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AEGEE International

Founded in 1985 in Paris, AEGEE puts the idea of a unified Europe into practice. The well known ERASMUS program was created two years later upon the initiative of AEGEE and with its significant contribution. Youth workers and young volunteers are working in AEGEE together from 43 countries of Europe. They are organising cross-border activities such as conferences, seminars, exchanges, training courses, Summer Universities, Case Study trips and Working Group meetings. By encouraging travelling and mobility, stimulating discussion and organising common projects, AEGEE attempts to overcome national, cultural and ethnic divisions and to create a vision of young people's Europe.

AEGEE Budapest

The first Hungarian local group was established in 1991 in Budapest. One of the main tasks undertaken by AEGEE-Budapest is to enable as many youths as possible to travel throughout Europe: an opportunity that remained a dream for former generations - as we have learned from Barbara Leiner, PR Responsible. Thus members can create an international network, develop their foreign language skills, and acquire valuable experiences.

Hungarian AEGEE groups have approximately 750 members, nearly half of whom - 360 persons - are in the Budapest group. The majority of the Budapest members are highly active, a lot of them help in organising events - Márton Rónavári FR Responsible has told us. The aim of local events is to acquaint students with the group and to build teams. One such event was the fresh camp organised in Eger this February, introducing the work of the group and the opportunities offered by AEGEE. The camp has been successful, involving some 90 participants. The headquarters of the AEGEE-Budapest is at the Corvinus University of Budapest, where an opportunity to cooperate with the Erasmus Student Network group located at the university is also enabled.

The most popular international events are the summer universities. The group has regularly participated in organising these since 1991. This year, they are organising the summer university jointly with the AEGEE of Belgrade, with the title Beating Blue. The theme is the river Danube, which bears outstanding environmental economic significance in both countries. The first week of the event to be held between 14-28 July 2010 will take place in Serbia (Belgrade, Bačka Palanka), and the second week will be in Hungary (Budapest, Balaton). Applications to the summer universities are expected until 30 April at the central AEGEE homepage, where all the necessary information is available. At international events similar to summer universities, to which participants interested are also expected during the academic year, a maximum of three or four people can be present from each country, which is meant to secure a multicultural environment.

AEGEE Piliscsaba

The youngest of the AEGEE local groups in Hungary was created at the Faculty of Humanities of the Pázmány Péter Catholic University a year ago. The main aim of the AEGEE-Piliscsaba is to call the attention of university students to study opportunities abroad - we have learned from treasurer Zsófia Csics. The membership of the group is constantly extended, currently there are 19 of them, 8 of whom are foreigners: 7 ERASMUS students and an instructor from the Department of Italian Studies. Membership is not subject to a student status, only the upper age limit is set at 35 years.

Its first event was organised under the title Fun Factory for Film Fans, and it won the central organisation's Culture Action Day Award. Young people from eight European countries participated in the event that lasted a few days. They could prepare their own films in small teams, while they learned about Hungarian films, culture and gastronomy. A program they currently run is the Free French Lessons held in Budapest. Within this framework, a native French teacher gives weekly French lessons from beginner level in English language, free of charge. Around 15 persons take advantage of this excellent opportunity.

The group is in connection with one of the national youth offices, the staff of which offer assistance in writing Youth in Action proposals, among other things. Organisers of the group have also launched on the track of building foreign relations, for example, they are currently negotiating with an Italian organisation. „A summer exchange program would be organised by the Italians this year, and by us next year." - we have learned from Judit Üstöki vice-president. Members try to use as many foreign opportunities as possible. Several young people have participated in summer universities, and the vice president herself could participate in five events last year, three of which were organised in a foreign country.

Currently, the most important task of the Piliscsaba group is to get themselves known by as many people as possible, and thus recruit new members. Increased membership would be necessary for launching new projects, among other things. Their plans include projects with EU themes, as well as cultural and art projects.