Moose. Issue 2 by Olivier Rostang

oose.

Editorial

Le Parlement Européen des Jeunes (PEJ) a été fondé en France. C’est pour cette raison que le français fait partie des deux langues officielles au PEJ. Pour participer à des sessions françaises, le comité national du PEJ-France exige un niveau minimum de français. Cette session sera pour la plupart d’entre vous un départ dans le PEJ, et pour ceux d’entre vous qui vont continuer, vous allez sûrement passer par la France. Si vous comprenez ce que vous êtes en train de lire, c’est que vous avez le niveau pour y aller! Sinon il va falloir un peu travailler mais c’est possible! Courage! Olivier Rostang

This issue was brought to you by : Clarisse Delaville (FR) Linda Lammensalo (FI) Asterios Arampatzis (GR) Ira Leiviskä (FI) Emma Cauwelaers (BE) Rita Häkkinen (FI) Anthony Fedorov (FI) Seraina Petersen (CH) Olivier Rostang (FR/SE)

Contents

A Brief Grasp on Film Creation

Behind the Scenes: ICRC

Sunset in Murmansk

Chill Out !

EYP Fun !

EYP of Experiences

The Stage Masters

You are what you eat

Interview: Hans Maes

How to stay involved in EYP

What type of delegate are you ?

The Moose Hunt

Meet the Chairs

gossip girl

A Brief Grasp on Film Creation By Anthony Fedorov

Films, something approximately every person enjoys, be it a TV show or an actual full-length feature film. Everyone loves going to the theatre with a few friends to watch a block buster action movie and most likely, all of you have at least once in your life time thought to yourself: wouldn’t it be cool to be an actor or actress or to be Michael Bay, and most likely you’ve probably thought to yourself that actors and actress along side everyone else working on the movie earn easy money and that it’s fun. Yes and no, sure it is satisfying and fun to talk and to be filmed and get paid for doing that, but on the flip side it demands lots of efforts and lots of work. People tend to forget how much hard work the creation of a feature film needs. Sure, maybe I am not the best person to try and elaborate on how much is put into a film since a have never worked with any, but I have experience with problems and amount of work put into short film production, you can really think of it as a small scale production of a big film. The creation of a film, large or small, consists of three parts, pre-production, filming and post-production. In

pre-production you do everything from creating the idea and writing a script to scouting for locations and people likewise. Finding locations and people isn’t as easy as it sounds, especially for beginners or low budget films since it limits your possibilities. A shooting day is divided according to the script, for example if you have to film an interior scene and you are on a tight schedule, you will find it most likely wiser to shoot the interior scene in the evening and all the exterior scenes during the day taking into account that there are no night exterior scenes. Final process of filming is post-production, in post-production you create music, video effects, sound effects, animation, cutting the video together... Basically anything that is done on the computer. There is much more to filming this was merely a tiny grasp on the whole creation of any kind of more serious piece. Obviously you won’t need to do this if you are with your friends messing about. Hopefully this makes you understand that filming is not just fun and games, it requires dedication and time, but in the end it pays off.

Behind the Scenes: ICRC By Seraina Petersen «The ICRC landed in the headlines yet again when members of the inter-governmental organisation were abducted in Syria. But what is behind the acronym we all know?»

“A Souvenir of Solferino”, a book published in 1862 by a shocked businessman, would mark the beginning of an initiative to face and diminish cruelties committed during times of war. Henry Dunant would have been 185 years old this May. His legacy became one of the most well-known and significant international organisations. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) saw its 150th birthday this year, and its duties are as vital as ever, if not more. When Dunant stood on the battlefield of Solferino, he realised that technological progress of his time correlated with increasing war atrocities. He set up a working group in Geneva, his home town, and few years later, an international conference established what is today called the first Geneva Convention, which says that all armies compulsorily have to care for soldiers wounded in

battle – without difference which army they belong to. By now, these accords have grown to four universally ratified conventions. They include not only the protection of wounded soldiers, but also of prisoners of war and the protection of civilians. Indeed, the ICRC initiative kicked off what is known today as international humanitarian law; this legislation field was established in order to protect human rights during times of war and includes the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 (with its additional protocols), but also a number of other treaties and international accords, such as the Hague Conventions. The magically seven principles - humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality - do sound somewhat pompous, but behind those words stands the very essence of the ICRC. For instance, to speak of

the Red Cross is not correct any more; Red Cross / Red Crescent societies is what the community under the IFRC (the federation administrating the national RC committees) calls itself. Indeed, in 2005, an additional emblem to those two was created; states that did not want to use the cross nor the crescent were given the symbol of a red crystal – only one illustration of what the ICRC means by universality. When it comes to impartiality and neutrality, things get tricky. Very soon in its history, the RC initiative declared that medical support must be available to anyone, no matter which side they are on. This means that ICRC teams will get help to anyone involved in battle, without taking sides on the “guilty – innocent” or the “aggressor – defender” question. It is with this neutrality that the ICRC maintains it legitimacy as well as its right to accede

to battle territories. This also means that whatever ICRC members witness, it cannot and will not be used in politics or justice. To cite their own statement, “one cannot simultaneously be a champion of justice and charity; and the ICRC has chosen to be a defender of charity.” This does however not mean that their principles are accepted, or understood, everywhere, which is illustrated by the recent abduction of ICRC members in Syria. How the victims of the kidnapping interpret the neutrality rule about justice remains to be seen. Meanwhile, we can only hope that crises like this will not diminish the ICRC’s efforts in war-ravaged areas; for its brave help is a spark of hope for those who are most cruelly, and most unjustly, affected by war.

Sunset in Murmansk « Free the Artic 30 » is now a slogan we can hear all around the world. And for good reasons: Russia has opened a criminal case against thirty Greenpeace activists who boarded last month an Artic oil rig, belonging to energy giant Gazprom, in order to denounce its harmful exploitation. The Russian legal system reaffirmed its will to charge them all with « piracy ». This media covered action conducted aboard a Greenpeace ship, the « Artic Sunrise », has important consequences since these persons could face up to fifteen years in Russian prison. As a token of support, several demonstrations took place all over the world and particularly in Moscow and in Murmansk, where the activists are being held. In addition, eleven Nobel Peace Prize laureates wrote a letter to President Vladimir Putin demanding the piracy charges against the environmental activists to be dropped. More surprisingly, the Finnish chief executive of Shell, Jorma Ollila declared in an interview that the Finnish activist Sini Saarela « should be liberated ». This major issue -because of the dire living conditions of Russian prisonsconcerns the world. Despite the sad ending of the action, Greenpeace was once again highlighted. Its techniques are indeed to lead risky operations so that people become aware of the causes they fight for. As Martin Luther King said « a time comes when silence is betrayal ». But are protests like this one likely to change anything at all? Does the Organisation act in an appropriate way? Is there a diplomatic way to resolve these problems? Although Russia probably will not change its plan to tap resources of the Artic, Greenpeace is a powerful organisation well known for its numerous successful actions. Greenpeace claims « It’s not too late » to save our environment, and we hope they are right, because sooner or later, we will have to face the results of our behaviour.

By Clarisse Delaville

Chill Out ! Autumns are often times when your calendar is full of notes, things you should do and places you should visit. You may feel like you always have a thousand new little things waiting on your To-do list and never enough time to do all of them properly. We may often find ourselves wishing to have just a few more extra hours in our day to get everything done in time. Feelings like these are symptoms of very typical situation caused by stress. Stress is very common phenomena for all of us and for some it’s present in their everyday lives. Stress can be triggered from a lot of

By Linda Lammensalo different reasons: too many responsibilities, pressure from expectations or the fear of failure are multiple causes for stress. Temporary stress can also be useful at times and give you just the needed boost to finish everything on time but if the stress takes control of your life, it can be very detrimental to both you and your health, causing tiredness, weakened immunity, headaches etc. Good ways to prevent stress are for example prioritizing things. It’s important if you feel like the time is running out that you save time for the things that are actually

important to you, leaving the less important things with smaller attention. It’s good to remember that you don’t always have to be the best in everything or be in many places at the same time, no one expects that from you. Other thing you could do is to pamper yourself every now and then. It doesn’t have to be anything big, just a cup of hot chocolate can sometimes do the trick and help you to wind down. In addition, watching romantic comedies that totally takes your mind away from all the stressful things can really make miracles for you. Sharing things with your friends and family can also be helpful and make you understand that the things you might be stressing about aren’t actually

that important in the end. Humor is a cure for many things and so it is for stress as well. Remembering to laugh and not take everything so seriously is a good way to prevent getting stressed over little things. In EYP sessions making a good resolution with your committee can sometimes be really stressful as well. But like in many other things we should remember that the best results often come when we focus on the most important points and don’t get too sidetracked with the little details. This way we can take our time and ensure the best results both in our real lives and also in EYP resolutions. So let’s just chill out a bit!

EYP Fun !

By Rita HĂ¤kkinen

In every EYP session, the formal Opening ceremony is followed by the not so formal teambuilding part! The purpose of the teambuilding is to get to know your own committee well enough to be able to share thoughts and work together later in committee work and in the General Assembly (GA). Teambuilding knits the committee together and is thus vital for creating an incredibly amazing team spirit that will stick to your memories like flies on honey, and makes you return to EYP, time after time. All for one and one for all The most important point of teambuilding is perhaps its combining influence. At the beginning of team building your committee is a bunch of strangers to you, but after getting crazy in the Funky Chicken or letting the other committee members catch you from falling in the Drunken Bottle game, you start feeling comfortable around those people and becoming part of the team. This arising team spirit is vital for getting as much out of the committee as possible and eventually creating a good resolution. It is, after all, much easier to share thoughts and have conversations with people you are familiar with than with total strangers. Solving puzzles How to turn over a sheet of paper with ten people standing on it? Or how to put story characters in order according to how good people they are? Because teambuilding prepares the committee for later discussions, it includes activities with some specific task or goal where the committee members have to work their way together. These problem-solving games require everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attendance and thus more teamwork and discussion within the group. Delegates are taught how to work in a group, take others into account and reach the goal with the best possible result. These skills are needed when it comes to working with the actual resolution. Having a hard time focusing? No matter which EYP session it is, inevitably there are these moments when the effects of the intensive working, the late night chats and the small amounts of sleep hit you. When feelings of tiredness, and even anger, appear, conversations are not proceeding or coffee breaks are more popular than ever, it is perhaps time for an energizer. Energizers are games and activities that are meant to increase energy levels and lose the tension within the group. A round of Shark Game or solving a human knot or even just dancing are good ways of getting the delegatesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; minds adequately alert again. Energizers are very suitable for situations where committees face a dead end in their conversations, and need some new energy or a different point of view to get forward. Energizers can also be useful in the GA, e.g. after lunch when everyone is sleepy and satisfied with their stomach full of food. The thing that makes you return Usually, the feelings of joy and companionship are the ones that last the longest after the session. Although regional sessions do not last for a long time, they are still able to give the participants golden memories, which is mostly because of successful teambuilding. I would say that what separates us, the European Youth Parliament, from the European Parliament, is all the fun we have alongside with the societal work we do: you certainly would not see MEPs singing Fred the Moose in the middle of an assembly.

EYP of Experiences

You might be suspicious at the moment. You might think that this isn’t really what you had in mind when you signed up for the session. That’s normal. At least that’s the first reaction I had when we started playing those weird games at my first session. But let me tell you: you won’t be feeling like that for long. Most of the people involved in EYP have gone through the same, and we who have

continued have experienced so many great things that made it worthwhile to see through the first impression. My absolutely best EYP experience was the International Session in Amsterdam a year ago. I spent 10 days with the coolest people I have ever met in beautiful settings, having the most interesting discussions. The first three days went by in a scenic holiday village outside the

By Ira Leiviskä

town just teambuilding. I got to know my awesome committee members, eat good food and have fun in a waterpark - just to mention a few things. But that was only the beginning. Although after moving the group to Amsterdam where the real work started and the days were long, the organisers rewarded us by taking us to amazing places. One of them was the Rijksmuseum, which was still

in renovation and not yet open for the public. There we had a fine dinner after which we took an exclusive tour around the museum, gazing at Rembrandt’s paintings. The list could go on and on but the best thing was that I got back home having many new friends from all over the Europe and the feeling that I’m part of something really grand. In the beginning of your EYP career it can

be really difficult to see and understand all the possibilities you have. That is why I encourage you to take full advantage of this opportunity to experience great things. The sessions will get bigger, the venues more impressive and the debate more interesting but to get there remember to have fun and to show your enthusiasm from early on. This is just the start.

The Stage Masters

By Seraina Petersen

Between running around to provide all committees with material and meeting patrons of the session, our three Head-Organisers Rebecca, Tuusa, and Veera squeezed in an interview to speak about what has been going on behind the scenes to make Kuopio 2013 come true.

Organising an event for roughly 100 people implies a lot of responsibility as well as a big deal of work. Bureaucracy, Tuusa remembers, was a particularly high obstacle when trying to find and reserve venues such as the school and the town hall. Their request had to be taken through different administrative layers; they needed to present the project to the school’s principal and even do security checks. What is more, the head-organisers were busy securing the 10’000-euro-budget by convincing sponsors to invest into the session. They have been dedicating their free time from school to convert Kuopio 2013 from an idea into reality during 10 months. The three Head-Organisers have known each other for ages, going to the same school and attending EYP sessions together. After participating in the 2011 regional session in Savonlinna, they joined the organising

team of Joensuu 2013, the Finnish national session last January. When several members of the board of EYP eastern Finland approached the three motivated students, Rebecca, Tuusa and Veera decided to take their involvement in EYP to another level by head-organising this year’s regionals in Kuopio. They submitted their formal application in January 2013, and by February, they were deeply immersed in reserving venues, finding sponsors and completing their organising team. 11 organisers are supporting Rebecca, Tuusa and Veera in their huge task. Divided into three teams, each of which is supervised by one Head-Organiser, they are responsible for providing food, transfers, technical support and leading us through the programme. Coming from all over Finland, the organisers met for the first time at their “orga-weekend” in August. However, the team has

been keeping a very active Facebook group to divide tasks, sort out problems and discuss logistics, fundraising, programmes and much more. What matters most to the head-organisers is to give the session its own identity. With four regional sessions per year, there is a tendency of these events to look very similar – which is why the organisers are giving a lot of their own personality into their work, making the session truly unique and memorable. Their ambition further is to set a high standard on the organisational side, which is why their best moments at the session include getting positive feedback, which came from the board of EYP as well as the session president. “It really keeps you going to hear that what you do is being appreciated”, the three of them agree.

You Are What You Eat

By Clarisse Delaville

Yesterday was an incredible day History has to remember. Not only for the amazing committee work. Not only for the awesome farewell party. I think everyone got what I am talking about: pizzas. These famous and delicious round shaped Italian specialties invaded the session at midday. This myriad of pizza infiltrated every committee room to the delight of delegates and officials. Rebecca, one of the head organisers, gave us precious information : “we have 83 participants “she explained, and after a while, she added “we ordered 90 pizzas and we will have to eat them all. I rely on you”. Challenge accepted. Ham, pineapple and vegetarian pizzas were there to satisfy every taste. But what’s YOUR taste? Did you know your pizza’s preferences define your personality? Hum hum … here is a quick quizz to discover who you really are! What would you describe yourself as?

How sensible are you towards criticism?

a) an innocent, kind and calm Margherita c) spicy and sophisticated Diavolo pizza b) a relaxed and happy Hawaii pizza

a) not at all – I have a thick crust b) you can’t hurt me – I am a calzone c) very much – my crust is extremely crumbly

What’s your favorite salsa?

If you were a pizza and were asked on a date, where would you like to be eaten?

b) organic parsley salsa with Greek olive oil a) mayonnaise with some onion rings c) Mexican pepperoni and soft pimento

A Majority of a)

What a beatifull personality ! You seem smart and curious, and life appears to you as a delicious olive you try to take the time to taste. You are thoughtful, calm and friendly : you are a cute gouda slice .However, we strongly believe you have to express the hot pepper salsa hidden inside you. Don’t be shy, you can use the pizza’s packaging as a weapon to defend yourself : be self-confident and express your views !

b) in a ranch in the middle of the desert c) in a pretty venetian trattoria, during the amazing carnival a) in a lovely peaceful and typical French restaurant

A Majority of b) You are the wild and free pizza. On your natural crust, canned food is not allowed. You take care of yourself and love spending time relaxing or meditating. Your friends are organic and tasty. You are juicy like a tomato and smart like a leek (that was a compliment ). You love nature and nature adores you : look how beatiful you are ! Nonetheless, you could be more open-minded toward Meat Lover’s pizzas : maybe your soulmate is a nice and handsome slice of chicken. Always remember to stay true to yourself and try to grasp all the opportunities life is offering you !

A Majority of c)

Temperature : 60°C ! You are cheerful, extravagant and funny. You live your life as a passionate chorizo slice , and try to enjoy every moment. Sometimes crazy, always sexy, you are an eternal firework. But be aware : fireworks can hurt. Maybe, you should take better care of the cheese and the ham which surround you. Keep being energetic, try to give to others your zest of life and you can be sure you’ll become a luscious pizza !

Interview: Hans Maes

By Emma Cauwelaers

Emma: You have been involved in EYP since 2008. How did you get into EYP? Hans: Our history teacher told us that our school participated at the EYP-project and the people who were interested could come to the info-session. And he sold it so well, I went to the info-session and I was really enthusiastic. Emma: How many sessions have you done before?

Hans: I have been to 20 sessions. At 3 of the sessions I was a delegate at the rest of them I had an official role.

Emma: You’re now the president of this session, what does a president do? Hans: The main function of a president is to see if the communication between different teams goes well. The communication between the organizers and the rest of the participants of the session is the most important one. Everyone has to be always informed about what’s happening and what is going to happen. A different task of the president is to provide his experience to other officials. You can see unique insides problems what most people may overlook. And of course, the president is the face of the session. Emma: Have you presided a session before? Hans: Yes, I have presided 2 sessions. The first one was in 2011, it was Europolis II in Belgium and my second one was at the regional session of Vannes in 2012. I will also preside a preliminary round in Amsterdam. Emma: What is your favourite role at EYP-sessions or which roles would you like to try out? Hans: Chairing is my favourite role in EYP. I already tried out every role I was interested in (Every role except Journalist and Editor) Emma: What is your opinion of the session so far? Hans: I think the session is going great. The organizers are doing a great job. Everyone is very friendly and it fits not in the typical Standard Finish Stereotype. It’s a pleasure to be here. Emma: Have you already plans for other sessions after this one? Hans: Next week I’ll be chairing at the international forum in The Hague and like have already mentioned, I am going to preside in Amsterdam. I am going to apply as a Vice-President for the national session in Sweden and I am also going to apply for the chair role at the international session in Barcelona.

How to stay involved in the EYP ? By Linda Lammensalo

The weekend of the Regional Session of Kuopio has almost come to an end. For some of us it has been a weekend full of learning new things about ourselves: communication skills, working as a team, finding a resolution for difficult problems or just how to manage little sleep. We have met a lot of new people and some of them have become really good friends of ours. For each of us the weekend has meant different things but surely for all of us it has been weekend full of memorable experiences that we will take home with us and remember still for a long time. No matter how the session affected you, it is good to know which options you have in order to stay involved in the EYP family. At the end of the Regional Session, EYP Finland will select people to go to the National Session. This year the session will be held in Vantaa. During the National Session you have the chance to get a four-day full package of EYP with lots of new people. At the end of the National Session 18 people will be selected to represent Finland at an International Session. Even if you are not accepted to any National Session, everyone has the right to participate in any of the regio-

nal sessions, either in Finland or anywhere else around Europe. So how does a session in Switzerland, France or for example Ukraine sound to you? It’s now totally up to you what your future role in EYP will be. You can participate in sessions as a delegate, journalist, chair or organiser. And maybe after going through a lot of session you will have a chance to be a vice president or even president of a session. A good way to stay involved in EYP is also to join your local Regional committee. In Finland there are at this moment four Regional committees in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere and Eastern Finland. But luckily for people living in the northern parts of Finland the committee of Northern Finland is soon starting its’ function. By being active in your regional committee you have a possibility to impact EYPs functions and spend some time with congenial people. No matter what role or in which session you will choose to participate in, as a part of EYP you have a great opportunity to get involved and have fun with people from all over Europe – so take your chance, say YES to EYP and get involved!

What type of Delegate are you? By Asterios Arampatzis Want to know in which category of delegates you belong? Take a break from committee work and during a coffee break answer (honestly please!) the following questions and eventually discover your inner, true delegate personality! 1. Which is your favorite part of a session?

2. What is your favorite EYP game?

A. Teambuilding B. Committee Work C. Coffee Breaks D. GA

A. Ninja B. Human Knot C. Drunken Bottle D. Street Fighter

3. How much have you prepared for Committee Work?

4. How many hours are you planning to sleep tonight?

A. Who cares about Committee Work, Teambuilding for the win! B. You have read the Topic Overview, underlined the key words and discussed them with your fellow delegates after Teambuilding. C. Committee Work? Oh I prefer sleep. D. You have studied the Topic Overview as if it was the goal of your life, took notes, summarized the key points from EVERY committee and wrote already suggested solutions.

A. Sleep? Are you serious, tonight we have the Farewell Party! B. 3-4 C. Definitely 8 hours, I am too tired. D. Sleep? Are you serious, I have to prepare at least 2-3 attack speeches for the GA + my sum up speech.

5. What do you think of your Journo? (Actually there is only one correct answer to this, if you choose the wrong one, we will find you and…) A. He/she is just ok. B. He/she is awesome! C. What is our journo? The one that carries a camera all the time or the one that brings us food and takes a couple of photos as well D. He/she could have been better. I have studied the characteristics of a capable journo and he/she doesn’t have them all.

6. BONUS QUESTION: What do you think of Elmeri? A. Is he a journo or a chair? B. He is actually cute! C. Is that a name or a kind of food? D. I don’t care about teddy-bears.

More As: You are the type of delegate that likes the energizers and the parties more than the academic stuff. You like to play, to compete, to have fun meeting other people, living every moment and having new funny experiences. More Bs: You are the all-around delegate! You like to be part of everything, without putting too much effort in something and spending your energy in every kind of activity! You are communicative and your goal is to seek variety in your life and to not miss a single moment! More Cs: You are the sleepy delegate! You like to relax and say your opinion, only if it is really needed. You may not talk and socialize a lot, but when you speak up, you say something really catchy and important that no one has noticed! More Ds: You are the nerdy delegate! You have tons of research on your topic, EYP, past EYP, future EYP, non-EYP and everything that you felt it may be needed in order to be the best delegate! You like competition and you want to be excellent in everything you spend time in!

The Moose Hunt [WARNING: NOT FOR DELICATE PEOPLE OR ANIMAL ACTIVISTS]

‘There was a great big moose...’ The moose is the king of the forest. Therefore, we thought that this majestetic animal would be a suitable symbol and a name for the king of all newspapers - the one of Kuopio 2013. Moose are huge animals that you can come across pretty much everywhere in Finland. As it happens, we are right in the middle of the hunting season so for your own safety we are going to tell you little something about the hunt. We were really intrigued on how it is possible to hunt and shoot such a massive animal and what to do with the body after that. So we went and found out. There is about 300 000 people in Fin-

land that have the hunting permit. In comparison to other european countries the proportion is quite large. The hunts are thoroughly organised and they need to have a leader who controls the act. It is important that every participant wears a red or orange vest and hat so that they are easily seen and they will avoid any accidents. The hunters follow the moose in a group and chase it towards people waiting on the other side. Dogs are also used to either keep the moose still or to scare them into the right direction. The moose is shot in the lungs and after a succesfull hit, the blood is let out from the neck. The moose has to be gutted in an hour from the kill so that

Moose (Alces alces) Weight: 240-600 kg Distribution: The northern Eurasia (the whole Finland included) Hunting season: 28.9.–31.12. Annual pray: 57000 - 85000 animals

By Ira Leiviskä

the bacteria in the insedes won’t get into the meat. That basically means that it has to be done in the woods. Not forgetting the hygiene though. After these questionable deeds, the moose is carried along - as a whole - and hung. That means hanging the moose’s body from its legs even up to one week which makes the meat more tender. Although as brutal as it may sound, the moose hunt is a rather ecological activity. The benefits vary from local tasty meat to keeping the population size of moose healthy. So eat moose! ‘...who liked to drink a lot of juice’

Meet the Chairs Tim Backhaus (FI) REGI II − The most irritating EYP game is colour-blind. You don’t know what’s happening around you! − I like coffee breaks, though they have to be short. − I am feeling nostalgic. My first session was in Kuopio in 2010. Chairing is sharing and caring!

Beatrice Reichel (SE) DEVE − Playing Jellyfish for the first time was very embarrassing. It is my favourite game. − I love coffee. I need three espressos a day to get me going. When I get coffee, I am like a heroin addict getting her drugs. − I love the elementary school as a venue, and also the small committees. I am excited to be here in Finland. I love the Chairs’ team and the Finnish people in the session.

Anna Turunen (FI) DROI − I have heard about a game where you have to sing the Star Wars theme with your mouth full of water. That sounds like you could drown. − I never drink coffee except in EYP. − I am looking forward to the session, it is my first time as an official. It is going to be awesome!

By Rita Häkkinen

Onur Can Ucarer (TR) REGI II − The most confusing game is Traffic Jam, because it is way too complex for an EYP game. − I need coffee breaks. − I am excited about the session; it is my first time chairing. Seeing old friends and meeting new ones is great. And this is also my first time sleeping in a sleeping bag, and I find it quite comfy!

Rebecca (Chewbie) Smith (FR) DEVE − The pointing game is confusing. At first, you just have no idea what is going on. − Coffee only after lunch! Coffee breaks are good for my health. Otherwise, I can deal without coffee, but after lunch it is necessary. − The session is great and cosy. The organizing is wonderful. Although the press team seems to be having too much fun.

Anastasia Lvova (EE) REGI I − The game where there is lava on the floor and you have to transport people through it using different objects is difficult. − I am in love with coffee breaks! I have to have them. − The session is really well organised. It is small and cosy.

Tuulia Karvinen (FI) ITRE − Street fighter is confusing because I have only done it twice. − Coffee is part of the breaks. It is our source of energy. Needed, necessary, essential. − This is the best Regional Session of 2013!

Anamaria Olaru (RO) ITRE − Hi Ha Ho is a game that everyone gets wrong! There are many different versions of it. − Coffee is necessary and a must. There should be coffee breaks more often. − This session is the best ever! Burning marshmallows is the best activity.

Alex Coates (UK) REGI I − Alele is confusing because I don’t know where it is coming from. − I hate coffee. − I like to meet the Finnish people. It is my first time chairing and it is great because I can make every one smile.

Ayda Jodayri Hashemizadeh (FI) EMPL

Anna Pusa (FI) EMPL

− I have never understood Ninja clearly enough, but I like it. − I am not a huge fan of coffee. I like the breaks though. − The session feels different because I am a chair this time. And it is much different than I thought it is going to be.

− Ninja is my weak spot. I have always been very bad in it. − I have recently learned to like coffee, but I need to have loads of sugar and milk in it. − The session is going great. It is amazing!

Ruxandra Ioanitescu (RO) SEDE − Sheep and Shepard is a really messed up game. I don’t get the rules. The delegates forget all the signs very easily. − I love coffee and the coffee breaks, especially with good coffee. EYP basically runs on coffee. − I like the session. It is well organized. We have a great officials’ team.

Saga Eriksson (FI) SEDE − Black Magic is a very frustrating mindfuck game. I haven’t figured out how it works. − I can only have one cup of coffee a day, if I have more, some bad things happen. I have once had an overdose of caffeine. − I know a lot of people here, and it is nice to meet them again. For example, the editor of the session was my journo last year.

Laure Steinville (FR) DROI

− The Spider Web can be very discriminating. I don’t like the game. − Coffee is my second religion. I can’t spend a day without it. − The session is really well organised. I like that the chairs’ team is sleeping together. Although, the showers are a bit far away from the rooms.

gossip girl Hello upper Eastern-Finland siders, it’s your one and only source into the scandalous life of EYP’s elite. And who am I? That’s one secret I’ll never tell.

A guy wearing Hollister’s clothes has a huge amount of fans Clarisse has a secret admirer (“je t’aime de tout mon cœur » he or she said ) During these three days , we heard a lot of “ Oh my god the president is so cute” The lovely little Elmeri is soooooo cute xxx Apparently, the committee of DROI has paid 1000 euros to transfer Valerie from AFCO to DROI... A certain delegate has a secret crush on naked Finnish men It seems there is an attraction between Spain and France Nikke’s dog could eat Anthony’s dog any day A delegate has a nut allergy, but she will eat them anyway Spanish speaking people were caught in a dark locked room together The editor has a large number of fans Some people think Uchi may be a relative of Batman Alex has weird hair – well that is not a gossip because we can all see that but still...

You know you love me xoxo Gossip Girl