“History (from Greek ἱστορία, historia, meaning “inquiry; knowledge acquired by investigation”) is the study of the past.“History” is an umbrella term that relates to past events as well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of information about these events.”
Being an organization with 65 years of experience, achievements, failures, recognitions, and many innovations, the time finally arrived to collect all the information and knowledge of these past years until today. This is our first attempt to gather all the knowledge and materials needed in order to have until the end of the year a holistic view of the 65 years of AIESEC in Greece.
During these years, we have provided young people with more than 10,000 intercultural experiences through volunteering or internships, conferences, and events with the goal of developing their 4 Leadership Qualities (Self-Aware, World Citizen, Empowering Others, Solution Oriented). Through their development, young people acquire the resources to become capable leaders who influence their country and the world.
Having a presence in more than 7 Universities, we managed to influence young people all over Greece, having a wide network of talented and creative people who influenced society, acquired supplies, and are following a successful career. Today we count 300 active members in the organization eager to leave their own impact and over 3,000 alumni.
During these years, the contribution of all our partners was important, who supported our ideas and initiatives, creating projects together that offer important value.
The start of AIESEC in Greece was quite difficult in the first years of its establishment, as people still didn’t know what the organization was about. AIESEC was much more business-oriented at the time, starting with internship programs and seminars for the professional development of young people. During these years we organized many leadership and business conferences and started our first exchanges, as part of the internship. We managed to carry out during the first two years our first 32 exchanges of young people from/to Greece, a fact that led to a very good reputation internally. During these years, our first local offices were established in Athens. Specifically, AIESEC in Greece started in 1956 at the Athens University of Economics and Business, which is the first local committee, AIESEC ΟΠΑ (AIESEC in Athens). Towards the end of this period, the local committee at the University of Piraeus, AIESEC ΠΑΠΕΙ, was established (AIESEC in UniPi).
During these years, we have provided young people with more than 10,000 intercultural experiences through volunteering or internships, conferences, and events with the goal of developing their 4 Leadership Qualities (Self-Aware, World Citizen, Empowering Others, Solution Oriented). Through their development, young people acquire the resources to become capable leaders who influence their country and the world.
Most of the Local Committees we have now were created at that time, as well as the National (Members) Committee in Athens in 1979. Also, in the same year, the first local committee was established in Thessaloniki, at the University of Macedonia, AIESEC ΠΑΜΑΚ (AIESEC in UoM Thessaloniki). Next, in 1983 the local committee at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, AIESEC ΕΚΠΑ (AIESEC in NKUA), in 1991 the local committee at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AIESEC Α.Π.Θ. (AIESEC in AUTh) and in 1994 the local committee on the island of Chios, AIESEC ΑΙΓΑΙΟΥ (AIESEC in Aegean). In 1977, we hosted the International Conference in Athens for the first time with 300 participants from 55 countries, an event very important for AIESEC in Greece.
Exchanges began to take place more leading to more intercultural exchanges. At the same time, AIESEC has expanded globally, promoting the development of countries and people, setting a framework for international understanding and cooperation.
These years were full of changes and developments in the context of operation and action of the organization. Despite the financial difficulties we faced, we managed to get back quickly and as a result, won an award in the field of Finance.
At the beginning of the new millennium, we won an award at the International Presidents Meeting for our performance (Success Award in IPM 2001, Guatemala), achieving the largest exchange to that date.
One of the biggest changes that occurred was the integration of AIESEC in Greece in the digital world, with the launch of Digital Marketing and the development of an “online experience” for youth. Regarding the exchange programs, we had changes in the internship program with its differentiation and the integration of the entrepreneurship program. It is very impressive that the volunteering program, while it was just beginning, engaged more and more young people, with the result that the largest volume of exchanges is for volunteering.
During these years until today, we have managed to have 7 active Local Committees throughout Greece. We reached from 100 to 1000 exchanges, gaining a lot of knowledge and distinctions about the way we operate every day.
This year was characterized by the 60th anniversary of the organization in Greece. As part of the celebration, actions were carried out in collaboration with the Alumni Association for the promotion of the organization, as well as large events inviting all members and Alumni of AIESEC Greece. The YouthSpeak Forum was a great success, taking place for the first time in Athens, the largest event based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
This year, we managed to exceed for the first time the 1000 exchanges in one year (February 2017 – January 2018). “Ginetai” became the phrase that was heard in every corner of Greece by AIESECers. The European Conference of AIESEC took place in Athens, having participants from all countries in Europe, in an event with great coverage and success. At that time, it was a great honor for AIESEC Greece to get awarded with the European Excellence Award for the completion of the biggest number of incoming internships (Incoming Global Entrepreneur) in European level.
Sometimes we do not need a complicated or beautiful message to achieve great things, and this year proved it with the message “The Biggest Summer Peak” and this is what happened. This year we managed to make the most exchanges that have taken place up to date. The tremendous rise in the Incoming Global Entrepreneur, led to the greatest distinction and the second award in a row at the International Presidents Meeting (IPM 2018, Excellence Award Incoming Global Entrepreneur).
Starting this year, no one expected the future. It is the year that “welcomes” and manages the global pandemic of COVID19 excellently, immediately, and without any member or stakeholder in danger. Everything suddenly froze and the “digital experience” started, transferring all our functions online. The teams started to get to know and operate under this condition and special emphasis was placed on the knowledge that the members of the organization have, through many webinars both from the National team and from our partners. During the summer, it was not possible to carry out any program, having as a priority the health and safety of young people, delivering only the winter exchanges of their term.
And this is how we get to today. Today, the new regularity of AIESEC Greece is to operate 100% online, transferring with full professionalism all actions, conferences, and events. The participation of young people in the programs so far is encouraging, as more and more young people, if conditions allow, want to travel again and discover the world. So far, a minimum number of exchanges have taken place, mainly internships, taking all protection and safety measures. We hope to slowly start operating in a way that will allow us to be together again and celebrate.
