International Co-operation scheme Colombia - Germany
"AIESEC
meets EXPO 2000" was born - as most of the good ideas - in the mind of a dreamer.
But this dreamer had enough courage to make it a reality. So, after more than
one year of strong work, this is no longer a German project but an international
initiative that counts on the participation and work of many people in different
countries.
May I first talk about way I participated in this project: "the CEED". CEED
(Cultural Exchange for Educational Development) is the internal exchange program
of AIESEC - especially developed to create more and better exchanges and promote
the cooperation and networking between its different chapters.
EXPO CEED was the best tool for the international cooperation because it brought
AIESECers together to work for common goals and achieve concrete results in
a multicultural, international and interdisciplinary context. It was a work
based on the support to the activities related to the learning experience of
the project for the members, partners, students and trainees: for example participating
in the different seminars and reception weekends, supporting the matching process,
enriching the inputs for the participation on the Global Dialogue Forum and
getting involved with the hosting Local Committees.
This experience shows new ways of working for common goals as a real international
organisation, because it is not only an exchange of ideas, but common work in
different countries and Local Committees to develop the real meaning of AIESEC
as long as it focuses on the development of the individuals and the impact on
society by providing learning experiences (with the EXPO 2000 as a platform
for it in this case).
From now on, AIESEC members can count on an example of an international project
that takes advantage of all kinds of exchange tools. With this kind of programs,
AIESEC is showing that it is a learning organisation, what means that it can
develop itself by sharing the internal knowledge, experience and cultural diversity
and increase them by using its own tools to communicate.
During five months, AIESECers from different countries came to Germany to give
their input to the project in the day-by-day work of the Locals and then brought
back to their countries more knowledge, contacts and opportunities for exchange
development.
Personally, I came from Colombia as the first CEEPer for the EXPO team, representing
my country and the international cooperation plan with it. During one month
and half in Germany, I learned about working in an international environment,
sharing culture, ideas and style of work. It was a proof of creativity, flexibility
and understanding in every moment.
It was one of the most enriching experiences in my life, but not only during
my stay abroad, but before with all the preparation in Colombia: getting the
Chapters ready to work on this project, use all its potential and make a true
contribution. And after it, continuing the work, because the results could only
be achieved if the processes are followed up and taken to the end. At the end,
it meant a big contribution for AIESEC in Colombia and Germany in terms of increasing
the exchange realisation, the positioning and the international network and
for the EXPO team by supporting their job and providing a global perspective.
We still have a lot to learn, like how to involve more AIESECers and LCs in
the process of raising the effectiveness and how to develop more world wide
projects with results in terms of impact and learning for more countries. "AIESEC
meets EXPO 2000" has been a very good step in this process and I encourage the
members to take this example and develop more exchange-based projects with a
global vision!
Lina Maria Echeverri Villegas
EXPO-Team, AIESEC in Colombia