What is AEGEE?
Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l'Europe
European Students' Forum
URL: http://www.aegee.org
"I've been a member of AEGEE for only one year, but this year changed my understanding of Europe. Before it was abstract, now it is full of life! I met so many interesting people and got to know so many different cultures and ways of thinking! I think, many other students should start seeing Europe that way." Conny Reichel, AEGEE-Passau
AEGEE takes its name from one of the birthplaces of democracy, the Aegean Sea, and the first parliament at the dawn of the French Revolution, Les Etats Généraux. It promotes co-operation, communication and integration among students and young graduates on the continent, assisted by an unmatched network of European friends. Through critical and active confrontation with the Europe of today, AEGEE strives to develop an open and tolerant society for tomorrow. As a non-governmental, politically independent and secular, non-profit organization, AEGEE is open for students from all faculties. According to official estimates, AEGEE today has 20,000 members in 42 European countries. Since its creation, more than 100,000 young Europeans have become members of the AEGEE network.
AEGEE turns its call for European integration into reality. Summer Universities are held every year by a multitude of antennae an antenna is a local branch of AEGEE e.g. AEGEE-Nijmegen (URL: http://www.kun.nl/aegee/), teaching the hosting country´s language and culture. Similarly, conferences are organized on topics as diverse as "Arts and Science", "European Security" and "Environmental Protection".
Being truly European, AEGEE does not make use of national administrative structures. Instead, AEGEE works in parallel on the local and the European level. The latter consists of several European Working Groups and a European Board of Directors, the Comité Directeur. The local level provides the core for all activities and offers the opportunity for regular social meetings. Thus the AEGEE members are given plenty of opportunities to train their organisational and social skills. Furthermore, Erasmus students are often hosted by AEGEE members, and professionals are often invited to lecture on European issues and other topics of interest. The European institutions such as the European Commission, the Council of Europe and Unesco are natural partners for AEGEE in the never-ending quest for accelerating the integration process.