EUROPEA is 25 years old in 2018 !
In order to finish this jubilee year in style we have asked some of the experienced EUROPEAns, former presidents, secretary generals, long-time members to share their thoughts and feelings with us. Follow our posts, stay with EUROPEA and find out what they have told us!
Madelon de Beus (NL), was already there at the famous meeting in January 1993 when the EUROPEA Statues were signed, and she has been with us ever since.
“EUROPEA 25 is the proof to me that a network can exist and survive through strong connections between people. Not ‘just’ connections: these connections are strong because we have something in common: we want to make crossing border between students and teachers possible both literally and figuratively, we are curious about each other, about each other’s country, culture and traditions, we want to learn, we are open-minded, we bring and take (key-word: reciprocity), and we let EUROPEA develop in a natural way, our way.
EUROPEA 25 has grown into a stable and continuous-growing network that is supported by many excellent and committed professionals in land-based education who have the ambition of crossing borders. It was a pleasure to be in Retz (AT) last October to see this development and where we are now.
EUROPEA has brought me a lot: knowledge about the agricultural sector all over Europe, understanding about cultural differences between members and member states, a network in the Netherlands and in Europe, projects, friends and of course a lot of fun.
Up to the next 25 years!”
Acknowledgements: many thanks to Madelon (NL) 🙂
By Judit Covic (HU), leader of the EUROPEA Editorial Group
