Tuzla in Bosnia – A new destination for an AEGEE adventure

by  on  in Network

When we heard that Tuzla is our new addition to the network there was a short debate in the AEGEEan team about where it is located – one of the suburbs of Istanbul is also called Tuzla. Even though the place we talk about is not located at the Bosphorus, it’s still hiding lots of interesting secrets and beauties. Welcome one of the founders of the new contact in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina – Aldin Joldic

 How did you hear about AEGEE? One of the founders

I was invited to a Network Meeting (NWM) organized by AEGEE-Sarajevo. I was invited through some personal contacts – people who believed I was able to establish an AEGEE antenna at the University of Tuzla. I really had no idea what to expect, but when the event took place, I visited the workshops and met different and interesting people. I realised AEGEE is a great organisation and it has so much to offer to young Europeans.

Was it hard to form a team?

When the general idea of forming an AEGEE antenna in Tuzla became reality, a motivated team was already formed – freshmen willing to do wonders to promote AEGEE and themselves. Unfortunately, it took a very long time to found AEGEE after we contacted the university. Many team members were demotivated and some graduated, got jobs, so the size of the team was reduced significantly.
What was the biggest challenge on the way joining the network?

The support letter from my university. The procedure was very long and complicated. Some responsible university officials changed their workplace so I had to go through the same procedure over and over again. There were also strange circumstances when they lost the papers or simply forgot about me and AEGEE. Luckily, I was persistant and had an iron will. I must admit I got a bit demotivated, but somehow managed to overcome the difficulties, and got the (in)famous support letter.

Did you visit an AEGEE event already? How was it? What motivated you?

The NWM Sarajevo was the first event I participated in and I was simply amazed. It really helped me broadening my “European horizon” , mostly because I got to meet interesting people and learnt so many things about the association and Europe. That was definitely very motivating for me. I wanted my fellow students from Tuzla to have the same chance of living the spirit of a new and young Europe, which has a brilliant and sparkling future ahead.

What will be your first event organised as a local?

We will try to start from scratch, but to ensure a high quality. I assume it will be some local events for the AEGEE-Tuzla team and the students of the University of Tuzla. We will hold motivational and educational trainings as well as team building. I believe we need to have a strong team and good internal communication to be able to achieve something and tp participate in bigger projects. The goal is of course to organise a SU eventually and who knows, maybe one day an Agora.

Which of the projects/fields of action of AEGEE do you like the most?

I like projects that concern the young people from Tuzla and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unemployment is a big problem in Bosnia. Many young people are affected by the lack of jobs and the lack of quality jobs in their field of expertise. The Youth UnEmployment project therefore is very interesting to me and we will definitely see how we can contribute to it. The Summer University (SU) project is also tempting. The former AEGEE-Tuzla (’95-’02) organised a SU at the University of Tuzla. The tradition is continued by the University itself and now the new AEGEE-Tuzla will try to establish itself as the rightful organiser of the Tuzla SU.

Did you try to contact people from the former AEGEE-Tuzla? Why did your antenna die out?  

I contacted the former AEGEE-Tuzla members. I met with a man who used to lead AEGEE-Tuzla in the period 1999-2002. He said everything was going just fine at that time, they organised a SU and some other events. But he had difficulties in making contacts with the AEGEE members from the period 1995-1997. Those men and women didn’t want to give him the stamp of the organisation and the right to run AEGEE-Tuzla. According to him, the reasons of this decision are unknown. The reason AEGEE-Tuzla was closed is that there were no young generations  interested in running AEGEE, and to be honest, who would like to run an organisation without a stamp and/or other important legal rights?! So when he and his team graduated, AEGEE-Tuzla stopped it’s activities. I didn’t want to contact the 95′-97′ staf because they have probably forgotten all about AEGEE. I figured it would be the best to start from scratch and to form a new organisation which has no connection with the problems from the past, just a great future ahead.
Do you percieve AEGEE as an opportunity to open Bosnia and Herzegovina for more Europeans, to make them aware what’s happening in your country? And also for students of Tuzla to travel all around Europe?
My country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, surely has much to offer. Its rich history and tradition will surely leave no one indifferent. I recommend the following page as a starting point in discovering Bosnia: http://www.bhtourism.ba . Unfortunately, the governing system in Bosnia is very complicated and does very little to make the lives of its citizens better and more comfortable. I believe it’s up to us, the younger generation, to open the doors of Bosnia and Herzegovina to other Europeans. AEGEE can help us a lot in fulfilling this goal. I see AEGEE not only helpful in bringing more of Europe to Bosnia, but also in bringing young Bosnians students to Europe. We always felt like a part of Europe and are proud to be Europeans. Therefore, we are very interested in it’s development and future and we want to make our own contribution in making Europe a better place.

Do you have experience in non-governmetal organisations (NGOs)?

Actually I have a lot of NGO experience. I started off young at the age of 10 with the Red Cross and got interested in the NGO sector because it had much to offer. I got to be a peer educator for Youth Informational Agency in Bosnia where I held workshops on youth activism. There were other NGOs over the course of time. I got the chance to develop my leadership skills and almost in every organisation I volunteered, I was elected and appointed to some managing structures. At the moment, I am the President of the Association of Economy Students at the University of Tuzla.

Who is the driving force behind this process? 

It was mainly me. Ever since I vas very young I was active and tried to learn new things, meet people, and just wanted the opportunity to be included. I strongly believe one has to be able to motivate and activate himself/herself to be able to do the same with others and to complete his/her goals. My motivation is the continuous effort to make myself a better man and while doing this to contribute to the development of the society I live in.

We wish you good luck and a great future in the AEGEE network!

Written by Liliya Buyukliyska, AEGEE-Sofia

Feature photo by Flickr user The Advocacy Project

Photo in the article by Flickr user Little Green Dragon