AEGEE-Kรถnyv.qx
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20 years - 20 facts Did you know that... 1 AEGEE is a non-governmental and politically independent non-profit organisation. 2 AEGEE's main aim is to develop an open and tolerant society by promoting co-operation, communication and integration among young people in Europe and beyond? 3 AEGEE started in 1985 with students from nine Western European cities and currently comprises around 17.000 members in more than 250 local branches of 42 European countries. Since 1985, 70,000 students have been members. 4 AEGEE members are not only students of all faculties but also young professionals. 5 You can find former AEGEE members holding important positions in international institutions, running their own businesses as consultant and in the media sector. 6 AEGEE's headquarters have been situated in Brussels since 1996, a short tram ride from the EU institutions. 7 AEGEE does not have a national level, just a local and European level. 8 AEGEE has always been quick to take advantage of new technology, using internet telephone software, electronic membership and digital voting systems. 9 AEGEE has been taken part in politics at the highest levels, promoting ideals such as openness in higher education, peace and stability, active citizenship and cultural exchange while staying independent of all parties. 10 AEGEE has always been a pioneer regarding its thematic focus, dealing with issues such as European credit transfer systems, European defence policy, the Middle East, ecology, international job mobility, European economy, extra-European relations, AIDS and human rights. 11 AEGEE is not only active on the European continent but also deals with issues such as transatlantic co-operation.
12 AEGEE has been one of the decisive forces behind the creation and continuity of the Erasmus programme. Without AEGEE, 1,220,000 Erasmus students between 1989 and 2004 might not have had the chance to study abroad. 13 AEGEE lobbied successfully on the topcs of education, peace and stability, while counting on the support of Europeans such as Franรงois Mitterand and Mikhail Gorbachev. 14 AEGEE has consultative status at the UN, operational status at UNESCO, consultative status at ECOSOC and participatory status with the Council of Europe. AEGEE is also a member of the European Youth Forum and has close relations with OSCE and the World Bank.
15 AEGEE was one of the first European NGO's to expand beyond the iron curtain. 16 AEGEE offered support to students in Bosnia, supported democracy movements such as in Serbia and in Ukraine and set up a grant programme for students from the Balkans. 17 AEGEE was one of the first European NGO's to accept local branches in Turkey. 18 AEGEE organises around 250 international conferences and other events per year. A total of more than 200,000 students took part in an AEGEE event so far.
19 AEGEE's Summer Universities have given more than 50,000 students a unique European vacation. 20 AEGEE has made special professions for disabled people to join all its activities and projects.
20th Anniversary
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