"Welcome to EYP" The MIFI - Issue 2

EDITORIALDear participants, dear lucky ones,

In 2012 the European Youth Parliament turned 25 years old. The EYP does not need to demonstrate once again how boundless can the organisation be. Each year the EYP reaches out to 2 0 , 0 0 0 y o u n g p e o p l e throughout all corners of Europe. After this National Session you will hopefully reflect on what has been an e x p e r i e n c e w o r t h remembering. The EYP needs you to step up and push the organisation to the next l e v e l . L u c k i l y, i n a n organisation like this you’re never alone. The EYP needs

people to make a difference. Will you be one of its groundbreakers? Will you s t e p u p a n d m a k e a difference?

E Y P o f f e r s i n fi n i t e opportunities; how you seize it however will come down to how far you are willing to challenge yourself. You are responsible for that. You are responsible for your own path. Never take no for an answer and always push yourself forward. EYP is all about self-development and expanding both your own as well as other’s horizons. Don’t wait until tomorrow to get things started; EYP starts here.

This organisation is all about the people you meet and what you create with them. Go out, m a k e f r i e n d s , c r e a t e uniqueness, be proactive. The second issue is dedicated to you, delegates. And how cliché it may sound, this session would have not been there if it weren’t for your interest.

EYP will continue to stay, and hopefully so will you.

Yours truly,

Célia, Erdem, Fahad & Sebastian

Your Editorial Team

THEMIFIISSUE2

Brought to you by:

Editorial Team

Célia Poncelin Editress Erdem Topçu Editor Fahad Saher Editorial Aasistant Sebastian Hojas Video Editor

Journalists

Caley Routledge Christina Abdulahad Daria Balatsky David Soler Crespo Helena Pierides Louis Wouters Sabrina Ariana Zephyr Brüggen

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2014 How European

do you feel?By Zephyr Brüggen

Europe is at a crossroad. United in diversity? Would we rather not be so diverse, in times of an economic crisis when many are pleading for more political integration?

In light of the session theme, Bridging the divide between Me & Europe, Europe & I, The MIFI set out to explore how connected individual citizens feel to the European Union. The answers turned out to be rather diverse.

Asked how European they feel on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being not European at all and 10 being very European, one delegate said

she felt like a 3: ‘Europe is such an abstract concept, something that does not really apply to my daily life.’ Upon being asked if she felt that Europe in its current political and economic state needs more integration, the identity to match, or even to legitimize further in teg rat ion , she answered negatively. ‘No. Intercul tural understanding is very important, but I feel Swedish, not European. Self-identifying with a nationality is important. And I don’t see how all the different Member States would benefit from a common identity. They simply are not the same. They might be, to some extent, under the same government but we should not underestimate their different national historical and cultural

values.” Her friend agreed with

her, and said she felt like a 5. However, she also stated that: “I will be more European after this session.” Moving on to another group of delegates, vividly continuing discussion of their topic during the coffee break, the results were different.

“I will give it a 7. That seven is definitely because of EYP. Before this, I didn’t really care or even think about Europe.”“Yeah, haha, I feel so incredibly international at this session.”

“I think I feel like a 9.” “A 9!!!” “Yes, that is a 9. But it is probably because I am Belgian, I live in Luxemburg and I have lived in Switzerland.”

Other delegates were more sceptical. They rate themselves

somewhere in the middle. A 4, a 5, another 4… “At this session, I feel like someone from Stockholm.”“But when you go to France, or Norway, you would probably feel very Swedish. And, if you go abroad, to another continent, you would probably feel European, right?”

The committee on Constitutional Affairs, discussing the upcoming European elections, gave a group

average grade of 7. “Integration is something Europe needs, to move forward.”

One AFCO delegate even

declared himself a 10.1 European, and doesn’t feel Swedish at all. But then again, he has lived in different European countries.But is a European identity required to justify the existence of the EU, and if it is, should we be striving to create it artificially?“Well… yes. Of course it doesn’t have to be forced upon people. But yes, we need some integration, similar to the USA, where there are different states but they all identify as American.”- “So you think it should be a federation?” “Oh, no no no, it is just the sentiment that I like.”His fellow delegate says she is a

7. “It’s definitely because of EYP. If you would just ask a random person on the street, they would probably say that they feel Swedish. National identity and European identity should exist next to each other, they cannot be separated.”

We can conclude that the degree of self-identification with a European identity depends a great deal on your individual involvement. That, in turn, depends on the country you live in and the amount of cultural exchange you have had with different countries. Europe is a big open space that offers many opportunities. We all interact, yet we all have an individual relation to the Union. And to what extent are we one in that? It is up to you.

designed by Sabrina Ariana Mellerowic

Sleepless nights of preparations and booked out schedules. Not only does the European Youth Parliament involve time and energy; an immense amount of motivation is also vital. Interviewing the brilliant board of the session, we have tried to understand the drive behind continuing in EYP. Zahra Runderkamp, Victoria Wilkinson, Anar Kucera and Franziska Maier have, in total, been involved for 26 years, participating in 122 sessions. What’s their motivation for doing EYP after all these years? What makes them continue?

EYP has opened up a whole new world for the board of the session and for thousands of young people all over Europe. A world of fun and games, of new faces, and interesting people, but also of forums to discuss the important, yet challenging issues of our time.

Moreover, EYP has contributed tremendously to the board’s personal development. The skills they gained have been exceedingly valuable- not only for EYP sessions and events, but also in their everyday life. Intercultural communication, public speaking, and language development are a few of the very valuable skills they now possess and master! The EYP has been a constant and pleasant reassurance for them in that its impact has greatly influenced their lives. Currently Anar is working as an assistant at the European Parliament and it is clear that EYP proved a catalyst to his final job decision. As for Zahra, EYP had a vast impact on her decision to choose an international university. Being involved for such a long time, Victoria expresses that she cannot picture her life without EYP. It has affected her in a lot of ways and has given her a deeper knowledge of the EU; its? intuitions, its Member States and, of course, its cultures.

As for Franziska, EYP endorsed her to choose the

p ro g r a m m e o f ” P u b l i c M a n a g e m e n t a n d Governance”, which she is currently studying. Her willingness to learn as well as the eagerness to personally develop by finding the best ways to experience the various roles at sessions motivated her to continue from the beginning of her EYP career. Consequently, her focus shifted to improve the concept of EYP and that of Germany in particular. Her role in the German National Committee is substantial and exceptionally rewarding she says. It is evident that EYP opens a lot of doors and the experiences and opportunities are endless. For instance, Franziska today shares a flat together with three close friends of hers, of which all involved in EYP. Therefore, the ways to go further can stretch far beyond sessions and the possibilities to engage in local, national as well as international levels are countless.

Concluding, the main reasons to stay involved in EYP has always been about the people they’ve meet. The relations and friendships developed are undoubtedly the most substantial part of EYP according to the members of the board. Zahra admitted that after her first National Session as a delegate she saw that there was more to it. ”People actually cried when they said goodbye to each other, they had apparently experienced something special together, they had a bond.” This bond, in other words, the EYP family, has been the main reason to continue according to all of them. The opportunity to get to know all these interesting people has been highly inspiring.

Once started, why hold back? EYP became a challenging and life changing adventure. So after all these years, was it worth it? Well, that remains up to you to discover! But as one of the chairpersons of the session put it: ”EYP is like a drug, once you’ve stared, you want more and more!”

I’m Addicted to YouBy Christina Abdulahad

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I'm addicted to you! Hooked on your love, Like a powerful drugI can't get enough of, What can I do? EYP addicted to you!

by David Soler Crespo

Welcoming Zahra Runderkamp to as the President of the 10th National Session of EYP Sweden reminds the city of Gothenburg of its Dutch roots. In light of her inspirational speech at the Opening Ceremony on Saturday morning, she further shares with us intriguing facts and figures which delve deeper into her life story.

Admitting that describing EYP in one sentence is “really, really difficult”, Zahra quotes a definition an EYPers’ mum gave after seeing EYP through her own eyes at a session: “EYP is like playing real life”. The President agrees that it is indeed a type of theatre in which all participants practice and develop skills for the real future as it gives youngsters the opportunity to discuss and act like adults, whether it be by being a delegate, a Head-Organiser or a Member of the Board. She admits that “it is great practice for later on in life” as EYP teaches its participants to be responsible young adults and open regarding friendships and

new cultures.

As far as presiding this particular session, Zahra expresses her “definite excitement” and adds that EYP Sweden and Sweden as a country in fact, are “well known for their high standards and tight organisation”.

However, like all EYPers, Zahra too once started as a delegate. Despite not being selected after her very first session, she explains how she managed to stay involved within EYP to the point of attending multiple sessions all over Europe, and also presiding the National Committee of EYP

“MY LAUGH IS MY TRADEMARK”an interview with session president Zahra RunderkampBy Helena Pierisdes & Louis Wouters

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the Netherlands (EYP NL). “A friend of mine, who was actually more eager than I was (laughs), dragged me to my first Alumni meeting” Zahra explains. In this way, she started getting involved and during the year after her school graduation she attended a Regional Session as a Journalist while studying in France. As far as current delegates are concerned, she advises them to join the Facebook Group “Sessions!” to apply to calls that are circulated, as well as to pay attention to the valuable Closing Ceremony speeches of the Board Representatives of EYP Sweden.

Digging deeper into her EYP career, Zahra struggles at first but finally shares her most memorable moment in EYP: “My first International Session as a Journalist in Lillehammer- quite up North in Norway, was the longest session I had ever attended at the time and super cold with snow everywhere! It was memorable in the sense that it was such a different environment for me”. However, she definitely struggles to pick her most fun moment in EYP and thus, words her answer differently. “It is super complicated to point out one event” so she concludes that “either due to a really great committee or a really good academic experience” she always had an amazing time.

Concerning her future plans, there have been rumours that she will be less active in EYP once she steps down from being President of EYP NL the following month. “I want to make clear that I’m not leaving leaving! I am not really sure what life is like after EYP, [...] but I have so many friendships and fun at sessions abroad I think I would prefer to continue participating in a few, even after stepping down”. Regarding her daily life, she jokes that she does not really have one beside EYP: “I work aaaaand I do EYP!” She is

currently a Project Manager at the Academic Cultural Centre of Amsterdam where she manages the conference room for lectures and debates, which is still something very “EYP-ish”. She enjoys the fact that her job involves many things running at the same time, which is exactly like the work behind the scenes in EYP where you are continuously faced with a lot of different projects. As a person, she finds that it is “challenging to switch from one project to another” and prefers it this way, as she herself admits that “her future is not a one-way street in which one just makes progress with a clear goal”.

Zahra concludes that she has never known what she wants to become in the future apart from her vision to create a political party called ZZZ: Zeker Zonnig Zahra, which loosely translates to “Surely Sunny Zahra” at the age of eight! She confesses that she is now on the verge of really having to decide the direction she will take in life but she firmly believes in “going with the flow”.

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Describe yourself: My laugh is my trademark Number of sessions attended: Around 25 Pets: My cat, “Marietje” (referring to her favourite cartoon: Aristocats) Weirdest habit: I am a bit OCD! For example, I get the urge to wash up and do the dishes at 3am! Favourite food: Almost everything my mum cooks… but not everything, she makes some weird stuff from time to time! Did you have phases with your hairstyle? Only regarding its length, not its colour Favourite sport: Tennis and of course curling! It’s so great! (bursts out laughing)

Use this QR code to hear your

personal message from Zahra

Please.

… there was no Teambuilding?

"Teambuilding, in the context of the European Youth Parliament (EYP), means communication training, focused on group dynamics." Before we dive into academics, every session starts with Teambuilding. What feels like switching off your brain for a day has psychological as well as practical motives. Ask yourself whether you could genuinely express your opinion amongst people you have just met without having casually talked to them beforehand? Proper Teambuilding is essential for fruitful discussions without feeling intimidated.

The longer as you stay involved in our organisation, the more you will appreciate Teambuilding, which focuses on the people, focuses on YOU! Many other debate platforms may not centralise people as the EYP would. As Zahra has stated in her speech during the Opening Ceremony, the EYP is about people, unique friendships, and cultural exchange. Most likely you will realise this when you come home from this session feeling like you are situated in your personal black hole as you got used to the people surrounding faster than can imagine whilst experiencing the session.

… EYP was not limited to Europe?

Have you ever considered the idea of maybe having a "World Youth Parliament"? How about traveling 5,000 kilometres instead of 500 kilometres? How about going to Beijing instead of Lisbon? Traveling from one session to another for only a couple of days can become quite pricey. The idea of flying around the globe may not be totally realistic nor an environmentally friendly one. Moreover, some may frown upon the idea, as only a few of us are privileged enough to afford attending such sessions. The EYP has however started to express its interest to expand its horizons to other continents. Last summer the first delegation of the European Youth Parliament participated in the African Youth and Governance (AYG) in Accra, Ghana. In return, the first Euro African Youth Parliament Session is going to take place in Berlin between March 27th and April 4th of this year. The session will gather as many African as European Participants and is organized together with the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF) from Accra. Moreover, EYP organises Euro-Mediterranean events where Stockholm hosted the most recent one in 2013. This eventually lead to an initiative in Tunisia based on the model as we know it in EYP. We can thus see that EYP is actually not merely limited to Europe anymore.

What if...?By Daria Balatsky & Sabrina Ariana Mellerowic

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14 … there was no media team?

Gothenburg 2014 is the first National Session of EYP Sweden with a media team; an initiative many National Committees of the EYP have implemented some years ago. What difference does a media team make in a session? There are various ways of defining EYP Journalism depending on ones personal experiences and point of view. Some very common purposes why we have media teams are entertainment of session participants and capturing the memorable moments. Journalists do not only write articles focussing on European issues but might bring you tips and session insights. When you come home from a session you will at least spend half your day on the media team's Facebook page to reprocess a session, which includes scrolling through photos, tagging them, and watching the videos over and over again. The MIFI is however aiming for more than that. Workshops, a Freeze Motion video, and a ‘before-you-die wall’ are only a few examples of the countless ways we try to keep EYP Journalism innovative and fresh. We aim to bring you together, to facilitate a great EYP experience to accompany the academics, and of course to make an effort to intermingle as many participants as possible. After all, aren’t the great moments of events like these worth capturing? Would the memories fade with time if it weren’t for the journalists?

…. EYP did not require unanimous consent?

One of the reasons EYP is so challenging undoubtedly is related to the process of

discussion and coming to a consensus. One may question how the EYP would look like if it did not require unanimous consent- would everything be easier? Then delegates within the committees could write whatever they wanted on the resolution because it does not have to be unanimous, meaning we could just argue with ourselves. In the same resolution where we wish to stop prostitution it would also wish to support it. The situation would be far from how we know it now. In other words; the EYP would be unlike what it currently allows us to do; to develop our communication skills and learn from the perspectives of the others. In the existing situation the compromise allows all the delegates to have their opinions shared, and without, some people may not have any input at all. There would be a confrontation between both sides within the group as well as amongst the other groups during the General Assembly.

…EYP was for six-year-olds?

Perhaps some topics would read as follows:

The Committee on CROA (Committee on Crayon Affairs): "In light of the recent struggles between kindergartners in the European Union (EU) whether ‘Orange’ and ‘Burnt Orange’ are the same colour continues to plague Europe. How can we decide upon the names of Crayons in order to promote a more peaceful Europe and please the citizens?"

It is a question nearly as old as EYP itself: how essential are media teams to sessions? Before wasting your time, when using that metric of "how essential", I can answer "not at all". A session will function without one. The real question to be asked is whether or not they add distinct value, as well as enough of it; EYP itself is non-essential, but it adds to the lives of its participants and alumni. But does EYP Journalism do the same? This is a question that burdens all Media Teams, but as Gothenburg14 is the first National Session of EYP Sweden to feature such officials, this debate has never been more relevant. A National Committee renowned for its ability to produce sessions of a high quality has seen fit to incorporate a Media Team, which must count for something, right? Surely it means we have value?

Well, as a member of that Media Team, I can answer "hopefully". Hopefully we've proven our worth. But part of the value we've added to this session has stemmed from the unique vision of our Editors, which saw us provide workshops on topics varying from Public Speaking to Poetry, from Politics to Photography. Not all EYP sessions can boast such an active Media Team. The classical model of EYP Journalism has "Journos" produce articles, photographs and videos, and that's it. And it's that form of Media Team that we must judge.

If you're a delegate in Gothenburg and are reading this, thank you. Articles written by journalists often go unread even though, more often than not, they're well written and helpful. And if our articles are unread, then there is clearly no point to them. However, I know that I still have a copy of every single issue produced at every single session I've attended, as either a delegate or an official. I know others who are the same. As a delegate, some of these issues truly aided me academically, or interested me personally; I know I appreciated them, I know many others do too. As an individual, EYP Journalism has allowed me to develop my skills in a field I have a passion for, and add to my experience. Delegate or official, articles within EYP hold an important role in increasing the overall value of the session.

But when it comes to self-development, video and photographic content have little impact. They're criticised as simply appealing to post-session nostalgia. What's the point of that? Really? You've already enjoyed the evening programmes and teambuilding first hand. I'd argue that this isn't a valid criticism. It's fun to look back and see pictures of you and your

friends, it's the reason people have kept photo albums for decades, it's often only the reason many people have Facebook. Videos are generally hilarious, and if not hilarious they're emotional. Regardless they're always greatly anticipated after a day of hard work. These two outputs of media teams are about fun. And at the end of the day, just how fun EYP is often what separates us from other organisations. Within this organisation we enjoy unforgettable experiences. Media Teams play a part in making sure you don't forget them, regardless of how good your own memory actually is.

At the beginning of this session, a fellow journalist was asked by a delegate: "What's the point of Media Teams?". By the end, our team is being begged for copies of the issues, and constantly quizzed as to when the next video will be out. It is no doubt true that occasionally a session unfortunately occurs in which the journalistic content was not worth the cost of the team. Media Teams should have to earn their place at a session, but so too should all other teams. And if we're not doing enough, we'll do more. I'm confident that at this session, we were worth it. Workshops, Freeze Motion, Individual journalistic projects, and most importantly, Silly Walks, I hope you enjoyed at least one aspect of this unique session, because at the end of it all, that's all that really matters. I hope too that future journalists look at this session and take something from it. Without our media teams, sessions of the European Youth Parliament become inherently less valuable to all involved. And an EYP like that is something I hope I never see.

TITLE GOES HERENo mistake, that’s really the title.By Caley Routledge

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“It’s the first day I can act like a criminal, it feels great.”

“She must like tea, she looks like Buddha.”

“Since I‘m smart, I can be one of the babies.”

“It’s always easier when

you have money; that’s

a fact.”

“I would say EYP is like a drug; once you’ve

tasted it, you want more and

more.”

“OHH OH OHH THAT’S WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL!”

“EYP is like a box of

chocolate; you never know what

kind of committee you

will get.”

“EYP is like the mafia; once

you join, it’s really hard to

leave.”

“It’s the European

Union, not the European

Break Apart.”

YOUR QUOTESCollected by Daria Balatsky

by Daria BalatskyChristina Abdulahad

Helena PieridesZephyr Brüggen

• • •

MIFI asked, and you answered. Yesterday around the average teenagers’ morning – noon - and a set of questionnaires was set up in order to answer a few questions about the mysterious MIFI. We asked:“What does MIFI stand for, and how it is pronounced?”“What is EYP in one word?”“What do you want to do before you die?”

Some answers were amusing, some meaningful, whereas most answers included Erdem -and a shower. With that we present some of the best collection of quotes from the question wall.

What MIFI means:“Media Is Fantaboulsly Interesting”“Meatballs Invading France Internationally”“Meat Is (my) First Love”“Media Is Fun Indeed”“MIFI Is Fully (in) Unpronounceable” “Maya Is a Fantastic Individual”“Mister Figaro:“Media is Fulfilling Information”“Media I find Interesting”

Before I die, I would like to:“Experience a good night’s sleep in EYP”“Meet Zoolander”“Execute a media campaign” “Write a novel”“Yell at Michael Gove/Jon Bjorkland”“Meet Frodo”“Have a long and happy life““Find the end of the universe”“Finding out who let the dogs out”“Watch Beyoncé” “Meet 1D”

“Marry Zahra” “Find Waldo”“Dance on butter”“Open more spaces and interact”“Meet Jack Sparrow”“Live.”“Spontaneous trip to the first destination in the airport”“Be able to pronounce ‘Poncelin’ correctly”“Find out the secrets of The MIFI”“Marry Ryan Gosling”“Serve Célia croissants”“Kill Joffrey” “Have tea with the queen”“See the world” “Go parachuting”“Fight Chuck Norris“Win the lottery”

EYP in one word:“Godlike”“Haidouken”“Supercaliffragilisticexpialidocious”“Fantastic”“#Swolo”“EMPLicious”“Supercool”“Magnus Hall”

¿ THE MIFI ASKS

And finally, how ‘The MIFI’ is pronounced:Winning by two votes C’est la M”ee”F”ee”, oui oui!

CLASS OF 2014