Amsterdam is often seen as the city of perdition, the land of drugs and prostitutes. But Amsterdam is definitely not only that, so between the 16th and the 20th of February, AEGEE-Amsterdam will show thirty AEGEE-members another side of their city, devoided of prejudice with a green and caring side. We got a sneak peak as we spoke with Maxime Nelissen, AEGEE-Amsterdam’s Vice-President and External Affairs Officer.
The AEGEEan: Your event “Yes we care!” is on the way. What is the main concept?
Maxime: The main concept revolves around sustainability. We want to show the participants that we should care more about our living ways. We can help the environment by separating waste, keeping track of our food etc. Each individual can make big differences for our society with little actions and we want our participants to realize that.
What should participants expect?
Participants can expect a couple of workshops to show them how to help the environment and the ones in need (a recycling workshop, a little visit to a shelter, eating in a restaurant that works with food which would be thrown away if not bought). Of course, we will also do typical Dutch stuff and have loads of fun, for example going ice-skating, visiting the social drinks of AEGEE-Amsterdam and going out in the amazing never-sleeping side of Amsterdam.
The title is “Yes we care!” can you explain the reasons behind it?
The title is “Yes we care!” in reference to “Yes we can!” [President of U.S. Barack Obama’s motto during his first presidential campaign, ed.], to show that we are able to make a difference with little actions. The caring side of Amsterdam that we want to show is thus named in the title.
In your FB event you asked some questions: What can you do for society and how? What issues are important nowadays? According to AEGEE-Amsterdam, what are the answers?
According to AEGEE-Amsterdam you can help society by thinking a little bit more about your actions. You can avoid food-waste, there will be a documentary night about this when we will be watching the documentary “Cowspiracy”, help the ones in need around you by donating clothes you might never wear again and even avoid polluting the environment by recycling. It is all about the little actions. This is what we really want to come through to our participants, so that these actions will be followed to their hometowns.
According to you, Amsterdam is known to be the city of prostitutes and drugs. Tell us three things that will make people change their minds.
Amsterdam has many ‘green’ companies which really care about the environment and keep inventing new concepts to make Amsterdam a better place (such as the restaurant where we will be eating, they have won a prize for their innovating concept), the caring people (of course there are drugproblems but there are also shelters for the homeless amongst them to help them) and the openmindedness of the people of Amsterdam! We are very open towards everybody, everybody is accepted the way they are. We will be showing this by going out in a gaybar one night.
Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Venezia