe is facing many challenges, and we still have a long way to the idea of a borderless Europe that we believe in. However, these are days to remember that it is this project that has brought times of peace, prosperity, and opportunities, and how united we stand. We wish you had a happy Europe Day!

Five cities were short-listed by the European Youth Forum as finalists for the European Youth Capital 2019! Two of them, Manchester and Novi Sad, have AEGEE locals in there and have been involved in the cities' candidatures. In the meantime, you can check who have been the latest (and the upcoming) European Youth Capitals!

The European Socialist Group in the Committee of the Regions has launched its annual Photo competition under the theme "Imagine Europe without Borders". You can win several awards, such as a 3-day trip to Brussels and 2,000 EUR on photographic equipment. More information here!

Have you developed a digital project (eg app, website, Internet of Things) with impact on society? Are you under 33 years old? And do you live in a member state of the Council of Europe?

What are you waiting for? APPLY NOW for #EYA16 in one of the seven categories!