In spring, ten Network Meetings (NWMs) will be hosted in ten cities scattered all around Europe. The local who will kick off this cycle is AEGEE-Niš that is expecting 20 AEGEEans from the 17th until the 20th of March. We spoke with their president Bratislav Bojić to get to know more about this event and the future plans of the local.
The AEGEEan: Can you tell us more about your local?
Bratislav: Well, the most important thing to say about AEGEE-Niš is that… we are sooo cool [he laughs, ed.]. AEGEEans in Niš are always ready for new friendships and adventures, and this is why we’re the best student organisation in the city. Obviously, we are very modest too. The local in Niš was founded 17 years ago, and all these years we’ve been spreading AEGEE spirit and showing all the great possibilities AEGEE has to offer. I think we’ve been doing pretty good job, but of course, there are so many things that we still need to do.
Why did you decide to apply for the NWM?
One of the things AEGEE-Niš has never done before is NWM. So this is officially the first NWM that AEGEE-Niš will be organising in its 17 years long history! And this AEGEE generation has the honour of organising this kind of AEGEE event. This is the exact reason we’ve decided to apply – the honour of organising it and making history by doing that!
How is the cooperation with your Netcommie?
Oh, our Netcommie Jovana is a real sweetheart! She has become our great friend and advisor, we couldn’t possibly have gotten a better mentor. We love you, Jovana!
How many participants do you expect to have? Only from your area or from other parts of the network too?
We expect around 20 participants. Most of them will probably be from the countries nearby, but we hope that some non-Balkans will visit us as well!
What is the name of your NWM? Can you explain it?
Our NWM is called “Seize the days”. We thought this would be the perfect name because we know that all the participants will have their days in Niš seized in the best way possible! Carpe diem is something that professor Keating (Robin Williams) from “Dead Poets Society” would want all of us to do – learn, love, inspire – and this is exactly what the NWM is all about.
What are your plans for the social programme?
Since Niš has a very rich history, there will be a city tour for sure. And, of course, a party every night since the city offers a very rich night life. There will also be a “kafana” night, which is a big part of Serbian tradition.
What are the upcoming projects of AEGEE-Niš?
We are planning to do several new projects, and to continue some of the AEGEE-Niš traditional projects, like Habla with moi (project about language and culture), Be Smart and Start (project about entrepreneurship), and of course Summer University. This year’s SU is named “Vampires and Gods”, and we are organising it with our friends from AEGEE-Thessaloniki. The main topic is history and Serbian and Greek mythology. This will definitely be an exciting year for AEGEE-Niš!
You can find more information on the event on Facebook. You can apply here and here.
Written by Erika Bettin, AEGEE-Verona