Gheneration | Issue 66% by Robin Janásek

gheneration ISSUE 66%

ga preparation articles

politics and people

06 session coverage

Touching Culture Eurovillage review

12 16 18

GA Preparation Articles

Part I.

youth in progress

Euroconcert Programme GA Preparation Articles

28 30

Part II.

The Spirit Lives On In the Footsteps of Atoms and Bacteria

24 26

Think Before You Tweet: Big Brother is Watching You To Leave or Not to Leave: That is the Question â&#x20AC;&#x153;Culture Corrects the Theory of Successâ&#x20AC;? Europe: The North-African Mirage Something Something Science

Free Telescope (Euroconcert & GA Edition: In case you’re sitting in the last row and can’t see the performers or the speakers’ podium, use this) This page, when rolled into a tube, makes a telescope with 1:1 magnification. Randolf Carr and Robin Janasek

magazine team Editors Randolf Carr Robin Janasek Video Editor Beth Thayne Media Journalist Alex Guzenko

AFCO I & CULT II Christopher Proctor Khalid El Ghoul AFCO II & EMPL II Juan Estheiman Amaya Marilena Saraidari

EMPL I & FEMM Elisa Martinelli Nathalie Thiel ITRE & CULT I Gonzalo Sola Rodríguez Sorcha Foster

REGI & LIBE Christian Browne Nina Cathrine Selmer

www.ghent2013.be

touching culture Christopher Proctor Proc (FI) Eurovillage: a night of food, drink and culture. What a challenging task I had, to select the five best tables out of all the present countries. The problem was that I find taste to be the most overrated sense of all when it comes to food. The tactile and auditory senses are much more suited to my obscure preferences. So instead of reviewing the food in an ignorant conformist way, I decided to explore the delicacies of Eurovillage with an unconventional method.

United Kingdom

Italy

I started off the evening with the UK table. The ‘oh-so-infamous’ marmite did not quite live up to my expectations. The feel was offset by a dissatisfying combination of slimy and grainy texture and did not feel at all pleasant gliding through my fingers. Not the best move by Britain. The Battenburg cakes, however, were absolutely glorious and without a doubt one of the highlights of my evening. With its soft and bouncy quality, I could squeeze it multiple times and it still maintained its jolly form. It also made an iconic splat when hitting the wall that would make any food critic’s eyes water with joy.

I could have sworn I was in heaven when hearing the Italian mozzarella squelch as I squeezed, pinched and squished it around in my hand. It produced an almost melodic squishy sound. The mozzarella success was a lucky break for Italy since unfortunately the olives did not succeed in maintaining the high level of the table: They were far too hard and, when finally crushed, sprayed juice on my face and ruined my jolly mood – an extremely poor choice of food and a concrete minus for Italy.

Latvia

Finland

Belgium

I did not know what to expect from the Latvian table but they managed to surprise me with their chocolate, which made a beautiful textbook “smack” when it hit the ground. However, this was sadly overshadowed by the unfortunate fact that the chocolate would not break under my shoe even after a few rigorous stomps, leaving me with feelings of frustration and dissatisfaction. I tried to cheer myself up with their crisps, which crunched with zest and beauty, but the salt burning in the cuts on my hand only served to further pull me into the pits of despair.

The absolute star of the night was the Nordic ryebread pudding “mammi”. The velvety texture of this otherwise aesthetically horrifying brown gunk felt extremely soothing and pleasant on my hands, completely changing my view of the pudding and leaving me utterly in love with the substance. After several heavenly minutes of fondling the mammi I finally made myself let go and the solid splat when it hit the floor was like the sound of a choir of angels throwing pies. This sublime experience was slightly tarnished by the fact that I now have a stain on my shoe which I cannot seem to get off. A sad mishap for the otherwise perfect dish.

Finally I arrived at the supposedly amazing Belgian table for the sampling. The famous waffles felt dry and slightly craggy when crushed and the resulting crumbs caused a mess on the floor, not a very thought-through dish from Belgium. To top it off, the Belgians serving the food nearly got violent with me for ‘disrespecting’ their cuisine. Rather, it was I who felt disrespected by this reaction to my testing methods. Nevertheless, it pains me to say that I still have to place the Belgians in my top five because of the wonderful chocolate fondue marshmallows. The brave combination of the compelling stickiness of the melted chocolate along with the bounciness of the marshmallow had an interesting and unconventional feel in the hand that will not be soon forgotten. A bold move by Belgium and it certainly paid off.

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think before you tweet

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING

YOU

Christian Browne Bro (UK) The rise of social media in the past ten years has seen the evolution of both social behaviour and the way we live our lives. Yet, the responsibilities that we carry in performing our daily duties have increased exponentially, due to the indirect increase in surveillance on what we say and do. We have unconsciously created a Big Brother, and this surveyor can only increase in size due to the increasing popularity of such social media sites as Twitter and Facebook. But what consequences actually come from what we say and do on social media sites? A British student, Liam Stacey, was jailed for 56 days after racially abusing footballer Fabrice Muamba through Twitter. The original tweet came after Muamba suffered a cardiac arrest during a game. Stacey’s tweet sparked huge amounts of anger and backlash, eventually resulting in him being arrested and subsequently jailed. Yet, Stacey made the case that even though the tweet “was a joke”, he still should not be punished because of his right to free speech. Does Twitter somehow provide effective limits on what we can and cannot say, or does it rather increase the exploitation of our freedom of speech?

Many people believe that they shouldn’t be held accountable for what they say on Facebook or forum websites. Perhaps this should be the case? Should people be prosecuted for indirectly stating their controversial opinions? Whilst abusing and harassing someone in person is considered an offence, merely stating your views on a matter is hardly abusive. Yet, is this true? If an opinion is racist, it is still racism and the medium in which it is stated is insignificant, as is whether the target is an Internet persona. The reality is that it is now easier to spot offences, there is no prior investigation needed as most evidence is collated online, usually because the offence starts online. This seems like a positive thing, as it can cut down on abusers such as racists and cyber-bullies. This type of filtering is good, however, can be seen as unfair. Surely if this type of Big Brother institution is being implemented, it needs to be implemented universally – there are still vast amounts of cyber-bullying with the rise of ‘trolling’, something which can hardly be stopped by a ‘cyber police’. This implies that the internet is a place which shouldn’t be patrolled unless all of it is censored according to universal rules, and the whole philosophy of the internet is to bypass censorship. This means that in order for social media to diverge from

this 1984 dystopia, we need to be aware of the consequences of what we say and do on Facebook. Whilst being arrested is possibly the most serious outcome of saying something on the internet, there are other possibilities too. Being fired from work due to behaviour on social media is becoming worryingly common. Buckingham Palace Guardsman Cameron Reilly posted about Kate Middleton and was subsequently fired from his position. He called Middleton a “posh bitch” after feeling slighted by her not acknowledging him as she passed him in a car. Also worth an (dis-)honourable mention are the 13 Virgin Airlines crew members who were fired after publicly discussing unsavoury job details on Facebook. They shared the number of times that engines had been replaced and that cabins were infested with cockroaches, as well as insulting passengers. Another example is Bronx high school teacher Chadwin Reynolds who was fired for making inappropriate comments to his students on Facebook. He posted, “This is sexy,” under pictures which they had shared. Social media are blurring and therefore making it easier for people to step over the line and infringe on the contracts which come with their jobs. Yet many believe that subsequent firings which come from complaints about people’s jobs are an overreaction. One must make the distinction that compared to abusive or incriminating statements, expressing an opinion does not necessarily mean that they should be relieved of their work. However, one thing can be agreed upon: With the evolution and ever-increasing nature of social media, people have to be aware that what they say to friends on a public forum such as Facebook can now have the same repercussions as saying it to a superior or even a stranger.

to leave or not to leave that is the question

Juan Estheiman Amaya Am (ES) â&#x20AC;&#x153;To be or not to be: that is the questionâ&#x20AC;?. The famous opening phrase used by Shakespeare to introduce an existential dilemma in the play Hamlet, could easily relate to the current situation of Europe regarding regional breakaways. The reasons and arguments that have led certain areas of European countries to seriously consider separation as a solution to their current economic, social and historic issues have only been strengthened by the crisis. But far from only involving the future directions of Spain, Belgium, the United Kingdom or Italy, choosing independence is an issue that affects the whole unity of Europe. The base that the Maastricht Treaty settled upon back in 1992 was the idea of not only politically bonding each country together, but actually developing a common culture that would identify us as Europeans. But a big slice of the desire of these areas to become sovereign states relies directly on identity. The current case in Spain takes us back to 1975, where a recently established democracy after the dictatorship of Franco took the form of a parliamentary monarchy. It was

also decided that the main political power would come from Madrid and be distributed throughout the so called autonomous communities, in a structure resembling the one of federated states inside a federal government. The main disagreement when it comes to financial terms is that economically dynamic communities such as Catalonia, the Basque Country or Madrid have a much higher tax burden than the Spanish average, while at the same time less money is returned to them by the central government when distributing the budgets. As a matter of fact a Catalan ends up paying an extra 2250 Euros every year, compared to what any other person from any other autonomous community pays. Regarding social issues, the facts that Catalonia and the Basque Country possess different languages than Spanish, a different and once independent historic background, and a feeling of own national identity accentuate the sentiment of difference from the rest of the country. In the last Catalan elections, pro-independence partiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; promise of a referendum took them to reach 87 out of 135 seats in the Catalan Parliament. Despite massive public displays of the will for independence, such as the one that took place last September in Barcelona involving around a million people, the Spanish government still refuses to let

the Catalans hold a self-determination referendum. As in other regions of Europe, Scotland is also debating over the option of becoming independent. In September 2014 the Scots will hold a referendum, by which they will be deciding whether or not to continue being part of the United Kingdom. If they decide to become independent from the central government, they will start taking the first steps towards becoming a sovereign country. Scotland joined the United Kingdom about three hundred years ago but the Scots have always had a special sense of patriotism. The milestone is represented by the Scottish Home Rule bill, presented to the parliament in 1913. Later on, in 1921, the Scots National League was created and through different cooperations with other political parties, the Scottish National Party (SNP) was established in 1934. After the ending of the Second World War, the issue about independence rose up again. Gradually over the years, the Scottish government has been obtaining more local power, and in 2007 the SNP finally promised to hold a referendum on independence. Unfortunately, the date was postponed and this important step towards separation from the UK is set on September 18th, 2014. The Scots may go back to their roots and achieve what their ancestors didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the possibility to gain, a state for their own people.

Another example of the current tendency regarding independence inside the EU is the one of Belgium. The federalisation of Belgium formally started in 1970 and in 1993 Belgiumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unified federal system was enshrined in the Constitution. In a parallel path to the situation in Spain, the arguments for those who demand independence is that the southern region of Wallonia, poorer and with higher unemployment rate, shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be maintained by the wealthier Flemish region of Flanders. The population distribution between Flanders and Wallonia is 60 percent to 40 percent. Despite that, the New Flemish Alliance, the largest political party in Flanders and Belgium, aims of to establish Flanders as a separate state, completely independent from the central power of Brussels. In this precise moment the situation is still confused but the next election period in 2014 will prove decisive for the future of Belgium and Europe. We are a continent that is united in diversity, so therefore far from denying these regions the right to choose the futures of their own nations and countries. We should at least provide them with democratic tools that will help express the true wills of their peoples. Until then, we can only wait for time to put an end to this dilemma.

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“culture corrects the theory of success” Gonzalo Sola Rodriguez Rodrig (ES) Khalid el ghoul (nl) Homer’s elaborate account on the voyage of a man who dared challenge the ancient deities, the ever-present inheritance of Roman architecture, the ingenious invention of the printing press. These chapters in European history, amongst others, establish the direct relationship that exists between culture and the integration of our society. These great works of the arts carry such an immense weight that Atlas himself would give way under its massive impact. At times carved in stone, the depth of their relevance to society has firmly withstood the test of time. The influence these previous chapters had and continue to have on European culture forms a strong basis for the European identity. Therefore, there ought to be no need to express the importance of exchanging the stone tablets and the interaction of its cultural descendants. Unfortunately, however, the European continent and its policy makers are grasped by the fear of financial and economic downfall. In fact, the focus on fiscal integration is so excessive that it

could turn out to threaten that very same integration and the sought-after sense of European citizenship. Europe’s ministers for culture proudly presented the “Decalogue for Europe of Culture”, in which they state that culture is at the heart of the construction of Europe. However, many national governments are slashing some of their culture budgets and they seem unable to agree on even a relatively small EU budget. After the riots and protests across European cities, and living in a period where economy and markets seem the key, and austerity the priority, we should all wonder if these are the best ways to make a full recovery from the current drift. It is paradoxical that reducing subsidies for the cultural sector or education should be the most proficient way to re-launch some unsteady economies. It should not be a problem to observe that Europe is the corollary of its culture’s development and its variations. Europe is the product of its culture, and the persistence of its culture all the way through the centuries illustrates this fact. Consequently, the idea of what culture is should never be separated from the concept of society. As all might know, the concept of every single society is the notion of

interrelation between its people and its culture. This is exactly the idea behind integration and the creation of social groups, of which there are many in Europe. For this reason, integration is not possible without culture’s influence and impact in society. One of the main goals of the European Union is the achievement of a wide integration amongst Member States. This invites us to think that culture is the core of the decisions that the EU institutions are taking in order to accomplish the integration project. A perfect example of the success of cultural integration is the Erasmus programme, which created a student exchange framework in Europe during the last 25 years. Financial support for this programme by the European Union has been probably the most valuable tool of cultural and educational integration between the Member States. The programme named after the 16th century Dutchborn pan-European scholar offers European students the chance to live in other European countries for a period of at least six to twelve months. These thousands of students’ cultural immersion has become a highly influential factor in the sustainable construction of an open Europe.

led to the current EU framework certainly helped to create ‘Europeans’ as we know them today. These times of austerity, however, now challenge this economically developed European identity with unpredictable future consequences. The potential implementation of cuts to the Erasmus programme is indeed a remarkable example, for it the latter has genuinely created generations of keen contemporary European citizens. The result of the budget cuts whenever it comes to culture may prove to be a wrong step into an unsustainable future. As stated earlier, many countries, and Europe itself, are faced with heavy restructuring measures, which not everyone is content with. This discontent with measures imposed by the European institutions and the lack of cultural integration, with regards to creating a sense of European citizenship, may cause widespread identity crisis in the long run. Better informed and educated citizens would most certainly be a talented and skilled workforce as well. The giants on whose shoulders we stand have provided us with a pedestal to be an integrated union, let us not be blind to this bright view.

The process of economic and political integration, which

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libe LIBE have had the task of drafting a resolution that will prevent events such as the UK Phone Hacking Scandal while still safeguarding the rights of journalists, such as Article 3 of the Charter on Freedom of Press, “Journalists cannot be prevented and punished for collecting information.” This right has been exploited in recent times and extrapolated leading to a huge uproar from the public, calling for regulation of the press. LIBE have empathised with the need for unbiased news but have taken into account the problems which come from this, leading to LIBE deciding appropriate regulation is necessary. The problem LIBE also faced was the lack of control and censoring of personal details on the Internet. This is a key

Overall LIBE have proposed an increase in power to the European University Institute (EUI) to allow effective regulation of news organisations. They have attempted to overcome the apathy shown towards press regulation by allowing the collaboration of EUI and Reporters Without Borders to develop terms of agreement. This should ensure that all parties are willing to abide by the new regulation. LIBE have decided to implement a system in which websites are rated by danger and thus checked accordingly by their EU-wide Press Watchdog. This privacy rating system by the domain registration company will be accessible to the public, which they hope will provide a simple, coherent and comprehensive means of understanding how secure and private a website’s user data is stored and how it is used.

issue because the most basic of details published on the Internet can lead to identity theft and information being used by third parties; websites which appear safe could lead to a huge privacy leak for an individual. Further, LIBE also highlighted the fact that the lack of regulation has led to the rise of illegal methods to acquire information, such as bribery and phone tapping. However, they note that governments are sceptical about introducing legislation which would add regulation, as it restricts the right to freedom of press. Extra difficulty is being added to allowing regulation to be introduced by the presence of huge monopolies such as News International, which has been at the forefront of the hacking scandal.

+ LIBE discussed its hope that the regulatory bodies should be able to order news corporations to sell their assets, a view that is certain to be controversial. This would see a huge increase in government intervention from the EU, making it harder for the press to maintain their rights. They also hope to block further acquisitions should corporations be deemed too powerful. Yet LIBE hope that rather than government intervention, it will be an impartial judgment from non-profit regulatory bodies which will make the decisions much more neutral.

LIBE’s resolution sees a purposeful approach to solving the transparency issues which the press and public face. While the solutions are effective, it will always be hard to get private news companies to subject themselves to strong regulation.

regi The Committee on Regional Development is tackling the problem of increasing urbanisation and connected decreasing quality of life. Through different measures and suggestions they have confronted not only the density and increasing pollution in the cities, but also other aspects of the urban life. REGI has worked on how to increase the general quality of life in the city, and how cities can be cleaner, safer and more efficient. Looking at different aspects of city life, such as transport, economics, ecology and city planning, they have tried to make sure that the urbanisation takes a course that is as good as possible for the inhabitant as well as for the environment. REGI emphasises a change in city structure: Trying to stop the growth of the city outwards and rather have a more efficient city where distances are smaller and resources are used more responsibly. By preventing cities from growing too much in physical area, the committee wants to implement measures so that the suburban area is used in a more

This resolution comments on a broad variety of topics, and comments on many different, detailed aspects of urbanisation – such as light and sound pollution. The committee has come up with a variety of ways that can realistically improve the quality and efficiency of systems already in use. With an open mind the committee has chosen to further implement systems that are already in use, but not well known, such as the “Casablanca Project”.

environmentally friendly way. REGI wants to connect these areas to the city by more efficient systems of transport that produce lower pollution levels, such as “Park and Ride”, light railways and “superbuses”. Furthermore, by focusing on the socio-economic aspect, REGI has suggested to encourage businesses to move, or even start up, in districts in the outskirts of the city centre in order to distribute the pressure more evenly. Moreover, they emphasise the need for the inhabitants’ right to both object to new building projects so that they can have a say on the changes going on in their surroundings. Looking at the infrastructure together with the transportation issues, the committee have come up with different, coherent solutions. REGI wants to decrease pollution and make it more efficient to navigate the city centre as well as to get into the city from the suburbs around. Therefore they encourage more efficient, frequent and greener trams, buses and trains, as well as improving options for cyclists and pedestrians.

One point that may cause contention is the proposal of toll charges, which cars would have to pay when driving into cities. REGI will have to be aware that their resolution, extensive as it is, can still not cover all variables of the topic, such as the effects on rural areas.

Not only responding to the issue about density and lack of housing, but also looking at issues that affect the general quality of life, REGI has written a resolution that is broad as well as detailed. Through means such as recycling, “green fingers”, barriers to prevent noise and light pollution, the committee believes that even in an urbanised city, the quality of life can be satisfying. Through these initiatives, the committee has tried to make the cities not only less dense, but also greener, safer and more connected.

Nina Cathrine Selmer and Christian Browne

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FEMM The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality is facing the challenge of improving and upgrading the female participation in the labour force. Unfortunately, there is still a remarkable division between women and men, especially concerning higher authority positions and the pay gap. Also worth mentioning is the fact that women are less involved in the work force than men. The committee had several issues to discuss concerning female in the workforce, with their aim for employing women to be considered more advantageous on the labour market. Several topics were intensely discussed, and the committee found a few mentioned subjects more essential than others. The main focus throughout the discussions was about how to encourage women to return to work after a maternity leave. In that sense it was not only encouraged among women themselves, but mainly getting companies or work places to make their return more pleasant. One possible reason for women to decline the offer to return to the job market can be because of lack of decent, affordable childcare and therefore preferring to focus on staying home for

The aid that is being introduced after returning from maternal leave by having a more flexible schedule as well as developing and improving childcare are encouraging factors for women to return to a full time job.

the child’s sake. Furthermore, the challenge of changing the characteristic gender roles and the social norms, much depending on one’s religion and cultural background, is a big difference-maker regarding future choices. A variety of solutions and measures are presented in order to decrease the division between the genders. A few of them concern improving the return from maternity leave by setting up flexible measures. Support from the companies should be given through initiatives like flexible work schedules; the possibility to work from home; and child facilities at work. A considered key conflict was the question of childcare, which is closely linked to the aforementioned support from companies. However, the resolution is also focusing on ways to reach out to the greater target group by educating people about women’s rights and inequality by campaigns, polls and conferences. An additional way to make it easier for females to take place in the labour market is by implementing short-term quotas for it to become a more balanced working environment.

Implementation of an Anonymous Application System is suggested, which is a system that is thought to be beneficial for the female labour force. Nevertheless, there is a risk that it will introduce other unintentionally discriminating criteria that reverse the intended effect.

Support for equal parental leave divides the working situation more equally between the two parents.

Connections: This topic can be related to another kind of unemployment that affects women in Europe as well as in the whole world. Women have not only to overcome the problems due to a lack of opportunities in the labour market, but they also have to fight against prejudices and other ingrained practices that hinder them to easily find a valuable job.

EMPL I Discussed, tackled and not defeated, youth unemployment is still at the top of the EU’s problem list. With an increasing amount of young people joining the already wide population of the so-called “lost generation”, this subject cannot be overlooked anymore. Against all odds, the resolution presents youth unemployment not as the direct consequence of Europe actual financial situation, but as strongly related to the turbulent market conditions that have been worsening due to the crisis. The huge gap between the realities in the labour market in the various member states remains fundamental throughout whole the discussion as one of the core elements to understand this resolution. This point is mainly developed around the disparity in the levels of youth unemployment in the Member States leading to an obvious difference in the relative outcome of tackling the issue. Inequality can be found also in the opportunities between more and less experienced workers, going hand in hand with an incompatibility between required job skills and the ones that young people actually own. Too often considered of a matter of second importance, the deficiency of motivation that affects a young Europe who does not believe anymore in getting the chance to

Programme implementing a series of benefits to companies contributing to the training of new and young employees, especially the proposal of brand images.

have a proper job, is carefully approached and highlighted in the resolution. Last but not least, projects such as “Youth Guarantee” and Flexicurity are underlined as necessary to reach an improvement of the current European scenario. In order to tackle this delicate and wide topic, the solutions provided are mainly intended to reduce youth unemployment through the implementation of concrete measures. Cooperation between schools and universities was proposed aiming at improving the experience of young people looking for a job, both for graduates and non-graduates. EMPL I believes it is the only way to reduce the scarcity of job skills in the youngest generations. At the same time, the support of young entrepreneurs through the implementation of low interest rates becomes fundamental in order to protect new-founded businesses and create new job opportunities through them. Moreover, establishing a brand image for those corporations who support and contribute to the training of young people, as well as benefits for enterprises who provide youths with a job was considered a smart and good way of consistently tackling youth unemployment.

Brain drain, even if taken into consideration at the beginning of the committee work, was not further discussed, so that one highly influential and widespread phenomenon related to youth unemployment was not addressed.

Helping not only youngsters in finding employment, but also young entrepreneurs in establishing their own enterprise, which can then again create new jobs.

Connections: Finally, the two resolutions of EMPL I and FEMM both emphasise the need for programmes and campaigns promoting a higher level of education necessary to grasp opportunities on the labour market as they arise.

Elisa Martinelli and Nathalie Thiel

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euroconcert programme

William De Catelle - Belgium - Schumann’s ‘Arabesque’ Inês Kilpatrick and Gonçalo Sampaio - Portugal - I’d Rather Go Blind Laura Vizule - Latvia - Pacelties Spornos Laura Diaz, Cristina Rodríguez and Ariadna Puig - Spain - Everything You Didn’t Do Laura Sans Duran - Spain - Titanium

BREAK (30 min.)

Romanie Assez - Belgium - Sonate n°8 Julia Zeilstra - Switzerland - Natural Woman Vanessa Maia, Marta Gonçalves and Gonçalo Sampaio - Portugal - Perdidamente Linde Nuyts and Myriem El Kaddouri - Belgium - Crazy Matteo van Dijl - Belgium - Ludovico Einaudi’s ‘In Volo’

ITRE During committee work, ITRE directed its efforts and the knowledge previously acquired by researching innovative and refreshing concepts of entrepreneurship. The search for opportunities for the European Union’s young population is the reason behind the encouragement of an entrepreneurial spirit throughout our continent. As we have already mentioned, ITRE delegates centered their attention on the stimulation of an entrepreneurial mindset amongst European youngsters which only can be possible with further financial support coming from the Member States. Not only financial support in terms of regular funding, but also establishing a relationship between profit levels and loan interest rate repayments, whereby companies increase the payments as their returns grow. The particular way of facing the critical situation proposed by ITRE predominantly focuses on innovation and research by giving youngsters the opportunities to develop their own projects and businesses. Consequently, these measures will help to open many more doors into the job markets. In order to achieve this goal, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy decided to reward those companies that regularly offer internships to youths. It would implement this by creating a European organ

The resolution’s use of technology, Internet and the social media as promoters and fundamental tools of the proposed measures.

formed specifically for this purpose. Initially we might all assume that young European population´s restlessness would be insurmountable problems due to the sheer volume of impediments to the process. Despite the over-implementation of educative programmes and policies, there is a lack of a solid framework for the teaching of entrepreneurial skills. The imbalance between taxation and financial support, from which newly-founded firms often suffer, reflects the difficulty of both supporting risk takers, while enabling them to persevere in the face of business failure. ITRE’s delegates found a solution for bureaucratic and administrative barriers. Their goal is to help to facilitate all the administrative paperwork that an entrepreneur needs to start his project. Furthermore, the European Youth Parliament representatives of ITRE felt the creation of a European online platform for the simulation of business processes was fundamental. It would work as another tool providing any potential entrepreneur with some of the required skills to start discovering the world of business. Language barriers would not be a problem due to the decision of adapting this platform to all the EU’s official languages.

The creation of a platform of business simulation. Although it has the risk to be too innovative, this online system can effectively support young users with entrepreneurial mindset.

What is the exactly the quantity of profits needed by a recently created company and how does this specifically affect loan return payments? The new European organ mentioned by ITRE has the mission to control the invested money. However, does this organ have any kind of power to take measures due to wasting uses of these investments?

Connections: There is a particular emphasis placed upon entering higher education in Europe with less room for supporting those who have a more entrepreneurial mindset. Young ‘selfemployers’ face extra headwind due to the focus on education as the primary mechanism for getting into the labour force. Education systems are very focused on examinations and job prospects and not necessarily on the innovative thought required for business development. Methods for encouraging more abstract ideas and original concepts would improve educational systems with regards to stimulating creative entrepreneurs.

Cult i The free movement of labour and capital are features which make the European Union unique and thus there must be an education system to complement this integration. The Bologna Process is central to this. However, there are strengths and weaknesses to the current approach and it is these flaws that the Committee on Culture and Education I seeks to address and rectify. The committee quickly decided that the Bologna Process, although imperfect, was the best strategy to reach their goals. They recognised that that the implementation of the three-level Bachelor-Master-Doctorate strategy had successfully overcome some of the issues relating to the fragmentation of the system. However, they considered that this harmonisation could be extended to the secondary school examination system. An approach whereby each national exam system was maintained was considered preferable, so co-ordination would be achieved by

CULT I felt the language barrier could be overcome through a mixture of more English-taught classes and language lessons in the specific country’s native language. There is a particular emphasis given to expanding the number of courses taught in English and a desire to insure that all universities across Europe have some English-taught classes. The committee found a balance to recognise that there should still be some form of immersion in the language of the country, but that English should be afforded special status given its near universal usage.

re-balancing national systems, as opposed to the creation of a single EU-wide exam. The retention of country-based examination systems was stressed in particular given the additional administrative burden a pan-European system would create. However, the issue relates to more than just the synchronisation of examination systems. The committee acknowledged the financial problems regarding tuition fees and student debt. They also felt that scholarship programmes needed to be expanded significantly but reasoned that given the current crisis, in which education budgets are being cut, this would be exceedingly difficult to implement. Upon moving to another country, monetary problems are not the sole issue CULT I identifies. There is also the problem of language barriers, living expenses, and travel to and from their native land.

Many members of CULT I considered that the cost of flying to and from their home country was prohibitive particularly if one were to live away from home for a considerable period. Thus, they called for a seventy-five percent discount on flights would prevent this being a barrier to university education abroad. However, many European airlines are already struggling for financial survival operating on very slim profit margins per passenger. This measure could be very hard to realise without further endangering the existence of airline companies.

The committee felt that cultural immersion was paramount and expressed a wish to create “a home from home” environment for foreign students. They suggested that universities should have student mentors and nationality societies to ease the transition for new students.

Connections: The Bologna process’ faults relate largely to its overly bureaucratic function which has led to a lack of original thought occurring in universities both at student and lecturer level. As a result the road to entrepreneurship via university is also hindered.

Sorcha Foster and Gonzalo Sola Rodriguez

afco ii Even though the objective of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs II is not an easy one, for the last two days they have been debating, sharing and contrasting ideas which can contribute to having a more active and politically aware young European society. The lack of solidarity between the different generational groups and the presence of prejudices between them is an issue that obstructs the paths of communication and cooperation. Since youth employment has been deeply affected by the crisis, it has been proposed that fiscal incentives be given to support the promotion of programmes that involve participation between young and elderly citizens. With this kind of initiatives, AFCO II also looks forward to reducing the existing problem of a technological knowledge gap. Another obstacle that the committee found highly relevant to overcome is the individualism that the current European society raises its youth with. This mentality is directly opposite to the intention of developing a society that looks up to the objective of satisfying everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. For that reason, and having in mind that a proper education guarantees a better prepared society, introducing a compulsory, pro-active programme in secondary school seemed like AFCO IIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best alternative to tackle in-

dividualism and ignorance. This programme would focus on educating European youth towards political awareness, social outreach, teamwork and developing a common European conscience. Above all, the problem towards which AFCO II showed the biggest concern throughout the debating process were the effects that the crisis has directly and indirectly on the European youth. As mentioned before, the current lack of a system that is able to provide its young citizens with workplaces or satisfy its needs, has further more negative consequences than we can think at first sight. Youth unemployment causes political disenchantment. Austerity measures result in mistrust and apathy towards both national and international governing bodies. For this reason, the committee urges Member States to amend the current austerity measures and the distribution of the financial burdens. Since the original problem that AFCO II intends to tackle isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the economic crisis itself, the committee has decided only to expose and express the problems and solutions related with it. Personally, we congratulate Laura, Giulia, Marta, Sinan, Bet, Sara, Gemma, Ezinne, Baptiste, Kristen, A. Stanford, Giorgio, Andriani and Mr. Dirk Hofland for the accomplishment of this resolution. v

The strong encouragement of a cooperation framework between youth and society, so as to involve youth actively.

A European common, compulsory pro-active course may not enter in harmony with the educational needs and resources of each Member State.

The stimulation of a long term solution by implementing an education system that works in favour of social awareness.

The lack of a control over potential bias in the extensive information packs, so as to ensure a transparent education in the matters exposed.

A transparent EU legislation from which the European citizens can express their opinions throughout referendums.

Connections: We can also identify the need for further more cooperation programmes focused towards young and old citizens to be implemented across the EU. These programs should focus on the obligation to provide society with sufficient tools in order to ensure coexistence in the labour market. 20

EMPL II The trust between governments and citizens is essential for a good governance and participation. In order to build trust between those two agents, it is necessary for the governments to communicate in a transparent way about past and future actions and decisions. Governments, however, should not only inform but also involve citizens. Keeping in mind that 17.5% of the European population is over 65 years old and that it will probably rise up to 30% by 2060, it is obvious that immediate measures must be taken so that older generations will continue to actively participate in society.

can be achieved through the promotion of internships and volunteering.

EMPL II emphasises the importance of constant learning innovation. Another very important issue for them is the need for youngsters to be instructed by seniors. This way they can improve their relevant skills with greater efficiency, build a stronger CV and have a better chance at getting selected for a job.

Finally, noticing that life expectancy rate has risen, the committee proposes the slow and smooth increase of the retirement age within the Member States. Acknowledging that the rise of this will possibly not be warmly accepted by the majority of the labour force - let us not forget that Nicolas Sarkozy lost his popularity and failed in French elections, mainly because he announced he would increase the retirement age from 65 to 67 years. EMPL II, inspired by the Scandinavian model, proposes a reform of the health system according to which comprehensive and affordable home care services will be implemented. However, the affordability will vary depending on a marked rationalisation of hours of care.

Since it is harder for companies to keep older people working and considering that the unemployment rate has risen dramatically in Europe as a consequence of the financial crisis, the implementation of the measure above will create stability both in companies and society, owing to the cooperation in employment, between the older and younger generation. Furthermore, a balance between generations

Promotes community work (volunteering, internships) as a means for both youth to get experience and for elderly people to stay active.

In order to raise awareness and promote community work, the committee suggests the increase of pensions of senior citizens that are actively participating in such projects. Alternatively, lifelong learning can be promoted through the concept of “Flexicurity”. This strategy attempts to reconcile employers’ needs for a flexible workforce as well as the need for the security, by not having to face long periods of unemployment.

The viability of old citizens’ participation in volunteering work. After all they have already worked for many years as a part of the main workforce of a Member State.

Emphasises on the necessity of implementing exchange educational programs such as ERASMUS across the member states, so that youngsters will experience a variety of educational systems.

The raising of retirement ages will possibly not be met with open arms by the majority of the labour force.

Introduces the concept of “Flexicurity”, in order to create a balance at the sector of employment and “Silver Economy”, so that older people will maintain a value in the labour market in the working force.

Connections: Education is probably the most effective way to make sure that the younger and therefore theoretically inexperienced generation will be able to maturely and effectively cooperate with the older ones.

Juan Estheiman Amaya and Marilena Saraidari

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afco i Equal integration is the ultimate goal of the EU; getting all countries involved and on the same page with treaties and decisions. The most direct way to do this would be to leave no possibilities of opt-outs and have everything done in the same manner by all Member States. This course of action is however completely unfeasible and in any case would present huge problems such as some member states slowing down the progress of other members who are ready to move faster, as well as further intimidating countries who already feel their sovereignty being threatened. The current availability of opt-outs will however be limited by replacing them with de facto opt-outs where the refusal of a treaty will only be temporary and the countries will have to eventually accept the terms.

However, in saying this the emphasis falls on â&#x20AC;&#x153;supposedlyâ&#x20AC;? for there is absolutely no certainty that matters will develop in the projected manner.

Differentiated integration As mentioned in the resolution, the differentiated integration in several frameworks is what constitutes Europe at the moment. Theses frameworks incorporated by different Member States, with different levels of integration, have raised some concern. Adding opt-outs to agreements that emphasise the path of continuous integration has proven to be problematic. The current situation of a multi-speed Europe, however, does not pose any fundamental problems to the Union, but it certainly does not bring the EU to equal integration either.

Equal integration The complexity of the issue that AFCO I is confronted with cannot be stressed enough. As the committee has outlined in the introductory clauses, in order to come anywhere near an equally integrated Europe many obstacles need to be overcome. These obstacles would however, form such an obstruction that in the process of trying to resolve them, the European Union would find itself in tragedy, effectively dissolving the EU. In order to express the difficulty this problem compromises one would have to consider cultural, economic, and historical differences, democratic deficits, the absence of transparency, reduction of sovereign power. This goes to show the extent and spread of the problem. The committee therefore decided to take a different stand towards equal integration. Instead of abandoning current treaties and starting over, whereby every new treaty would require the full consensus of all Member States, the committee is going for a multi-speed Europe which would supposedly bring the Union close to equal integration on the long run.

Believing that previous and future opt-outs inhibit an equally integrated EU, the committee has chosen to replace them with de facto opt-outs. This will allow countries to temporarily be excluded from the implementation of any legislation, but will eventually see them accept the imposed measures. However, the downside to this is that there is no concrete span of time for this to happen.

Expertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s notes Whereas AFCO I has chosen to express its hopes and trust in endorsing an equally integrated Europe, in reality there is not much faith this will ever be the case. Philippe De Backer, MEP and an honourable speaker during the Opening Ceremony, has expressed his disbelief in an equally integrated Europe. Realistically, he says, the current integration of different frameworks to the construction of the European Union is what will endure and work best.

cult ii Awareness of and involvement in society by the youth provides essential support for the existence and development of Europe. It is therefore an absolute necessity for them to take notice of the responsibility drifting round their shoulders. Awareness however, is but the starting point. Without any engagement, the youth’s contribution shall remain as dormant as its potential. To evoke the sense of European citizenship one cannot stress the importance of participation and financial support for any such initiative nearly enough. With the EU’s Youth in Action program coming to an end in December, it may mean the end for a wide range of youth initiatives. One would need to cover a wide area of interest in order to find specific measures that ensure a progressive stand towards commitment and integration of Europe’s hidden potential. The Committee on Culture and Education II attempts to do so in presenting their resolution. The striving towards an active participation of Europe’s youth reflects throughout the entire resolution and forms the foundation of all its implications.

learning different languages and attending exchange programs.

Dialogue In order to firmly establish a sustainable sense of European citizenship the committee found it important to provide means of communication and identification between and among policy makers and like-minded youth. Recognising the role of social media in our everyday lives, an interest is therefore expressed in its use to maintain relations found between individuals and groups. As all ought to know, this has proven to be very effective as it is widely used in the same manner by EYP itself. To allow for young entrepreneurs to get in touch with potential foreign partners, the committee aims to find a platform to exchange knowledge and resources. The success of such a platform however, would yet have to prove itself effective and establish itself in the ever-growing world of social media websites.

Education

Accessibility

Concerned with the lack of knowledge on the political structure of the European Union, an EU citizen’s rights, and the obscure opportunities youth initiatives offer, the committee tends to award educational institutions that provide information on the structure and function of the European Union. They feel the need to emphasise personal involvement to promote personal interest in every individual. Teaching about Europe on a primary level would call for an early consciousness about Europe, hopefully invoking an active role in European society.

In order to promote participation one would obviously have to create an opportunity to do so. The committee aims to do so by calling for think tank institutions that will allow young people to actively debate on policy. In addition to this, the committee wants to include people of various backgrounds, especially focusing on the socio-economic lower class, as to be highly inclusive.

The committee hopes to achieve an active stand towards European citizenship by involving the youth in educational programs that allows them to expand their horizon, by

This however, might wrongly divert the attention from the actual aims. In order to be transparent and inclusive they will improve internet databases and make them more accessible for young people. Other than that, they wish to provide facilitation for starting youth initiatives, though in a rather passive manner.

Khalid El Ghoul and Christopher Proctor

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europe

The North-African Mirage

Marilena Saraidari Saraid (GR) Every year, thousands of immigrants undergo a long and tortuous journey, often travelling in critical conditions, in the hope of finding a better and successful life in Europe. Most are quickly disillusioned and faced with segregation and difficult living conditions. The effect of immigration is felt disparately from one part of Europe to another; therefore it is important to remember the perspective of those countries most severely affected. Migration is a social phenomenon that is particularly relevant to countries of the European Union. Greece and Italy, as well as Turkey, are especially affected, as due to their geographical position, they find themselves hosting immigrants not only from North Africa, but also from the Balkan Peninsula and Asia. Causes of immigration are diverse and can be of political, social, or financial nature. Political instability in countries of origin, such as the collapse or creation of a dictatorship, or the outbreak of a civil war, causes large masses of people to leave their homeland to avoid being persecuted. They then seek political asylum in the closest and most accessible stable countries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; European countries. Political and social crisis almost always leads to the destruction of estates, shortages, unemployment, and poverty. Because of this, even members of the population who are not involved politically are forced to leave their homeland, due to poverty and deprivation. Many of them are motivated by the willingness to search for a better life. A life, however, which proves to be elusive. Migrants undergo an uncertain and dangerous journey in the certainty that their destination will, because of the political stability, guarantee their survival and better conditions of life. However, they have to face various kinds of headwinds: living in a social, cultural, or religious environ-

ment completely different from the one where they were born and raised in is one the harshest elements of their difficult fate. Language becomes a barrier to communication between immigrants and the inhabitants of the country hosting them. As a result, integration becomes hard and the different customs, lifestyles, values, and beliefs of European societies make these new guests feel excluded and miserable. Together with the difficulty to integrate comes the trouble of finding a place to stay, quickly followed by difficulty in finding a job. In the past, when many European countries needed extra workforce, finding work was easier for immigrants, though under very different conditions than residents. Most would take up jobs that native people refused to take, often because it meant working under harmful conditions. Even today there are many cases where legal immigrants take up jobs for lower wages than the local workers and remain uninsured. The situation described above was accepted years ago because there were plenty of jobs available for immigrants to undertake and get paid for. However today, with the financial crisis affecting most European countries, the future looks dire for European workers, with drastic consequences on the situation of immigrants. The situation worsens, while the number of immigrants rises dramatically due to the political crisis there. Last but not least, an important consequence for immigrants is discrimination. While the situation varies widely across Europe, immigrants may become victims of xenophobia from a large part of the citizens native to their host country, as shown in the Eurobarometer report 296 on discrimination issued by the European Commission in 2008. Prejudices, phobias, a sense of threat, and national fanaticism are believed to be the causes of this social phenomenon. Today, these factors are in constant increase in countries that have been strongly affected by the crisis, due to the destitution of citizens and the degradation of their quality of life. As a consequence, in many cases im-

migrants are not only marginalised and socially excluded, but also feel that their lives are in danger.

tolerance towards diversity, thus improving the attitude of the residents towards immigrants.

The host countries themselves are now facing the consequences of discriminatory behaviour. As far as these countries are concerned, the impact of migration is only negative. As a result, these host countries are now unable to integrate the immigrants, let alone help them become citizens of the local communities. Through this attitude, they are disregarding the fact that immigration can also be beneficial to host countries. As mentioned before, immigrants are willing to work on difficult and less-paid jobs, and thus certain areas, such the construction sector, have developed and become more profitable thanks to them. Luckily, local communities are developing the principle of

Today, with the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the international situation seems to be harder than ever before. The implementation of a credible immigration policy thus seems necessary, so as to provide support to those desperate immigrants seeking shelter in our countries and the worried citizens struggling to keep up in a time of crisis. The issue of immigration is not an isolated event, but affects every member state, and is thus something that should be discussed on a European level, so that measures can be taken in order to balance the interests of all stakeholders.

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THE MODERN PANDORA’S BOX

ing our brain and make decisions based completely on our thoughts. Moreover we should not forget that intelligence is evidently in part a genetically inherited quality passed on from one generation to the next, and a decline in human brainpower is expected in the next two decades.

Elisa Martinelli Martine (IT) Phones that are able to recognise the voice of their owner, chemicals that allow us to produce and eat any kind of crop throughout the whole year, and the possibility to get from one side of planet to the other in little more than 24 hours; it seems we really have it all. It looks like we are living in a century marked and dominated by a constant progress towards wealthier lifestyles, but does this get along well with our health and personal development? Our society was the victim of a subtle but effective transition from a lifestyle where the priority lay in satisfying a little bit more than our primary needs to one where everything that is futile is considered of vital importance. In this coil of more or less concrete necessities, we find ourselves settled in a routine where technology, science and industrial progress rule our own existence; we have gotten used to solving problems with small efforts. When there were not yet devices ready to give us any kind of answer to our questions in less than one second, we were forced to think, plan and use our own abilities. Recent studies show that the new generations have a low capacity of finding practical and effective solutions to tasks which a mobile phone or social media cannot really solve. Such an unfortunate verdict was underlined by a test observing people’s ability to deal with complex information and solve it independently without any kind of scientific knowledge. The findings stated that now the most intelligent fourteen-year-old child is on a par with the brightest twelve-year-old in 1976. This disappointing result can be easily explained when it comes to the drastic reduction in the use of imagination and mental steadiness, especially amongst youngsters. Why should we make so many efforts in finding a good solution to our problems when we can just press a button and find that someone has already thought about it? Probably the best reason is that this way we stop being dependent on anything else other than ourselves, we start train-

However, this is just one of the many downsides that our beloved technological advances present us with. All the scientific and technological innovations nowadays have just one purpose for every individual – getting things done in the best possible way by giving the minimum, in terms of not only mental but also physical efforts. We have become lazier and have no interest in engaging ourselves in activities that can be too stressful and tiring. The immediate outcome is the well-known spread of obesity, which is affecting an increasing number of people all over the world. This is mainly due to a hedonist lifestyle promoted by all the comforts we’re surrounded by. We can definitely say that progress makes the world go round is an absolute truth. But at the same time not all the glitter is gold; the world is spinning faster than ever and our lives are becoming more hectic. It might not be evident at first sight, but our chaotic and busy lifestyle is the main reason why depression is such a common affliction in highly developed countries. The determining causes of this disease are the continuous need to get more out of this life, the incapacity to rejoice of the very few moments of daily peace of mind squeezed between a hard day at work and the frustration of domestic problems. The cycle composed by the necessity of desiring more than what we have and the impossibility to get it is, without any doubt, another effect of the development in all the above mentioned fields. Society is naïve enough to believe that progress brings all the solutions and that it is the only element that can contribute to the improvement of our living standards. Figures and findings state that progress is as useful as it is detrimental for human beings. As always, in any kind of situation, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Scientific, technological and industrial progress have indeed changed most of our habits for good, but we are still the masters of our minds and we should be able to understand where the almost invisible border between what is harmful and what is not, stands. Shakespeare once stated that “nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Too much of anything can be bad and we should therefore be wise enough not to accept every single thing that is now provided by some innovation, but think it through and always see everything from different perspectives.

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The Spirit Lives On Sorcha Foster Fos (IE) What is the difference between a Catholic and a Protestant? Eh, not a lot… something to do with the Virgin Mary, I think. No, stupid, it’s the way they look and act. These Protestants, they have big noses and close-set eyes. Didn’t you know? And they just have different way of looking at things. We aren’t the same. Nowhere but in Northern Ireland could such stereotyping occur. But, despite being totally incorrect, this is a view still held by a great portion of the population. But how could such strange opinions be formed? The problem is that most inhabitants have been brought up in segregated communities, where over 80 percent have the same religious view or at the very least the same political background. A word of warning: Religion is synonymous with politics; Catholics are nationalists and Protestants are unionists, with few exceptions. Moreover, education in the region is separated on the grounds of religion with only a small minority being truly integrated. Stereotypes of previous generations, formed during the ‘Troubles’ of the 1970s

and 1980s, are habitually passed on and the lack of mingling between the opposing groups means they are difficult to eradicate. This is one of the priorities of the “Spirit of Enniskillen Trust”, an award-winning charity, which encourages young people to discuss societal and personal problems between each other regardless of their religious and political background. Putting a number of people of different denominations into the same room may seem like an outrageously simple method to overcome the deep rooted problem of sectarianism. However, division runs so deep in many communities that otherwise even simple dialogue is rendered impossible. The Trust acts as a facilitator of such discourse through each of its three core programmes: “Future Voices”, “Together” and “Explore”. Explore and its follow-up programme Future Voices focus on bringing a number of individuals together, first in Northern Ireland, before journeying to an international location. The goal of the programme is to enable discussion about social issues and develop leadership skills while the international element allows participants to “become detached from what they know”. This detachment allows those involved to become totally immersed in the expe-

rience, rendering them more capable of resetting deeply ingrained prejudices. The leadership training is a particularly vital aspect as it allows young people to propagate their knowledge in their local community while also helping the Trust replenish its own numbers each year through the Future Voices programme. Thus, those who wish to maintain their involvement with the organisation can act as mentors to future participants. One of the biggest strengths of the Trust is its decision to address such issues specifically rather than focusing solely on the religious divide. There is an understanding that in order to break down barriers, young people must see that there is more that unites than divides them, with social issues being a principal way to illustrate this. This feeds into its third programme, Together, which promotes shared education in Northern Ireland. As the first generation to have grown up in relative peacetime, since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the age group the Trust reaches out to now is the first group of young people who have a realistic chance of initiating a truly united society. Although in many areas the likelihood of dismantlement of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;peace wallsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and totally integrated schooling seems far-fetched, promoting of linkages

between Catholic and Protestant schools by organisations such as The Spirit of Enniskillen Trust is vital if long-standing peace is to be secured. The Spirit of Enniskillen Trust, with its multi-pronged approach to tackling sectarianism, is clearly an exemplary model of what young people can do to tackle profound societal problems when they put their minds to it. But at the end of the day money is required to fund the day-to-day organisational activities. Unfortunately the recent austerity drive in the United Kingdom has caused the Trust to lose a large portion of its funding and as a result it has gone into administration for insolvency. Such an outcome leads to questions being asked about the nature of the budgetary cuts. The maintenance of segregated housing and schooling in Northern Ireland cost the British government huge sums of money every year while the Trust was receiving only small but essential quantities. The work of the organisation would probably have reduced the need for some of these extraordinary monetary demands in the long run. But now we shall never know. Whilst no longer in existence, the Spirit of Enniskillen Trust has hopefully created a platform upon which new organisations or even the government itself can build. Let us hope that all the progress made has not been lost.

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in the footsteps of atoms and bacteria Marilena Saraidari Saraid (GR) In most European countries and especially in Greece, formal education in science subjects rarely manages to fascinate students. The reason is not that science is just basically boring to teenagers, but that school classes do not allow students to observe the way of thinking that researchers follow, or the process of scientific research and scientific dialogue. This could be achieved if students were offered an opportunity to choose a topic themselves, consider it as a researcher would and present it, in a scientific manner, to an audience that shares the same academic interests with them. With just that goal in mind, the Anatolia College of Thessaloniki in Greece organised the first Anatolia College Science and Technology Annual Conference (ACSTAC) in 2011. After two years of success, Anatolia College is more than happy to host this popular conference for a third year in May 2013. Expectations are high, especially after the success of the previous years. The idea behind ACSTAC is not that unlike the one behind EYP: It is a simulation. Students are not expected to present a new scientific discovery by themselves; it is all about learning how to critically approach a scientific subject. The conference consists of a number of groups and programme elements: the workshops where experiments are carried out, the presentations where participants present their final pieces, the posters where people that were not selected for a presentation have the chance to show their work, the Organising Committee, the jurors of the Evaluation Committee, and the Press Team. The purpose of the conference is to create an environment that lets students participate in a research process by presenting the findings of their investigations. Through this process students can emulate the approaches and methods that researchers follow in order to acquire their scientific knowledge. In this way, they will become familiar with the scientific method, while strengthening their practical interest in science and generally cultivate their curiosity

and thirst for knowledge. Simultaneously, ACSTAC aims to promote collaboration, decision-making capabilities, communication with peers, and the ability to express and develop ideas in a scientific way and then present them to an audience. In order to participate in ACSTAC, a student starts to think about an experiment that he or she wants to conduct research on, or something that he or she has learned in school and writes an abstract, in other words a summary, where they briefly present the topic they will be working on. The abstract is sent to the Evaluation Committee, a number of teachers and university students that are responsible to judge which abstracts consist of ideas that can be developed and presented in the conference. The system the jurors use is electronic and anonymous so that the abstracts can be judged objectively. Once they get a positive response from the Evaluation Committee, the students are able to move on with their research and write their project. It is important to mention that while they are working, they are supervised by a teacher, an expert on physics, biology, math, chemistry, or informatics, depending on the field their project concerns. Finally, there are a couple of extra events taking place, such as a tournament featuring math puzzles and logic problems, where teams representing various schools compete against one another in friendly rivalry, culminating in a final round during the closing ceremony. All in all, ACSTAC is a valuable institution for interested and talented youngsters to follow their passion in a crisisplagued country where formal public education can hardly provide such opportunities. Many thanks go out to everyone involved in the selection process and the conferenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organisation, including the university members of the ACSTAC Evaluation Committee, who guarantee the high standard of quality and merit in papers chosen to be awarded. I wish the best for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ACSTAC, and of course Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward for another great one next year.

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