09.30.07
Martina Punz – FC Candidate
I am the Secretary General of a local JEF section of JEF Austria, JEF Vienna. At the same time I think I can offer a very large international and training experience to the next FC. In the course of the last year, I have taken part in many international JEF events and official meetings of JEF-Europe and I wish to continue my work in this important body of our common umbrella organisation – for the pleasure and benefit of everybody!
Jan Sisko – FC Candidate
Since I was involved in international and local activities of JEF already at a young age, I had the possibility to follow the development of the organisation and to get a clear picture of all its strengths and perspectives but also the challenges it has to face permanently. As my experiences during my numerous activities in JEF created a deep affection to the organisation, I have a strong will to actively contribute to its further positive evolution in the FC. During my studies of political science, I gained insight in the processes of international political processes and specialized in the field of international institutions. Besides the achieved theoretical competences, the fortunate situation of Vienna, as a seat of OSZE, UN and several other international organisations allowed me to get in contact and to get involved in some of their projects, aiming to establish sustainable relations with JEF. The evaluation of OSZE reports on Kosovo and the organisation of the Model United Nations (MUN), a simulation of UN-Conferences for young people in Vienna are among them, as well as several debates and events in the Diplomatic Academy. I am highly motivated to transfer the expertise I obtained on a regional level to the European level to support JEF to use the potential that cooperating with international institutions offers to it.
09.22.07
Günter Lindner – FC Candidate
A participant of my recent working group said that my experience and knowledge is on an equal level with my wit and ability to motivate a crowd of young people even after several long days and nights. Those who know me can only say this is an understatement! I’m running for the FC because I feel that my contacts and experience, gained among others by organising the youth event of the European Council presidency, the ASEM youth dialogue and the ICNYP conference, enable me to successfully contribute to the work of a body of JEF which is in urgent need of some fresh activity!
Günter Lindner
09.17.07
FC Candidate – Stefanie Scharrenbach
Dear friends,
I am Stefanie, 26 years old and I am a member of JEF since 2003. Until now, I have served on the board of the JEF section in Berlin-Brandenburg (first as treasurer, than as vice-president). I graduated in political sciences last year and I am preparing for my doctoral thesis on governance beyond the level of the nation state at the moment. In my “spare” time I am working as accountant in the JEF Germany office, as a project manager for the German youth council and as a freelancer in the youth department of the German parliament.
I want to candidate for the FC after being involved in several international JEF projects as a participant or organiser to also take up responsibility in the political discussions and work with people from different backgrounds to further our common ideas and goals. If being elected as FC member, I want to focus especially on the following issues:
1) Finances: A solid financial situation is the fundament of effective campaigns as well as of sustainable projects and a healthy organisation. In my opinion the FC should intensify its efforts to support the EB’s financial and project policy.
Policy formulation: It is more crucial than ever to discuss the future of the European Union. I am convinced that our answer to the constitutional crisis can only be to continue promoting the idea of a European Union with a democratic constitution, and a liberal EU with a high degree of solidarity among the citizens and member states. But we should also talk about policy fields which have been more or less neglected by JEF. One example is the migration and integration policy, which we started to discuss in PC federal society.
2) Projects: It is my firm belief that political education is one of JEF’s pillars. Pupils and other students are often not aware to which extend European politics concern their daily life. In the federal committee gather creative, innovative, experienced and highly motivated Jeffers from all over Europe. Therefore, I would like to discuss my own experiences for example of the simulation of the EP in Berlin and international youth parliaments with you to define best practice project guidelines and to facilitate exchange of ideas that give young people the opportunity for discussing European politics in a constructive way.
Hoping to see you well in Copenhagen, Stefanie
President Candidate
Dear friends,
please find here some ideas about the future of JEF, our “amazing community”!
1) A global JEF
We are world citizens born on the European continent. JEF should focus more on world affairs. The reasons for uniting Europe are to be found more in the world than in Europe itself. Why shouldn’t we try to confront our visions with the youth in Jerusalem, Beijing, New York, Moscow, Melbourne, Cape Town, Brasilia…?
We should take new initiatives like inviting extra-EU participants to our seminars as well as promoting the participation of JEFers in the events of the global civil society, international institutions etc.
2) European Referendum Campaign and other “political” issues
We should decide how to update it considering the new political context paying attention to what will be discussed with the other stakeholders of the Referendum Campaign. It’s not necessary to close the web site of the Campaign because our main request – Let the European People decide! – is valid now and so will be in the future. It is not our task to campaign for the ratification of the next Lisbon Treaty (or Reform Treaty). If approved we should denounce the undemocratic method, but also recognize some useful innovations.
The European elections are the main political playground for us in the next two years. JEF should not miss the opportunity to present its proposals to the citizens. We should draft a “federal Agenda” for a European government. We should ask the European parties to nominate their candidates to the presidency of the European Commission and to create transnational lists of candidates. And, in brief, concerning other “political” issues (or bold ideas ☺):
- European policies, proposing some “federal solutions” for the policies of the European Union that would function with the Reform Treaty (if approved), for example about “youth” discussing the idea of European civilian service as the “new Erasmus” not only for students;
- Balkans and Turkey, supporting the perspectives for a permanent peace in the Balkans and their full membership in the EU as soon as possible; open a debate on Turkey and European borders;
- Belarus action, supporting freedom and democracy in Belarus, Lukashenka being our first enemy as the last dictator in Europe;
- European Olympic Team, encouraging the athletes to use European symbols, especially the European flag, during the next Olympic games in Beijing 2008.
3) JEF: some internal reforms
A more transparent and better connected organization at all levels is a very favorable environment for expressing talent and creativity as well as for training new young members. That’s why I’m proposing the following changes:
- open the door of EB meetings and send short reports on the meetings within 12h;
- periodical Skype conferences / chats among sections especially before the FC to collect proposals, ideas, news and prepare the debates and other appointments of the organization;
- for a stronger FC create a Wiki platform among FC (and EB) members using the new Google mail tools for sharing resolutions and drafts;
- concerning the budget, a Treasurer able to fund-raise and a book-keeper as well, in order to have a better management of JEF money.
4) JEF: external communication
Considering the importance of communication we should reinforce our communication tools:
- web site: implement a new one, more dynamic, friendly and smart;
- press releases: send out regularly PR’s also about events that have an impact on the European citizens (e.g. the fires in Greece, the bombs in London etc.);
- seminars and best practices: prepare an Info kit on how to hold seminars at all levels and exchange among the sections the best experience in promoting JEF, to increase the number of new members;
- Le Taurillon – The New Federalist (paper and online versions): support the “federalist papers” with new initiatives, an edition of Le Taurillon in Turkish or in other new languages?;
- YouTube: encourage JEFers to produce videos for YouTube, showing the European symbols everywhere?;
- JEF and Youth organizations, promoting JEF among other Youth (European) organizations.
My personal experience in JEF thought me how to do politics with a spirit of service and how to be a team player. If the Congress allows me to be the next JEF President I’m confident to gather a group of people representing all geographical parts and different political sensibilities of the organization. I intend to dedicate special attention to gender balance, also involving those sections that were not represented in the outgoing EB. In my opinion it is a task of the Congress (or better still, of the new FC elected by the Congress) to select the “best combination” for the team. At the moment, like a “coach”, I’m training to our daily exercise of democracy the other “team members” (all EB candidates) with weekly Skype meetings… Now, let’s debate!
Yours,
Samuele Pii
Vice-President Candidate Gregor Novak – For a Strong and Active Network of Global European Federalists!
Dear friends,
The section of JEF I am primarily active in at the moment, JEF-Austria, really cares about the future of our common umbrella organisation, JEF-Europe! It is because of its long history within JEF Europe, its international work and strong network that JEF Austria´s members want to see the successful work of JEF Europe continued – for the benefit of each and every individual JEF member across Europe. For this reason, JEF Europe is an issue in my section and it came quite naturally to me to look for the support of JEF-Austria for my present candidature.
I think that today, JEF is in a unique situation and I want to share with you my thoughts on some of the challenges and opportunities that I find quite exiting at the moment! I want to be a good contribution to the future team of the new Executive Bureau and I am willing to work together closely with the Federal Committee and the sections!
I would like to share with you in this following text(you can download it below) a few main priorities that I want to support strongly in the next few years for the benefit of everybody, should I be elected Vice-President.
Gregor Novak
EB Candidate – Sofia Tyligada
Dear JEFfers,
My name is Sofia Tyligada, and I am a 22 year old law student living in Athens, Greece. In my 5 years of activity in JEF I have taken a leading role in organizing a wide variety of activities in the local, national and international level. As Vice President of JEF Greece I have particularly been active in the Speak Up Europe campaign, while at the same time I served as co-chair for PC1 (Federal Democracy).
With my experience, I hope to contribute to the new political challenges that we, as federalists are facing. Particularly, I believe that we should retain a critical stance about the Reform Treaty and profoundly state our opposition to the secretive method used once again by the Council. However, nothing should obstruct us from lobbying for a more federal Europe, even if ‘Reform Treaties’ is the only way through. Furthermore, we should go on campaigning for a European Constitution. A true and federal one, as a result of a suitable convention formed by the people and for the people.
New practices inside JEF could boost the involvement of members in contributing more actively to the political dialogue of the organisation. This can be realised by the organisation of dedicated events for resolution drafting. Simultaneously, our seminars- and all kinds of events/ public debates/ simulations could have more diverse topics tackling more EU Policies, something which would both enrich our knowledge and help us form even more concrete positions over different aspects of European integration.
Moreover, the seminars and events realised by sections represent the plurality of the organization itself, and these should be further encouraged. Let me stress that we should all respect the diversity in method of working as well as the diversity of approaching to the European idea of each and every section of our European network. The federalist idea behind JEF is what keeps our political cause and reason of existence. But each section should get all the support and understanding it needs, according to the idiosyncrasy of the national youth it addresses.
A new perspective for JEF- encourage by the new Youth in Action Programme- is to ‘go global’. Finding worldwide partners and organising diverse events with them will allow us to spread the idea of federalism as a potential political role model to activists from different continents, in our strive to establish Europe’s place in the world.
Thank you for having the patience to read some of my thoughts. I hope I will be give the opportunity to let my work speak in the future.
EB Candidate – Vaida Česnulevičiūtė
Dear JEFers,
In a changing world we need to have changing and flexible organization. JEF needs to develop clear goals and strategy not only for political questions, but for inner policies as well. As the only way to have strong JEF is to have strong sections.
JEF should be orientated more to its member sections, to foster their growth in terms of quality and quantity. Firstly, we need to identify the needs of our members and keep closer contact with them. Secondly, we should encourage cooperation between sections. Every individual member of every national section should feel that he/she is a part of bigger community of people all over the Europe. JEF should train and give competences to the people or even sections in need.
JEF as an organization of young people should react to all issues important for us with a strong voice and have a demanding position. If we want to be heard, we should say progressive and innovative opinion using attractive methods. One street action would make more impact than 10 documents. We should make use of our diversity and wide network spreading our ideas and sharing best practice examples. And JEF is the best platform for doing this.
Only having clear, transparent and effective structure, which works according to strategy achieving goals, JEF will become stronger, more powerful and better representative of its member sections.
JEF is not the president and not the EB and even not the FC, JEF is all of us!
Yours,
Vaida
EB Candidate – Tobias Kohler
Dear JEFers,
Several people have asked me during the last few weeks to consider a candidacy for the elections to the JEF Europe Executive Bureau at the October Congress in Copenhagen. Please allow me to herewith express my decision to do so and elaborate on my motivation to run as a candidate for the next EB. For JEF Europe as a prominent and powerful umbrella organisation of a European popular movement, I see its future role in the following fields:
a) JEF Europe as a facilitator:
JEF Europe should assist its national member sections in what they are not capable of doing themselves. As an umbrella organisation, it should pool resources to enable the national sections to cooperate with each other and with other organisations. Moreover, it should provide the infrastructure and a framework to streamline efforts to facilitate transnational actions, programmes, campaigns and seminars where European youth can meet other young Europeans to learn about European integration, peace and understanding, exchange thoughts and different viewpoints on political issues as well as practical questions of everyday life, such as living, studying or working in another country or making friends across borders. It should therefore complement the network of national sections inasmuch as to support them in their endeavours to provide opportunities for young people to enter Europe, live Europe, and build Europe.
b) JEF Europe as a hub:
Members of JEF, like every social or popular movement in civil society, should be able to critically analyse the current state of political affairs and be able to voice and express their opinion towards European issues that affect our daily lives. Therefore, I see JEF Europe as an organisation that enables the young generation all over Europe in contributing to building a Europe of the citizens. Providing a platform to formulate political visions and agendas, helping explain the complexities of European politics, allowing individual members to share and exchange ideas on a European level and offering opportunities to acquire intercultural competences and to participate in a transnational political movement should in general be key tasks for our organisation.
As a candidate for the Executive Bureau, and thus the Federal Committee, I also see very concrete and specific tasks for our movement which has been existing for more than 60 years now. The teams on previous Boards have had hard work to do, managing our organisation on a European level and it will be difficult to live up to the expectations they have raised. However, we must keep up the efforts as it will be crucial for us to broaden our financial and membership basis, systematically establish stable national sections in all European countries, in order to lobby for the European Idea and be a true and credible voice of a young european civil society.
In my candidacy letter, which has reached you via the jeftalk and fc mailing lists, I give more detailed information about my professional background and I concentrate on three more specific priorities I would like to help realise for JEF Europe during the next two years:
1. Guarantee financial transparency, stability and full accountability
2. Diversify and secure funding from private sources
3. Ensure and realise effective communications policies
Federalism can only be one instrument of many to create a free and democratic Europe based on the rule of law. Decisions must be reached by democratic institutions at the most appropriate level, not in ominous back rooms. It is the task of JEF Europe to press for that on a European level in dialogue with European institutions, parliamentary groups, associations, civil society, human rights organisations and the general public.
