Annual General Meeting of ESN was just officially closed. While AGM Granada OC is still working on post-CNR delegations are slowly coming back home after one week of intense work, various decision making, researches of new partners and many other things. Yesterday the last part of Lithuanian has landed so finally we are all at home and now it is time to share skills we gained, things we experienced and news we were happy to get to know.

Officially AGM was opened at 22nd of March. It was the day then finally all Lithuanian delegation came together. Pink cloud or the so called bubble gum’s color was easily noticeable from everywhere. 10 girls (Ieva Vezbergaitė, ESN LT NR; Sandra Baltkojytė, ESN LT PR/ESN ISM; Simona Patašiūtė, ESN VGTU; Justina Krauledaitė, ESN KTU; Giedrė Gelšvartaitė, ESN KTU/ESN KuK; Kamilė Urbonavičiūtė, ESN KK; Brigita Tumakovaitė, ESN VU; Rusnė Malakauskaitė, ESN VMU; Toma Rimkevičiūtė, ESN ŠU and Viktorija Gurčinatė, ESN MRU Vilnius) represented Lithuania. This time delegation was dressed by personal clothes specially designed for AGM Granada’12 by Simona Patašiūtė (ESN VGTU President). This has helped our delegation to be seen every time and everywhere.

The opening day started then delegations met each other at registration, which was established at Hotel Nazaries***** lobby, the same hotel where our delegation has spent all those 4 nights and 5 days, everyone was invited to a city tour, which was guided by ESN volunteers and took only few hours that there would be enough time to prepare for the opening ceremony. Opening ceremony took place in a luxurious Theatre Isabel La Catolica, where about 400 people were welcomed in AGM Granada right after 10 years after the last AGM in Spain (AGM Lugo 2002). Warm words from IB by Tania, people from AGM OC and Spain education system delegates, videos dedicated to 25th anniversary of Erasmus program and a performance of the local music band playing with traditional instruments invited everyone to enjoy every moment being in Granada. After that participants were invited to have a dinner and later to continue the first day of AGM with Flag parade through the streets of beautiful Granada. From Hotel Nazaries to El Camborio with highly international atmosphere, but always with the colors of yellow, green and red, Lithuanian songs, flags and good mood we were happy to be a part of ESN. We were proud to be able to represent Lithuania – country, which might be a small one in Europe, but not in ESN, where our works are appreciated as other days have shown. So the first day finished in welcome party at El Camborio in front of shinning Alhambra’s castle – 8th miracle of the world. During the first day we have seen lots of things, but there were 3 more days to go.

Friday has invited to an info market, where our delegation has represented 6 different our universities offering a wide range programs of studies. Usually Lithuanian table welcomed people who were really interested in technical sciences more than social ones. Without offering opportunity to better get to know various universities of the Europe, AGM Informaket has invited to see the presentation of new ESN partner – NewYorker, which was offering opportunities to join their team, to use opportunities of internship and just simply discuss about the future perspectives of NewYorker and ESN. At the same time workshops were organized, where we better got to know techniques of decision making, future of Erasmus with Erasmus for All, to listen experiences of Alumnis or try to improve your visual design skills during an hour. After the dinner in the yard of the faculty of Sciences everyone gathered together for the first plenary session at this AGM, where the most exciting part was presentations of candidates to International Board. 3 potential presidents, 3 vice presidents, 3 communication managers, 2 web project administrators and 1 treasurer gave up their future vision of ESN. For more info about presentations contact us. After plenary who took far more than expected time for Eurodinner was coming. Here Lithuania presented their cuisine with white and other kinds of cheeses, candies as Fortūna and Miglė, our traditional TINGINYS. Some meat was provided as well just in usually unexpected forms for our international guests when they got to know that the thing they have just tasted is ear of pig or stomach of chicken. Some Lithuanian drinks were provided as well. That’s how already half of the AGM had passed away.

24th March, Saturday was full of serious information, presentations of the candidates for future international events. Candidacy for AGM 2013 was proposed by 3 different cities: Maribor in SLOVEnia, Vienna in Austria and Milan in Italy. CND 2012 had 3 options as well with candidacies of ESN Maleventum (Italy), ESN Orebro (Sweden) and ESN Valnecia UPV (Spain). ESN TU-Graz and ESN UNI-Graz (Graz, Austia) suggested organizing CEP 2012. At the same day results of previous Board was also presented, decisions about statutes and standing orders and much more. During all day spent under the roof in plenary session we have finally managed to accept some changes in statutes and to work out problems with voting devices that on Sunday the process of IB election would be fluent. This day ended not only with show of horses but also with a Spanish dinner where participants got opportunity to try out Spanish cuisine.

The last and the most important day of the AGM, 25th March, invited to listen about partners of ESN, reports about previous international events and finances we are disposing. Together with that presentation of ESN Alumni has happened as well when ESN Alumni project was elected. It was Erasmus Student Network Politechnika Warszawska (ESN PW / WUT) which got the award and since now they will have even better opportunities to improve their ideas. Without that participants heard about results of project Ride for your Rights, EduK8, ESN Survey, together with plans about future of ESN Card and all ESN, some ideas about corporate identity usage, but the most important part was voting this time. So there and then we have elected not what other soon countries will be filled up with ESN spirit, but also who will lead ESN in the future.

IB:

President - Emanuel Alfranseder (ESN Sweden);
Vice-president - Katharina Ma (ESN Austria);
Treasurer - Mario Alarcon (ESN Spain);
Communication Manager - Juan Colino (ESN Spain);
WPA - Fabian Bircher (ESN Switzerland).

International events for 2012/2013:

• AGM 2013 – ESN Maribor, ESN Slovenia.
• CND 2012 – ESN Örebro, ESN Sweden.
• CEP 2012 – Graz (ESN TU-Graz & ESN UNI-Graz), ESN Austria.
• NEP 2012 – Tallinn, ESN Estonia.
• SEEP 2012 – ESN Athens AUEB, ESN Greece.
• SWEP 2012 – Madrid, ESN Spain.
• WEP 2012 – was not elected.

Elections were over and the only thing what was left was beautiful Gala dinner, which took place in the restaurant of Hotel Nazaries*****. It was the time of beauty, suites and dresses and international ESN STAR awards as well. Best of the bests were announced and the results were amazingly shocking for ESN Lithuania which got an award for the STARproject (Cultural Nights by ESN VMU)!!! Other winners were:

ESN UJ Krakow - STARlight 2012
ESN Zagreb, Croatia - STARTer 2012;
Erasmus Student Network UKSW - webSTAR 2012;
ESN Greece - STARland 2012.

Time of AGM was ending, time for the first goodbyes came. But it’s only for the moment because many more international events are in front of us.

By Sandra Baltkojytė