EDS Bureau Meeting in Paris

 

The 2nd EDS Bureau meeting  took  place from 6th  to 8th November  in Paris and  was kindly hosted  by  Vice-Chairman of  EDS Mr. Jean-Baptiste Dabezies and our French  members UNI (Union Nationale Inter-universitaire) who  had  they  XXVI congress during the same  weekend. Although bureau meeting was held in nice, relaxed French  atmosphere and  some  bureau  members  have  been  able  to  participate  only via Skype many important issues  were discussed and solutions  found.
The first topic was practical implementation of   EDS campaign on the anniversary of the Fall of Berlin Wall “20 years after”. Besides that EDS bureau discussed  ‘the usual’ topics : work  of  Secretariat, preparation for the  upcoming  events, documentary  and fundraising; we discussed the results of  the  evaluation from  last Council meeting and  possible improvements. Long  but productive debate on  the cooperation with  like-minded  organisations also took place.

Before and  after   EDS bureau  work  we had  the possibility  to  attend  some sessions of UNI Congress where the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of Berlin Wall was also  present- the delighted speakers told about  the lessons  we have  learned  fighting  the communism and the walls we still have  today – in education,  politics, in Europe  and in our  minds.

Also  Chairman of EDS, Mr. Bence Bauer who  addressed the audience  of UNI in  French reminded  how different the  life was beyond the iron curtain and underlined that there are  still many  things to  be  done by the generation of  current  students  to  maintain and  strengthen  the  democracy, freedom and  human rights all over the Europe. Mr. Bauer shared  the personal  experience of  his  family and told us  about  his grandfather who, because  of his origin had  no possibility  to work  in his  profession  as lawyer. Mr. Bauer stressed that  communism and  totalitarian  regime  is  not an  abstract  evil from  history books, almost  every  family  who  lived  in former  Soviet Union or  its satellite  countries had  similar  stories about  the  violation of  very  basic  human rights, broken  lives,  lost  possibilities and  hopes.  Today we should remember anniversaries like the Fall of Berlin Wall to learn from the painful experience of the past and not to let   happen similar events again.

Apart from  congress EDS people  enjoyed good French  food, charming   Paris, sounds  of   Marseillaise, performed  by UNI, clubbing  and  a lot  of Déjà vu , remembering  the EDS Council  meeting in April, 2009.

We  wish  to  thank  hosts for this great  possibility  to  come back  to  Paris!

EDS Bureau