Thursday

Today the official programme of the Agora started as usual with a speech by the President of AEGEE-Europe, Dragan Stojanovski. Also, the statutes of principles were presented. This time, Agora participants and CD members presented it in different languages on a clip.
After the ratification of the agenda, the CD presented its Activity Report for which a long question line of roughly 20 Agora participants queued up. Before presenting the AR as such, Dragan said some words about Anita Bosneva, who could not come to the Agora as health issues still prevent her from returning to the CD. Dragan expressed that the CD supports Anitas wish to remain CD member (instead of resignation) as this would give her strength and pride which could help her presently.

As could be expected, most questions were related to communication within the CD and CD->network, the Intranet (contract), while the logo was not a hot topic anymore.
Therefore, the Activity Reports of the WGs saw also a short question line, where all questions went to ITWG to answer questions concerning the new Intranet.
Right now, after the Activity Reports of WGs, Commissions are presenting their past activities. The JC is asked about data privacy and the Intranet.

Also, a representative of EMSA introduced us to her organisation.

The end of the day will be the voting on the AR of the CD, before there will be dinner and another party. Let's hope that the day won't end as it has started- rainy - but soon it has become sunny again, so let's hope we will have sun the next days.

Verena

The Agora is officially opened!!!

Five minutes ago, the Chair Team welcomed all participants to the first plenary. A Representative of the University gave us some warm words of welcome. Right now the President of AEGEE-Europe, Dragan Stojanovski, is giving his welcome speech. He figured out the most important points of the agenda, e.g. the flagship project 2010/2011. Moreover, Dragan pointed out the importance of AEGEE in times of economic crisis to maintain stability.
But I guess you would like to know what happened till now. After all people somehow managed to find their way to our dormitory, we queued up to register. As the CD feared that the antennae don't pay, you first had to register and pay the fee at the AEGEE-Europe desk and only afterwards the participants were allowed to pick up their welcome package and badge at the local organizer's desk. Unfortunately some antennae didn't know that, as it was newly introduced at this Agora, and waited two hours in the wrong line just to queue up again in the line for AEGEE-Europe- luckily lunch was provided just next to desks.
In the afternoon, there was the possibility to attend the language course and a speed course on "Handle your own Agora" so that the newbies learned what to do with all these ballot papers and where to go. In the evening we enjoyed the opening ceremony with traditional dances, speeches of the organizers and some getting-flag-bag actions, which were all successfully done. Afterwards AEGEE-Magusa's birthday cake was distributed among the participants before we started searching for the dinner hall. The Agora takes place at the Near East University, where 20,000 students study and go to school. Approximately, the campus has a size of 2 sqkm with several buildings and streets. So it is not so easy to find your way here. Therefore, some had problems to find the right place to have dinner, although an oranizer was with them. After an odysee of one hour they finally found their way ;-)
Quickly afterwards we had to jump on the buses to go to the first party of this Agora. After one hour of driving we finally arrived at a fancy club exclusively reserved for MagusAgora participants.... Stay tuned to read more about it soon...

Isabell

Only two more days...

Reading the Agora's agenda, it is sure that there is no boring event coming up. While all agenda points will be interesting and worth attending, there are, nevertheless, some agenda points which deserve special attention.

Starting on Wednesday, we can already look forward to the Opening Ceremony, before the real content starts only on Thursday. For all participants who attend their first Agora, the "Speed course: Handle your own Agora" is a must, as everything will be explained which is relevant to understand the Agora.

In the morning of Thursday, another highlight comes up as the CD will present their Activity Report then. Considering a lot of discussions on AEGEE-L, we can assume that a good number of questions will be asked, e.g. about the logo, the Intranet, democracy and transparency.
While Thursday, with more Activity Reports in the afternoon, mainly looks back, the agenda turns to the future on Thursday event, where we see an agenda point which is not included in every Agora - a "Quo vadis AEGEE?" meeting which has already been explained on aegee-l.

Friday will also deal with the future, as the plenary has the chance to see candidates' presentations and to ask the candidates questions.
Some more interesting issues will be discussed during the progress meetings, with topics such as Visual Identity (which includes the logo), Intranet and the next Flagship topic. Especially the logo and the Intranet already caused some debates on our mailing-lists.

With the Convention d'Adhesion, the presentation of Flagship topic proposals and the voting session, Saturday also sees some highlights.

Sunday will be departure day. Nevertheless, there is the chance for Working Groups, Commissions and Project teams to meet.

Let's hope the Agora will be constructive, questions will be answered, and AEGEE can answer the Quo vadis question a bit better.

Only 3 more days...

The people coming to Cyprus are slowly starting to pack their stuff and the members, who cannot make it to the Agora, probably follow closely all discussions on AEGEE's mailing lists going on right now. Surely, the Agora will be full of hot debates, a new CD and hopefully there will be a lot of sun ;-)
To give you a first impression of the location, where the most important event of AEGEE will take place, here is some intersting information. Lefkosia (Nicosia in English) is the capital of the Republic of Cyprus.
The city is located in the middle of the island of Cyprus- so unfortunately the participants cannot enjoy our breaks between the plenaries at the beach. Only those taking part in the post-event will have the pleasure to relax at the sea in Magusa after an exhausting Agora. However, there are some other pleasures waiting for the participants, too. Lefkosia offers a wide range of beautiful architecture. Generally speaking, in the northern part there a couple of impressive mosques. The southern part has some nice cathedrals and old buildings telling us about its 1000 years of history. The ancient city center is Ledra Street and is Lefkosias main shopping street nowadays. It is surrounded by bastions and a city wall. One of the old city gates, the Famagusta gate, is used as today's cultural center.

What will be interesting, especially for the participants, is the weather forecast.
http://www.holiday-weather.com/lefkosia/seven-day-forecast.html
As you can see, there are a lot of question marks in the clouds - hopefully this means, it will be sunny with some clouds during the plenaries - I hope it is not a sign for not giving answers the network is waiting for.

Just 4 more days till Agora Magusa

Dear AEGEE members,
As only a small percentage of the network is present at Agora Magusa, our Blog is ready to keep you updated about the last happenings in Cyprus.
In the following days we will give you a first impression about the island, the programme, etc.
So stay tuned!

Voting Results of Autumn Agora Aachen 2008

Dear Network,
These are the voting results of Autumn Agora Aachen 2008:
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Activity Report of the Comité Directeur Agora Ljubljana – 31st of august 2008

Total amount of votes: 317
Valid votes: 315

Votes in favour: 245 (77,77 %)
Votes against: 21 (6,67 %)
Abstention: 49 (15,56 %)

The Activity Report of the Comité Directeur (Agora Ljubljana – 31st of
august) has been approved.

--------------------------------------------

Activity Report & Plan of the Comité Directeur

Total amount of votes: 311
Valid votes: 309

Votes in favour: 266 (86,08 %)
Votes against: 12 (3,88 %)
Abstention: 31 (10,04 %)

The Activity Report and Plan of the Comité Directeur has been approved.

--------------------------------------------

Financial Report 2007 of AEGEE-Europe

Total amount of votes: 322
Valid votes: 320

Votes in favour: 132 (41,25 %)
Votes against: 112 (35,00 %)
Abstention: 76 (23,75 %)

The Financial Report 2007 has been approved.

--------------------------------------------

Interim Financial Report 2008 of AEGEE-Europe

Total amount of votes: 316
Valid votes: 314

Votes in favour: 54 (17,20 %)
Votes against: 185 (58,91 %)
Abstention: 75 (23,89 %)

The Interim Financial Report 2008 has NOT been approved.

--------------------------------------------

Proposal: Membership fees

Total amount of votes: 316
Valid votes: 312

Votes in favour 174 (55,77 %)
Votes against: 113 (36,22 %)
Abstentions: 25 (8,01 %)

The Proposal of the Membership fees has been approved

--------------------------------------------

Proposal: Network Commission

Total amount of votes: 314
Valid votes: 312

Votes in favour 283 (90,71 %)
Votes against: 12 (3,84 %)
Abstentions: 17 (5,45 %)

The Proposal of the Network Commission has been approved

--------------------------------------------

Proposal: SU Change
Total amount of votes: 321
ALL Valid votes

Votes in favour 176 (54,83 %)
Votes against: 110 (34,27 %)
Abstentions: 35 (10,90 %)

The Proposal of the SU Change has been approved

--------------------------------------------

Audit Commission proposal

Total amount of votes: 341
Valid votes: 339

Votes in favour 308 (90,9 %)
Votes against: 16 (4,7 %)
Abstentions: 15 (4,4 %)

The Audit Commission proposal has been approved

--------------------------------------------

Budget update 2008

Total amount of votes: 336
Valid votes: 334

Votes in favour 224 (67,0 %)
Votes against: 44 (13,2 %)
Abstentions: 66 (19,8 %)

The Budget update 2008 has been approved

--------------------------------------------

Budget 2009

Total amount of votes: 337
Valid votes: 334

Votes in favour 171 (51,2 %)
Votes against: 105 (31,4 %)
Abstentions: 58 (17,4 %)

The Budget 2009 has been approved

--------------------------------------------

Strategic Plan 2009-2011

Total amount of votes: 337
Valid votes: 335

Votes in favour 298 (89,0 %)
Votes against: 5 (1,5 %)
Abstentions: 32 (9,5 %)

The Strategic Plan 2009-2011 has been approved

Closely kick-out of Agora building

Our brave and hard working Agora organisers from AEGEE-Aachen solved a highly dangerous situation on friday afternoon! What happened? During the trainings sessions, workshop sessions and progress meetings it happened that alcohol was consumed during a progress meeting. Drinking started before the meeting began and was discovered by the caretaker of the university building. Since alkohol is forbidden to drink in university buildings in Germany, the caretaker wanted to kick us all out of the building!! Due to enormous efforts of AEGEE-Aachen, this catastrophe was luckily prevented! (THANK YOU Guys!!!). It was a huge shock and an entirely delicate situation for us all, because there was no other option to assamble and the Agora would had its end friday evening. Hopefully, the concerned people expressed their apologies for their behaviour.

Questions on Activity Reports: General impression

A general impression during the Agora was to see when the network had the time to ask questions on Activity Reports of European bodies. The CD, working groups, commissions, liasion officers: they all received a manageable amount of questions. There was the impression that the represantative from Facebook got more questions, than were asked upon activity reports.

Hardly questions on Activity Plan 2008/09

During the first plenary session thursday morning at Aachen University, the Activity plan of the new Comité Directeur was presented as well as the pas activites of the new elected CD since they started their work in the house in Brussels. When we all had the opportunity to ask questions on the activity plan which is planned for 2008/09, only two members of our association took the chance to ask questions upon it. One was especially dedicated to the new webpage of AEGEE and its communication towards european bodies in this issue. As some of you know there were plenty of emails exchanged on this topic already before the Agora started.

Presentation of Facebook

Friday afternoon we had the pleasure to welcome a representative of Facebook, Javian Oliver. After a short and precies presentation about the mission and vision, the Agora audience had the change to ask questions. Interesting topics were raised such as tracing back your profile for applications,facebook as workplace, security aspects and future ideas to improve this social tool. Javian and his collegue answered all questions and listened attentively to new ideas. We had the pleasure to meet both representatives again during the European Night.

Bi-lingual candidature presentation

The Agora witnessed a bilingual candidature presentation during the presentation round of the candidatures for the Audit Commission of AEGEE. The presentation from Nico Huurman was presented in english and french to the audience. This was a refreshing and unexpected moment for the association, so to see from the reaction from the audience. Using english and french is perfectly fine for AEGEE, since these are the two official languages of AEGEE. What about more french language courses in the future? Maybe during a Summer University or as a normal event? Think about it ;-)

New guiding concept: walking buses

Walking what? Yip, that is what we thought too ;-) What is behind the system of the walking buses, so? These are nice and hard working people who are guiding the participants of the Agora to the gyms after the party, for example. These walking buses going regularly during the night, being staffed with a sign stating the number of the gym. And still we often hear of people who still get lost and enjoy a lovely night walk through Aachen. We heard even rumors or people who failed to find the way and after giving up, they took a taxi and slept the night in the hotel......

Changing rooms

During this Agora in Aachen, no day looks like the same. This is not due to the changing Agenda every here and then, but also due to the fact that we change rooms and buildings on a daily basis. Again, the city map from the welcome package helps a lot and we are guided very well thanks to wheather resistant (rain!!) signs.

Opening Ceremony

Evening... Rain... A crowd of AEGEE people gathering in the City Hall... Better to see than to read...

Gym division - dont forget your number

During our general assembly we are used to stay in one big gym. Or in a big one and a small one, maybe. This Agora we stay in not one gym, not two gyms, no, we stay in seven gyms, which are distributd all around the center of Aachen. Among our standard equipment for each day, naturally, we all keep our city map :-) Luckily in this city map we find all locations marked on the map. Still, for some people that does not help
at all and they discover Aachen by night rather unvoluntarily ;-)

AGORA. First Impressions

AEGEE-Aachen decided to leave their trace in memory of AEGEE members. They decided to make an unforgettable Agora with the best possible organization and lodging. During the beginning of October 700 AEGEE members had an opportunity to check the efforts of AEGEE-Aachen. So far everything started a bit mixed and perplex, strangely for German antenna, but later on the mess got some structure. Let me start from the very beginning…
Agora participants gathered in an auditorium of the Aachen technical university after wondering around in the search of the appropriate building of the university. At least the group from the most overcrowded VIP gym No.2 lost its “walking bus” (a person that leads participants to plenary, gyms and other important places) this is why it had a morning unguided tour in the very heart of Aachen. Yes, everything is concentrated in the centre, but there are 7 gyms and the plenary and workshops are held not only in different rooms of the university, but in different buildings. Although Aachen is full of pointers on the poles and people with pointers to the workshops and the canteen, participants still manage to get lost. This is just some street magic of Aachen…

The first session started traditionally with solemn speeches by Dragan Stojanovski, the President of AEGEE-Europe, and Anita Bosneva, responsible for cooperation with externals, followed by welcome word from one of the Agora-Aachen organizers Patrick Kabasci. Later the WGs and locals presented themselves. Although most of antennae seemed to sleep, the Spanish and German ones tried to activate the environment with shouts and songs.
Later on ratification of the Agenda came and ratification of the minutes of the latest Agoras and EBM were presented. Next the CD presented its report. According to Dragan, this CD should be a revolution one, as its activities involve a lot of changes and this is the 1st CD that will serve for 12 month. Every CD member was very enthusiastic and positive towards his/her future activities… AEGEE believes in its success and wishes the CD all the best. The first part of the day was closed by 2 prytania session and several workshops.

AEGEE Cafe

October 1, 2008

The first ‘zero’ day of the Agora started with language courses and family-type AEGEE-Café during which AEGEE-Europe presented CD, working groups and current projects. There were not many visitors as the people were keeping on arriving and only those who arrived earlier that day and were not tired managed to come to the Café.
The representatives of the projects and working groups were also wondering around the Café, as the coordinator asked them to move from one table to another… This did not work out with everybody, but still some movement created the vision of some activity going on more exciting than it was.
Overall, the Café was successful, as the interested AEGEE members had a possibility to see AEGEE-Europe in real life and address their request directly to them.

Publications at the Agora

At the Agora, there will be a lot to take with you: not only great memories but also a couple of brandnew and helpful publications for you and your local Antenna!
For example, the CD will publish the new edition of the AEGEE Members Manual (AMM), which gives every member of AEGEE a brief but broad overview about the organisation! Updated by Stefan Wittwer, former Network Director of the CD, the brandnew edition will be in your hands soon!
Besides that, you will get the unique chance to grap one edition of a manual published by the "YOUrope needs YOU" project. This manual will enable you to lead interactive workshops at high schools within the framework of the "YOUrope needs YOU" project!
And last but not least, you will enjoy reading the latest edition of the AEGEE members magazine "News Bulletin" containing all hot news and stories from the network! Everyone should have one ;-)

Booklets for the Agora released today

This morning, the relevant booklets for the Agora were published in an email from the headoffice and are ready for download! Enjoy reading and preparing!

M(eye) Blog at the Agora Aachen

Also at the Agora in Aachen, the team of the Agora Blog will keep you up to date about the happenings in the plenaries, the workshops, prytania and much more!
We will investigate and report for you life from AEGEE's General Assembly Autumn 2008 from Aachen! Stay tuned and bookmark this web-address :-)