Sergio's EUGLOH story:

“Comment fera-t-on l'Europe si les jeunes ne voient pas en elle un projet collectif et une représentation de leur propre avenir ?” As stated by Jacques Delors, the future of the European Union lies on youth engagement in this collective project.

As a student who has been exploring and doing research on European diversity through its different landscapes – from demographic, regional, artistic, linguistic and other perspectives – taking part in ESA24 not only presented a unique opportunity to share these experiences with like-minded students from universities across the continent, but also to exchange different perspectives about our shared concerns as members of the so-called ‘Erasmus Generation’.

If I had to highlight the most relevant aspect of this event, it would be its social dimension. Our different backgrounds and personalities created an enriching atmosphere based on diversity. This could be clearly seen at a glance from the presence of both university alliance hoodies and tailored suits in the crowd, with all of us working side by side and contributing to a common end from our distinct perspectives. A perfect example of deliberative democracy and In varietate concordia, the EU motto meaning ‘united in diversity’.

In my panel, we addressed the topic of European heritage, on which we had been working since January in the form of weekly meetings, specialised research in small groups, general workshops about EU policies, and conversations with experts. We were rewarded for all the discussions we had on the topics – and the choices we made on both form and content, incorporating feedback received from other panels – when our final seven policy recommendations were adopted in the plenary session. Moreover, the work also helped us develop skills such as creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, policy drafting, institutional communication and networking.

From an academic perspective, ESA24 resulted in a very productive as much as intensive week in Strasbourg since it provided interesting network connections, future project opportunities, lots of food for thought for my research, and useful recommendations for university alliances. Some examples of the latter include promoting the pragmatic role of (Euro-)English as lingua franca on campuses and implementing the European degree as further steps in fostering cross-border cooperation and building bridges for knowledge, research, education and training.

Although EU institutions are often deemed distant and inaccessible for the youth, events such as ESA, the European Youth Week or the Erasmus Generation Meeting, all of them taking place just a few weeks before the 6-9th June 2024 European Parliament elections, prove that we young Europeans want to address the challenges of our time. As mentioned in the plenary sessions, we are the new European citizens, not the future, but the present, and we hope our voices could be heard now.

All in all, I observe ESA24 as a metaphor of Europe: citizens who engage in cross-border understanding and exchange, helping and learning from each other, in order to make progress in their own academic, professional, social and personal spheres – all while contributing to the common project we are all building together.

Sergio Muñoz, PhD in Multilingualism, European Studies, International Student Mobility at University of Alcalá.

Daniela's EUGLOH Story:

It was my second time participating in ESA, so it felt like returning to an old adventure, but this time with more responsibilities and ideas to put into practice.

In this edition, I was selected to be a coordinator for the panel on ‘European Heritage’, and over the course of four months I co-coordinated a group of 22 students in the selection of sub-topics, the writing of policy recommendations, and the invitation of experts.

Initially, it was difficult to organise meetings with all the participants because of our class schedules and different time zones, and online meetings aren’t always the best way to communicate. But by the end of March, we all did a great job in drafting the policies and delivering them by the deadline.

In this panel, the in-person event made us connect more and we even became friends. We spent three days together, communicating ideas for the policies in the panel sessions and sharing our traditions, cultures and funny stories during our daily walks to the European Parliament, or to the hostels. I believe those little things made a huge difference when creating a good environment within the group.

The opportunity to be in person with all the other students from different panels, voluntary students or steering committee was also a plus. I managed to talk with different people, including old colleagues who participated with me in the first edition, and even found a volunteer who was studying at the same university as me! An exchange of ideas about European Universities also occurred with staff members from other alliances during the ‘Village of Alliances’, which provided an opportunity to see what other alliances were offering.

ESA24 allowed coordinators to share the problem statement on the first day and the panel’s recommendations on the last day. I was tasked with the presentation of the executive summary of Panel 7, before the voting process. Making sure I was speaking loud enough to the audience, making eye contact and presenting the text I prepared the previous night within the five minutes was a challenge – but I can say it was successful! All seven of the policies proposed by my panel were accepted, and that was a victory for us.

ESA organization improved, when comparing the first and third editions, allowing students to experience the place of MEPs and to better understand the EU’s voting processes. In the future, I hope to have the opportunity to return to ESA again, aiding in the organisation or just as one of the ESA alumni!

Daniela Marques, PhD in Design at University of Porto.

Márcio's EUGLOH Story:

As a Brazilian, the opportunity to study on a different continent, immerse myself in a new culture, and participate in a remarkable project like ESA has been truly life-changing.

The experience at ESA24 was centred around commitment, optimism and the exchange of ideas. We were divided into eleven groups based on our panels. I was part of a panel focusing on shaping a better future for the EU. Our goal was to develop strategies that would ensure dignified treatment of migrants from outside the Union.

Sharing stories with other students, hearing their experiences, achievements, failures, expectations and fears made this entire experience more human, compelling and special. We spent time discussing our alliances, debating politics, dreaming of future professional opportunities, and admiring the European Parliament building—I often expressed how delighted I would be to work in such a place. While we agreed and disagreed on various policy proposals, we managed to accomplish our goals. It was incredibly rewarding to see all eight of our proposals pass during the plenary session, which invoked a sense of responsibility and democracy in action while establishing and voting on the EU’s priorities.

Outside of our work sessions, we enjoyed evenings together, chatting as much as we could, exploring the city, laughing and having fun. We learned about the European Union’s role in the world and felt a collective urgency to do more for the future of our generation and the ones to come.

This opportunity was truly special and unique. I am immensely grateful to my alliance, EUGLOH, for allowing me to be part of this enriching environment.

Márcio dos Santos de Sousa, Master in International Relations at University of Szeged:

These texts are part of the “My EUGLOH story” series, in which members of the EUGLOH community talk about their EUGLOH experience.