ATTENTION! We know you love the Clash and enjoy reading every page of it. However, to make your reading even more interesting, the press team has come up with a Challenge for this issue. Peruse every page, read every sentence. Hidden between the lines you will find a dedicated task. Be quick, be vigilant and the Panthers will make sure you receive your rightful prize!
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WORLD NEWS TERESA STADLER
UK Britain has asked China to investigate the death of a British man in Chongqing, a metropolis in the south-west of China. Neil Heywood died and was cremated in November, but questions about his death have been posted on Chinese micro blogs. USA The bitter political battle over Barack Obama’s healthcare reforms will move to the Supreme Court on Monday, as over half of US states seek to get the legislation declared unconstitutional. The court will hear the challenge made by twenty six states as Attorney-Generals argue the healthcare law violates the constitution and tramples on individual liberties by requiring almost all Americans to purchase health insurance. France After the tragic incident in Toulouse, clues as to the killer’s identify are scarce. “We are confronted with an individual extremely determined in his actions, an armed individual who acts always with the same modus operandi,” says State Prosecutor Francois Molins. Three former French soldiers, believed to be involved in the shooting at a Jewish school in Toulouse, were questioned and later released by the police. French investigators still believe the attack was carried out by right-wing extremists.
OPENING CEREMONY
TERESA STADLER
Inspiring words and visions from EYP members and affiliates, it is official – Welcome to Istanbul!
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n Monday evening the 69th International Session of the European Youth Parliament was officially opened. Delegates, officials and distinguished guests gathered for an evening of speeches, welcomes and performances.
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he bridges you start building now are going to be a great infrastructure in the future”. These words were at the heart of Ass. Professor Burak Küntay’s, University Director of the Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities, passionately delivered opening speech. He was one of many to point out the importance of overcoming differences
Memecan described this time in our lives as one without borders. She believes it is our duty to reach out to others and bridge any divides. Only through understanding and confronting the unknown can we expand our horizons and think about the people who surround us. Through this process, as Ms Memecan illustrated, one can overcome fears and not fall victim to political exploitation and populist ideas.
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eadership means disappointing your people at a rate you can absorb” and “not attempting to make everyone happy” claimed Dr. Burak Erdenir. As an
Hope for the unexpected, allow yourself to be drawn in and live every moment of it. on an individual and communal level. In the fight against intolerance, discrimination and doublestandards, Mr Küntay showed the desire to start a dialogue with young voices from Europe – the members of the EYP.
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ying between two continents, Istanbul provides the perfect location to gather students from diverse social, cultural and economic backgrounds and discuss eradicating prejudice. Ms
employee of the Ministry for EU Affairs, his job is not the most popular in Turkey. AFCO I members listened intently as he drew attention to EU-Turkey relations. Dr. Erdenir described this relationship as win-win - a country and union connecting through economic and commercial bonds and forming stronger ties. A special emphasis was put upon the issue of an ageing European population. Dr. Erdenir considers Turkey having a right4
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ful place in Europe as a country with over fifty per cent of its inhabitants under the age of thirty.
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fter all the inspiring and interesting speeches, the Head Organisers Ezgi and Oğulcan are eagerly anticipating the upcoming debates in General Assembly. “Why are we here?” asked Benoit, the representative from the 67th International Session. “To have fun during team building, to meet a blonde German lady, or maybe to enjoy the different food at Eurovillage?” His speech lead us comprehend the resonance of our session motto as he explained how in the past few days, he felt more European than ever before. 5
The audience was then treated to speeches from Turkish and Estonian delegates. The latter giving a preview of what participants can expect from the Summer Session in Tallinn. It is up to us to determine what the world will look like in the future. Only by meeting the people who make up Europe can we truly make a difference. ope for the unexpected, allow yourself to be drawn in and live every moment of it”, advised Session President Ruben Wagenaar in his address. ‘United by common interests and an overall theme, you are in a position to share and shape’. And indeed we are in a position to share and shape: the volunteers of the EYP are organising
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more than three hundred and sixty five days of sessions within a year. As the Executive Director of the EYP/ Schwartzkopf Foundation, Mr Ville Vasaramäki underlined, our youth organisation is about to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary. As such, we are all invited to the annual reunion in Berlin, at the beginning of June.
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he evening ended on a musical note as the Boğaziçi Jazz Choir stunned the audience with their acappella performance, and received several standing ovations. A wonderful ending to an inspiring opening ceremony.
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THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT TEN YEARS, ONE VERDICT Exploring the recent Lubanga judgement and the criticisms of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
LAURA HIBBERD
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n the 14th of March the ICC in The Hague handed down its first verdict. The threejudge trial chamber unanimously found Thomas Lubanga Dyilo, a Congolese warlord, guilty of abducting children and forcing them to serve as child soldiers trained to loot, rape and kill. This is the only judgement the ICC has produced since its inception in 2002, which has heightened criticisms that it “sucks in investment with few results to show for it”. The ICC, established by the Rome Statute, has the jurisdiction to try genocide, war crimes and
crimes against humanity. Currently there are 120 signatories – notably, not the USA, China or Russia. Human rights and war crimes have been brought to the forefront of the media in the last eighteen months. Calls for despotic leaders to be put to justice have amplified, given the context of the Arab Springs and other humanitarian crises. This means ICC activities have faced even closer scrutiny. Some legal experts and human-rights advocates have questioned the court’s ability to effectively prosecute immensely
complex charges such as genocide and crimes against humanity. Others cry bias, saying the ICC only prosecutes developing countries, in particular African states, and is a vehicle for the West to impose their own values. This can be explained by the sad reality that large scale human rights abuses occur on this continent. Furthermore, the ICC is a court of last resort: it only acts when a national government lacks either the will or the capacity to prosecute a crime committed within its jurisdiction. The fact of the matter is, judiciaries in Africa are less developed and consequently need the help of the ICC. The other source of criticism comes over finances. With an annual budget of over $140m (£90m) and only one completed case, some say the ICC soaks up investment but does not produce results. A recent BBC article compared the Court to the two ad hoc tribunals set up to investigate and prosecute those who committed crimes in the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Rwanda (ICTR). The article stated the ICTY budget has increased 500-fold since its inception in 1993, reaching 6
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$301m (£192m) in 2010-11. Since 1993, the ICTY has convicted more than 60 people and is still prosecuting over 40 defendants. The ICTR budget for 201011 was $257m (£165m) and has completed almost 50 trials since it was established in 1994. Yet, it must be remembered that the ICTY and ICTR are limited in jurisdiction both geographically and temporally, whereas the ICC has a global remit.
resourced. This will only worsen given the impending cuts for the ICTY and ICTR as the UN tries to close them. The ICC faces almost insurmountable difficulties. It is reliant on the political will of individual members to arrest and hand over suspects, no easy feat. Moreover, with a global jurisdiction, each case requires the court to learn a state’s history and culture in a short space of time to fully
Everything should be done to ensure the ICC is efficient, legitimate and just – but these qualities come at a price. The negotiations at such Tribunals are indeed lengthy, but this is a necessary evil to ensure decisions can be seen as legitimate and just. Moreover, their judgements are creating jurisprudence and developing International Criminal and Humanitarian Law – a fact overlooked by journalists. Whilst the Tribunals may seem costly, when working there they felt significantly under 7
understand a case’s context. This requires considerable resources – translators, visits to the country, researchers, analysts, and lawyers. Furthermore, the cases are usually complex. The alleged crimes must be proved with witnesses, exhibits and experts. All this must happen in areas of law which are nowhere near as developed as domestic criminal cases. Given that ad hoc tribunals
are to become a thing of the past, the ICC will be the only court to deal with international criminal crimes of this nature. Its workload is only going to increase. These are substantial difficulties. To then read articles which question whether the ICC is worth continuing is an annoyance to say the least. Everything should be done to ensure the ICC is efficient, legitimate and just – but these qualities come at a price. Perhaps if campaigns like Kony took donations for the ICC even more could be achieved. We must remember the project is still in its early days and should be seen as a long term one, not one measured by its first judgement. Professor Phillippe Sands QC makes the point that some things do not come with a clear price tag: “you can’t compare the cost of international justice with shopping at a supermarket”.
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EUROPE EN TOUR 35 European Associations and Organisations 27 Member States over 250 people 1 Session “Bridging cultural divides” is not only our motto but also our goal, and what better way to explore this than travelling between Europe’s landmarks within the lines of The Clash
BELARUS CHARIF VAN ZETTEN
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nce upon a time, in a Belarusian fairytale, there was a plant called a fern - a plant which does not usually bloom. However, according to local legend on 6th of July, this plant will grow a flower. Should you be the lucky person to find this flower, the legend promises you a life of unparalleled prosperity and happiness. Therefore, on that night every Belarusian goes on a quest to find this flower.
NETHERLANDS:
THE ORANGE MADNESS
CHARIF VAN ZETTEN
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treets flooded with masses of people. An orange glow lighting up every major city, speakers blasting on every street corner, and loads of Heineken. That is what Queens day on the 30th of April looks like in the Netherlands; a little country in the north of Europe with its own festival just like the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.
After consulting with the three Belarusians, Yana Makarskaya, Hanna Vardamatskaya and Aliaksei Varavin, I learnt all about this event, Kupalle, and the customs it includes. One practice involves leaping over a large fire. This may sound strange, but there is a noble reason for it: to remove your sins and start again with a clean soul. Another special tradition involves the women. Each bakes a pancake and goes out onto the street, whereupon the pancakes are throw on the street. This may seem like a waste, but everything
during this night has a reason. The girl whose pancake is eaten first by a dog is said to be the first to get married. To find suitors, the girls each make a wreath of flowers and let them float on the river. When a man catches the wreath, he is thought to be the future partner of the respective woman. I know what I will be doing on the 6th of July – going to Belarus in search of the magical fern flower and I am determined to find it.
Queens day is preceded by the famous Queens night. For over two days people from all around Europe gather together to celebrate the former Dutch Queen Juliana’s birthday. To be part of this madness one absolutely has to dress in orange. If you collect special and unusual items you should check out Amsterdam on Queens day because it is traditional to sell your second hand items on the street. There is always something strange to buy from a ninety-five
year old lady. Apart from the orange festival this little country also hosts the Amsterdam Dance Events. A week full of professional clubbing with all the top rated DJ’s of the moment such as David Guetta, Tiësto and Armin van Buuren - the latter being the previous number one DJ, and the first their successor. If you are interested in knowing who the next top DJ is going to be, this is an event you do not want to miss.
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UNITED KINGDOM MONIKA GHOSH
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012 is set to be a great year for the UK. Through the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics this summer, Britain will promote its rich and fascinating culture. Aside from these two events, there are many other opportunities to experience the best of Blighty. Royal Ascot - 19th-23rd June The centerpiece of the British social calendar is a fantastic three days of horse racing, gambling and hundreds of liters of Pimms. These five days in June are a national institution where tradi-
DENMARK: AARHUS
ULRICH JOHANNES VOLKER
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ocated in the very centre of Denmark, 150 km northwest of Copenhagen, Aarhus is the oldest metropolis of Scandinavia. With 50,000 university students and a rich cultural life, the harbour city has developed into the new young heart of the country. Fondly called “the smallest big city of the world“, Aarhus – from the vibrant university districts with numerous cafés and fancy small shops in the north to the spacious parks at the seaside and Marselisborg Castle, the royal summer residence, in the south – can be easily explored by foot. Next to Musikhuset and the chilled shopping street Strøget,
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tion, pageantry, fashion and style combine. If you come along on Ladies Day, the designer creations and millinery masterpieces reach new heights. Get a glimpse of the Queen or maybe even grab yourself a bit of Harry - there’s nothing more British than Ascot. Eisteddfod Festival - 4th-11th August To experience another wonderful part of British culture, hop over the Severn Bridge – Croeso y Cymru! In Wales the National Eisteddfod, one of the world’s great festivals, is held at the old Llandow airfield in the Vale of Glamorgan. It features music, dance, visual arts, original performances and
lies the art museum ARoS. Named after the Viking town Aarhus founded 1000 years ago, the museum astounds visitors with its Danish art, ever-changing experimental installations and award-winning architecture. The latter was recently featured the “Your Rainbow Panorama” light system, designed by the Icelandic sculpture artist Ólafur Eliasson. This installation offers a magnificent free-floating view over the entire city, swathed in the colours of the rainbow. Alongside the famous Roskilde Festival held in the Copenhagen area in the beginning of July, the Northside Festival of Aarhus has become a new yearly highlight of Scandinavian festival culture. From 15-17 June this year, The Kooks, Mumford & Sons, Snow Patrol and Justice will
family activities – something for everyone. The Pink Pavilion is the focal point of the ‘Maes’ and the main stage for Welsh talent. Here the official competitions and main cultural ceremonies are held. There are hundreds of other activities all over the Maes throughout the week, and with up to 300 stalls and trade stands, it’s a shopper’s paradise, with gifts of all kinds to suit every pocket. The UK has a lot to offer visitors – be sure to spend some time in a traditional British pub and to sample the ales and pub grub. After a pint or five of London Pride you’ll never want to leave.
attract thousands of youngsters to the meadows nearby the city centre. Aarhus also houses a great cultural diversity that can be lively experienced at Bazar Vest, Scandinavia‘s biggest bazaar, located in a district with many Turkish, Arab and Somali immigrants. Also, the increasing number of foreign students in Aarhus University contributes to a uniquely mixed, both traditionally Danish and modern international atmosphere. This summer, Aarhus is most certainly among the must-visits in Europe. Besides easy and quick train connections to Germany, Aarhus Airport is well connected to all major Scandinavian cities as well as London, Barcelona and Gdánsk.
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THE CLASH SARA RINALDI Can the spirit of the American Dream save children in Uganda?
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million viewers in ten days: the Kony 2012 video has spread all over the internet and become a global phenomenon. Invisible Children is a non-profit organisation, co-founded by Jason Russell. In 28 minutes Jason Russell presents the current situation in Uganda, telling the story of Joseph Kony, his child soldiers and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) to his son. Through this video Russell hopes to make the world care about Uganda and the civil war which has torn the country apart for decades. By creating awareness he wants to somehow force the incarceration of Joseph Kony. He aims to prove that one single person can make a difference by spreading this message
through social networks, movie stars and politicians. This seems like an admirable aim: who would not want to capture Kony and let African children have a peaceful childhood? The communicative strategy is impeccable. The video captures the audience’s attention; the footage is intense and shocking. It does not leave room for scepticism. Watching the video was indeed upsetting, but such matters are rarely black and white. Therefore, it stands to reason that we dig in a little deeper. There are some facts which we ought to be aware of. Firstly, Uganda is no longer the centre of LRA’s criminal activities; the LRA has moved to South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic. In addition, military intervention to remove the LRA is very likely to result in the death of many children. Secondly, it is worth looking at how Invisible Children spends its money. Russell and the other two co-founders’ salary is about $90,000. Invisible Children spent $751.000 on computers and $177.000 on technical equipment. Only 32% of the donations have been spent on Africa. Invisible Children refused to cooperate with the “Better Bureau Business” - an organisation which inquires about the ethics of non-profit
organisations. We also have to consider the political ramifications of the issue. For instance Russell does not mention that the Invisible Children supports the Ugandan government: a regime under the dictator Yoweri Museweniwhich which, since 1986, has been accused of murders and rapes. There is room for scepticism when thinking about the USA’s goals, seeing as Uganda and the Congo have recently been discovered as having the biggest oilfield in Sub-Saharan Africa. Is the USA’s sudden interest really in the best interest of Central Africa? Kony 2012 exemplifies the power of the media. That said, we have to be realistic, whilst we all want to see Kony arrested, he is just one of the many problems in Uganda. Corruption, poverty, and Musweni’s government are issues which also need to be solved. Being enthusiastic and active is good, but posting a Kony 2012 picture on facebook is not going to save this country. Not even Kony’s arrest will be enough. The situation in Uganda is now stabilising and it is not the right time to act in a reactionary manner. We have to be careful who we trust, and seriously think about what is in best interest of this country.
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KONY 2012: An example of ‘white-man’s burden imperialism’ or a genuine step towards bringing peace and prosperity to LRA affected communities in Central Africa?
CALEB MORELL KONY 2012 is an opportunity for the world to unite and see Kony arrested and prosecuted for his crimes against humanity and set deterrent for future war criminals.
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ith over 100 million views, Invisible Children’s “KONY 2012” film is one of the most viral videos of all time. The film identifies indicted Ugandan war criminal Joseph Kony, and hopes to make him internationally known and arrested in 2012. For more than two decades the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has abducted over 30,000 children and forced them to become soldiers, weapon carriers or sex slaves. Since then 1.5 million northern Ugandans have fled to refugee camps to avoid the conflict. During this time Kony has refused opportunities to negotiate a peaceful end to the violence, instead uses peace talks to build up his army. Kony was the first war criminal to be targeted by the International Criminal Court, but despite being indicted in 2005, he has eluded trial to this day. Not because regional governments are not committed to the task, but because they lack the capabilities to capture him. This is where the international community can help. “We need to stop Kony with hardware with military hardware in this case,” says Francisco Madeira, the
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African Union’s special envoy on the LRA. This mission requires international action, but such action needs awareness. The problem is that the LRA does not pose a national security threat for the Western countries, so those who have the means to stop Kony have no political will to do so. The purpose of the KONY 2012 campaign is, therefore, to turn a foreign policy issue into a matter of domestic policy. Democracy ensures that if enough people call on decision makers to act, leaders will have to comply. However, despite being endorsed by organisations such as the ICC, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch – and policy makers like John Kerry and Condoleezza Rice – scepticism of Invisible Children’s campaign remains. KONY 2012 opponents argue that we should “let Africans resolve their own problems”, and this issue is “just one more example of ‘white man’s burden’ imperialism.” In a conflict like this, where children were both the weapons and the victims, I find any similar attempts to excuse inaction repugnant. When a warlord remains free and continues to kill
and torture across the Congo and Central African Republic, it’s not a white man’s burden. It’s a human burden. Here in EYP we recognise the
common human bonds between us, whatever the colour of our skin or passport. This is an opportunity to work towards compassion which exceeds national boundaries; a foreign policy founded in empathy rather than self-interest. Only when we understand this, will peace be worth maintaining – and bridging cultural divides made possible.
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TONGUE-TIED:
MONIKA GHOSH
LACKADAISICAL BRITS When it comes to language learning among Europeans, Brits are truly awful, and that’s a fact.
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s much as I would like to believe that saying the British are terrible at learning other languages is a stereotype, it is true. Whilst so many continental Europeans can speak English to an outstandingly high level, most Brits have a few stock phrases that they can whip out if, god forbid, they come across a nonEnglish speaking foreigner. A few examples of our limited, but useful, sentences include, “una birra/pizza per favore” “parlez vous anglais?” and “donde esta...” In a national survey it turned out that 80% of the working population in the UK expected everyone else to be able to speak enough English that there was no need to learn any other language. In schools the top three favourite languages are French, Spanish and German. However, the level of French required to pass our A-Levels is much lower than the level that Europeans learn by
not want to watch you frantically mime out the actions for “where is the bar?”, many Brits would be lost. An absolutely idiotic comment from a British student that started a media debate on the language crisis in Britain was: “The British are lucky enough to speak a global language. Learning a second language brings nothing when everybody you want to speak to speaks and understands
Learning a second language brings nothing when everybody you want to talk to speaks and understands English. the time they are, say, 11 years old. It could be said that we British are left at the mercy of the linguistic competence and goodwill of others. Meaning if someone cannot speak English, and does
English.” This naive, ignorant and utterly narrow-minded comment is exactly the attitude of the majority of Brits. There is a sense of entitlement in the UK that we are permitted to be lazy because “everyone
speaks English”. An interesting take on this is that perhaps even the English cannot sometimes speak English. I met a person who said that “The worst thing about the English is that they speak their own language so badly. Their icons are footballers and soap actors who speak diabolical English. The terrible irony is that the most articulate English spoken in the English football league was by a German, Juergen Klinnsman.” Beaten by the Germans now, not only at football, but at our own language, Britain’s linguistic crisis is in full swing.
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SLEEPING LESSONS BRAM VAN MELDERT
We want to get as much out of IStanbul 2012 as possible, inevitably leading to late nights and early mornings. Unfortunately, this lack of sleep could be lethal.
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here is still no certainty as to why we need sleep, but we do know it is important. We spend one third of our lives almost unconscious. As far as we know there is no species which does not sleep. Even microbes have a cycle of activity and inactivity, controlled by an internal clock. This implies that sleep patterns can be traced to the origin of life, four billion years ago.
pay-off. The New Scientist has listed some relevant facts on the issue. For example, one out of five traffic accidents is caused by lack of sleep. Furthermore, people who sleep too little or too much have a shorter life than those who get sufficient sleep. A distorted sleep rhythm can lead to heart disease and diabetes, and according to Science, obesity and weight re-
People who sleep too little or too much have a shorter life than those who get sufficient sleep. The amount of sleep you need and your sleep rhythm can be traced to your genes, and is also influenced by age. Adolescents need approximately nine hours of sleep per night, whilst adults need only seven and a half hours. Teenagers and adolescents sleep later than children and adults, meaning they reach the deepest level of sleep at around 5am. The lack of sleep youngsters often feel is caused by the fact that their day is tuned to the rhythm of adults, instead of their natural pace. Recent research has demonstrated the importance of sleep and the dangers of sleep deprivation. According to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences sleeping is a process which should be completed without interruption. If you wake up during the night, this process has to start all over again to fully 13
lated diseases can also be partially attributed to sleep problems. The Public Library of Science ONE published a study which shows that people already have to deal with severe physiological stress after five days with five hours of sleep. Interestingly a
short siesta of about twenty minutes can help to mitigate those suffering from a lack of sleep. Finally, the Journal of Neuroscience has published the results of an experiment with a special group of fruit flies which were genetically modified so they could not sleep. After a while the sleepless flies could not move normally, they became slow and were unable to learn new things. In short, they are the perfect models for sleepless humans. Previous research with different species – including humans during war or other critical environments – has shown that animals die when they cannot sleep. As such, whilst we all want to make the most of our time here in Istanbul, we must also bear in mind the severe consequences of not getting enough sleep.
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AFCO I
GUESS WHO SAID IT! ALEX NOMPILAKIS
I asked all members of AFCO I to write down a few words about either the topic or another issue they wanted to bring forward. Here you can read their responses. Some members of the committee preferred to remain anonymous. This gives you a great reason to go and meet them all in person.
ON TOPIC The EU’s ambiguity towards Turkey cannot continue indefinitely and a decision should be made. Drinking beer with EYPers is the best way to bridge the cultural divides of Europe. Turkey’s flag is red, the Cypriot sea is blue, dear AFCO I, I will always love you.
OFF TOPIC There was a butterfly walking on the sidewalk, screaming at all the Polish people. Partying on that monster hummer at the carnival event… Mmm… Me gusta! We eat, we eat, we eat little mushroom people. I LOVE YOU, ECEM! Why am I freezing in TURKEY?!
It is clear that there is a difference between the EU and individual Member States with regards to Turkey. EU is the puppet master, and Turkey is the puppet, making them jump through hoops. It’s time to practice what we preach and clarify our intentions towards Turkey. Europe: United in diversity. This should be our goal, even those from Greece. Opening ceremony was very interesting and there were many different speeches. Thank you. All of you!
No offence, but coffee here is too bad! (note from a journo: remember this is not actual Turkish coffee!) I’m already excited to see the city of Istanbul. At other sessions, we do not get this opportunity. I really don’t know what to say because it is early in the morning. My daily routine: Get up, be amazing, go back to bed. “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.” 14
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KÖNER’S FOURTEEN IMCO ANNA BORRELL
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hat better place to be than Las Vegas if your topic concerns the regulation of online gambling? Whilst it may appear that IMCO are in the villa next to you, they are really in the city of casinos, dice and poker. Jorg Körner, IMCO’s chair, managed to find some free time between skiing in the Alps and studying flies’ brains to put all his effort into session preparations. As a result, IMCO was the only committee to have a theme for their teambuilding: Vegas. They
The IMCO Committee are in the city of casinos, dice and poker. turned the “Sheep and the Shepherd” game into a remake of the film “The Hangover” - delegates needed to get back to their hotel room after a crazy night out, or
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had to arrive blindfolded to the wedding chapel where Julie the bride awaited them. In addition, so the committee could feel the emotions gamblers feel when bet, the delegates gambled from time to time, but not with money. They used personalised poker chips which they earned by successfully completing an exercise. All the delegates appreciated Jorg’s work. Dave, with his shiny yellow tie, said that having a theme made him feel special: “We are different from all the other committees!” IMCO definitely is different from the others; their cosy villa is decorated with poker cards and a sign which reads “what happens in IMCO stays in IMCO”. The committee did a fantastic job when broadcasting fictional TV news – from Brad Pitt coming out of the closet, to schools changing heavy books for iPads
because some girls are “too fat to carry a history book to school”. After all these games a strong team bond had been forged, thus it was time to start the serious work. But how would the committee tackle such a complex topic? Imagine you are a child and you want to play. Your parents have three options: lock you inside your room, let you play with some of your friends, or let you do whatever you want. Now replace the child with an online gambler, and the parents with the EU. There you have the metaphor which the committee created to explain the topic to a 10 year-old Jorg. I anticipate this group of incredible people will do an astonishing job in the following days. In case there is anyone who does not agree, we can always have a round of poker to decide - Vegas style.
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THE MUSEUM OF CULT L
adies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Museum of CULT! It’s a pleasure to have you all in Europe’s most diverse and contemporary location, where extraordinarily talented young men and women share their work. Now, please grab a glass of champagne and we’ll start our journey. In this first room we have two photographers with contrasting work. To your left you will see the photography of Cavid, who prefers to capture landscapes. Then, on your right side, you can see pieces by Tom who concentrates on analogue techniques and has people as his focus. Feel free to compare and contrast these stunning works, but now please follow me to the next room. Let your body follow the moves of our two dancers. I must warn you though that their intricate dances cannot easily be imitated. Please take your time to observe Alina and Berke as they ‘shake’ up the stage. Berke is a hip-hop dancer, whereas Alina is a Latin music dancer. You can observe their different styles. However, here on our stage, they dance the same song while maintaining their own style, creating a gripping collage. So now, madames et monsieurs, get ready to witness the music makers as we continue on our path. This room has three separate sections, each introduc-
ing musicians with distinct styles. On the top left, we have our renowned Jazz group: Yasmine and Manar as lead singers, Anna and Katherine on the clarinet and Otilia on the piano. Then, in the second quarter, a piano battle is taking place, as Nastasia and Matteo each perform Chopin’s most demanding works - feel the heat of competition. In our last division Alex and Ian will amaze you with the power of rock. Both of these gentlemen produce and play their own music. While we slowly move on I want to remind you that demo CDs of all the artists are to be found in the final section. As we reach open-air, please salute our drama duo on
ALI MURAT GALI
the grass. Aleks is our director and producer, and Reisins our beloved monologue actor. The synthesis of these two special talents allows the group to perform a variety of topics, covering important issues from all around the globe. Now, please follow me back inside where we will gather up the final notes. Here as you can see, we have a large saloon for ‘The Worldwide Artist Protection Campaign’. Before you head for the exit, please take some time to reflect upon the campaign’s motto: “Who feeds the artist?” Thank you for your visit. It’s been a pleasure to be your guide!
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DEVENIR QUELQUE CHOSE NOURA BERROUBA
Ever fantasised about becoming a pop star and raise the roof of the world’s biggest arenas? These two delegates from the Committee on Development are working to achieve that dream. Through their music, they want to change the world.
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GUITAR HERO
hen one door closes, another one opens. Whilst this saying may be overly optimistic, David from the Czech Republic has proven that the saying still has relevance. As an injured sportsman he decided to change path. With a brother who plays the bass guitar, David has always been impressed by the musicality of others. With his limping leg he went to the shop and bought a cheap guitar. After a year of constant practising, David purchased a high quality guitar. With his new-found musical skills David found a group of like-minded people and formed a band. Although the group has since split up, his interest for music continues. He has come to realise the effort needed to create every piece, and the intricacies involved in forming harmonies. For David music is his ambition; he wants to make the world better through his music. He feels that music is also something which can bring people together and reflect personalities.
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M
SINGER STAR
any young people dream of one day standing on stage and performing in front of an audience. Katarzyna from Poland is already living that dream. From a young age she loved to sing. In 2007 the Rolling Stones visited Poland. This was a turning point – from then on she was captured by the world of music. Katarzyna has performed at several events for different audiences and purposes. Her shows are not solely for her career. Through her music and performances she raises money for charity to help others. Katarzyna has a clear vision for her music: it can be used as a tool for development, and a platform to inform the world about issues which affect us all. Without those elements, music is meaningless. Culture helps to bind us together, and music is a key part of that.
THECLASH
TO BE OR NOT TO BE
AWKWARD? SAGA ERIKSSON
Has making situations awkward become a new trend? Not all silences are uncomfortable. Silence. “Well this is awkward.”
D
on’t you hate it when people do that? Go and say something is awkward when it’s not, thus proceeding to make it so. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Or maybe there’s just something wrong with me and I am not able to sense the awkwardness of a situation. Maybe it is because I’m Finnish, and
I think sometimes we are awkward for the sake of it. what may seem like an awkward silence to others is just a pause to me. An awkward hug is being polite, not invading your personal space. I think sometimes we are awkward for the sake of it. Like it has become this new cool thing to do, to point out how uncomfortable you have just succeeded in making everyone. At times there is a silence and you think the only way out is by saying something. But all you can think about is how stupid you feel because you
can’t think of anything to say. So you say it’s awkward, and with that you let the discomfort previously restricted to your head to infect the entire room. I personally prefer the hand gestures, but they need to be used wisely. The awkward turtle, moose, Dumbledore and sea star can be wonderful, however, if overused they lose their effect. EYP might at times feel like the most awkward thing ever - especially the beginning of teambuilding when you are embarrassing yourself, or when a video of you jumping around like a crazy person with your committee ends up on YouTube. Yes, I speak from personal experience. I agree that there are situations
when there is nothing better than smacking your hands together and miming a turtle, but if you do it all the time then the action itself makes things uncomfortable. The hand gestures have the purpose of making a painful situation seem funny. When everyone joins in, you realise you are all in the same boat rocking with awkwardness. However, silence is not necessarily a bad thing. Let me introduce you to a new phenomenon: comfortable silence. I don’t know why people feel pressured to talk all the time. It’s okay to be quiet and enjoy the moment, until someone goes and spoils it all by saying something stupid like “well this is awkward.”
18
THECLASH
VIVE L’EUROPE!
LAST MINUTE
SABINA CRISAN
ANNA BORRELL SARA RINALDI SABINA CRISAN
Laughing from the inside of the stereotypical mind-box.
I
am Oberst General Heidi van wait for men to approach me Cincinatti and I do not need and then accidentally slap them a television program to prove when enthusiastically gesticulatEuropeans are superior in all ing. matters. The key lies in our atI am never over fifteen mintitude to life, a point of view I can utes late for my multiple dates, call ‘Europeanist’. thanks to my Swiss body clock. Due to our tremendous heriBut being on time? I have to fight tage, all Europeans have a great the German in me, always wantburden to bear. Let us discuss, for ing to be punctual. Everybody example, our excessive politeness. loves waiting for me. As the Asian ‘Eurosaying goes: “A A queen is never late, peanist’, I have queen is never the tendency late, everybody everybody else is there to constantly else is there early! apologise even early!” when not at fault. And no matMy wisdom can be traced back ter what you say, I am pretty sure to my Spanish teacher. When I I know the Queen and Princess asked her “What is love?” she Katherine personally! The Brit in puffed her cigarette and said: me cannot cease loving life when “Chica, it is cold as Swedish ice driving my Mini Cooper towards and as hot as Portuguese nights”. my thatched cottage in the Surrey European culture is uncountryside. matched. We believe in open Perhaps you are wondering mindedness. how come my figure is so slim? Sometimes I wish I didn’t have Well that is thanks to my French such a heavy burden to carry but ancestors. Whilst some may obthen I remember how much we, sess over every calorie, in France as Europeans, have given to the ‘fat’ is not a word in the dictionworld: from art to war, drinks to ary. We arrange our exceptional exquisite cuisine, music to film. I croissants in a semicolon on our wonder why anyone would want plate and devour them. For exer- to give up being part of such cise, I take the Italian approach diversity. and simply strand on the street,
SHOW YOUR LOVE FOR THE PRESS TEAM! Take a photo of you hugging as many of them as possible and show the photos to a different member of the press team. 19
(Drum roll)
T
he time has arrived to get yourselves ready for what will be the coolest party of the session: a costume party on a boat! For those of you that “forgot” their uniforms, here are some last minute ideas.
Transvestite If you want to work in the business we call “Show”, bring Las Vegas to the party with hot pink lipstick and a low cut dress. It will guarantee you a picture in the paper, which should be enough of an incentive! Mummy Didn’t make it in the cast for the movie? This is your second chance to be a star. Just go to the bathroom and grab some toilet paper. Low budget, but effective. Fairy of the forest “Never let the child inside you die” said Peter Pan. Why not be his Tinkerbell for the night? All you have to do is nip into the forest and go crazy with leaves.