EDITORIALDearest participants,

At some point in life we all have wondered what it is that we should do in life. After all: as a human being, what's the purpose of our lives? What do we want our lives to look like? Will this even matter in 40 years?

There are, of course, some moments in your life where you wonder how you got to this point, and what are you suppose to do. Ultimately you will realise that you're always somewhere for a reason. Whatever reason that may be, we encourage you chase your ambitions, driven by your passions - and not someone else’s.

Yo u c o u l d s p e n d y e a r s wondering about what to do after graduating, what careers you see yourself in, but, again, life is all ultimately about finding yourself. One day you will wake

up and realise that you've have found some of your answers. As cheesy it may sound, life truly happens when you’re busy making it as some of your answers will come to you without consciously noticing them. If you don’t have the answers to some of your main life struggles, it doesn’t mean that you are not ready to take a chance. Failing is acceptable; regrets however only hold you back from moving forward.

In light of advice worth keeping for a lifetime, we would like to share with you the Manifesto brought by Holstee.

"This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don't like something, change it. If you don't like your job, quit. If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over

analysing, all emotions are beautiful. When you eat, appreciate. Life is simple. Every last bite. Open your mind, arms, and heart to new things and people, we are united in our differences. Ask the next person you see what their passion is, and share your inspiring dream with them. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities only come once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them, so go out and start creating. Live your dream and share your passion. Life is short."

Encourage each o ther to challenge yourselves – open your space. Push yourself further than you have before during this National Session. Make every moment of your l i fe your moment.

Yours truly,The Editorial Team

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Brought to you by:

Editorial Team

Célia Poncelin Editress Erdem Topçu Editor Fahad Saher Editorial Aasistant Sebastian Hojas Video Editor

Journalists

Caley Routledge Christina Abdulahad Daria Balatsky David Soler Crespo Helena Pierides Louis Wouters Sabrina Ariana Zephyr Brüggen

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By Helena Pierides

All your life you’ve been living with either your parents, a brave single parent or even your grandparents, with perhaps one or more siblings and even a pet. You’ve been living in a house or an apartment, luxurious or not, but most importantly you’ve been living in a place called “home”. It is the place where you can relax and show your true emotions- whether happy or sad, but essentially it is the place where you feel loved.

As students at secondary school, I a m s u r e m o s t o f y o u underestimate the feeling of belonging. Instead you are desperately waiting to spread your wings to live and lead an independent lifestyle- like at University for example. I felt exactly like you: trapped at home, bored of seeing the same faces all day long, bored of the routine I was living for 19 years straight. Inevitably I could not wait for the moment to leave home and go to an English University: the period of my life I am currently living.

There was no crying when I left my “home” even though I knew that the moment I was to step out of my front door would mark a turning point in my life forever. The first few weeks were idyllic: I met new people from all over the world, went to University parties at nights, while during the day I explored the town I was studying in by going to restaurants, malls a n d c o f f e e s h o p s , a n d I

dynamically began my first academic year at University.

However, by the end of this idyllic first month during which I received the sweet taste of freedom, I realised that my transition into freedom was actually bittersweet. You may be wondering what on earth could b e b i t t e r a b o u t l i v i n g independently? Well, firstly at the end of the month you will receive your first bill to pay. And surely some valuable lessons were learnt the tough way. It was the first time where I had to manage my time completely alone, to manage my money and open up a bank account in a new country, first time when I had to call up technicians if I was facing problems with the appliances in my new home. All in all: my new home was scary.

My aim however is not to discourage you. I am absolutely loving living alone and every single thing I embark on is an adventure which helps me build up my character to aid the society and the Europe in which we all live. Adapting to the culture of a new country, p r e p a r i n g d e t a i l e d a n d challenging pieces of homework for University which serve to b r o a d e n m y k n o w l e d g e , planning EYP trips alone as an official, and actually every d e c i s i o n I t a k e a s a n independent young adult plays its part in our community of today. One thing which independency will teach you is that there is no place like home.

When the time comes for you, you will too have to face the transition of leaving your home, but you must never forget that your home will always be open and waiting to welcome you at any time of the day or season of the year, regardless of your age or relationship with your relatives. Your home is a place where you can reflect on taking critical decisions, a place where you can calm down and a place where silence is embraced. In the vigorous rhythms our life is pulsating in, it is important to know that there is a place somewhere out there that will offer you comfort and a break from reality.

Planet earth is the perfect home. Its distance from the sun is not too close and not too far. We the 'homo sapiens’ (Latin: wise man) benefit from a 4 Billion years old legacy. Yet, our short time on this planet, only 200,000 years have changed everything. We have succeeded in disrupting an essential natural, upon which all species depend.

The documentary HOME (2009) from Yann Arthus-Bertrand explores not only the history of our existence, with spectacular aerial shots from over 54 countries, it also reveals the concrete consequences of climate change as well as giving insights into the shady sights of globalisation. The documentary delivers a journey: from when life took the form of Cyanobacteria, to our basic roots and how development of agriculture shaped out planet, to the first revolution of mankind, spreading to urban areas like Las Vegas and showing how when we build in desert; our demands continue to exhaust our resources. Luc Besson, the documentary’s producer, illuminates the reason behind its simple name: "the word 'home' has the same meaning in all cultures, all languages. It is a place that people of all ages - even little kids - can identify and love. Earth is the only 'home' we have, so we must care for it that way.“

We tend to convince ourselves that we are well educated about the consequences our actions have. We however tend to not consider the fact that one quarter of the world’s population still lives as all of us did 6,000 years ago; with only the energy available from the sun and biomass of the area. When we enter McDonald’s we do not think about the fact that 13,000 litres of water are required to produce one kilo of beef, whereas only 100 litres suffice for the production of one kilo of potatoes. When highlighting the issue of our planet’s exploitation, the deforestation of our planet's

'green lungs' is a commonly discussed example: "Forest is turned into meat." This provocative statement alludes to fire clearance used as a common technique to create farmland for cattle on the one hand, or cu l t ivable land for g rowing soy as concentrated feed for fat stock on the other. Ninety-five percent of soy farms in the Amazon region, which has shrunk by 20% in the last 40 years, goes to Europe for livestock and poultry.

The concentration of carbon dioxide hasn't been so high for several hundred thousand years. Humanity has never lived in an atmosphere like this. Before life on earth was possible this poisonous gas covered the whole planet. Step by step it was captured, amongst others in fossil fuels. As more and more CO2 is now released in the atmosphere by burning those, the consequences of global warming became inevitable. Apart from up to 7 meters rising sea levels due to melting polar caps which capture more than 20% of freshwater worldwide, the Permafrost methane time bomb ticks louder and louder the warmer it gets. The ice layers in Siberia and Alaska protect the earth from huge amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

It's too late to be a pessimist. The documentary's last lines put each of us squarely in the context of responsibility: "We know that the solutions are there. We all have the power to change, so what are we waiting for?"HOME is a documentary that especially was appreciated by the ones amongst us who accept the responsibility we have for our planet. It reveals common knowledge but more importantly presents stunning facts that make us so much more aware of the fact of how close "the day after tomorrow" actually is.

How close is The Day After Tomorrow?a film review on the 2009 documentary “HOME”By Sabrina Ariana Mellerowic

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The ice layers in Siberia and Alaska protect the earth from huge amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

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So How Can We Change This?

Recognise it! In order to do this one has to de-categorise –however this is not an easy thing to realise because stereotypes are resistant to c h a n g e . N o n e t h e l e s s w i t h education and understanding this is not unachievable. Otherwise we risk living as our stereotypes. In order to truly bridge the divide between me and Europe, Europe and I, we have to go beyond our first beliefs and perceive everyone as what they are: human.

ARE WE OUR STEREOTYPES?By Daria Balatsky

I would be lying to you if I told you I have never heard a blonde joke… or a brunette, or a red head joke, but is that stereotype really going to affect me? Where did it even start in the first place? The EYP is an extremely intercultural network that allows young Europeans to discuss issues related to us all. This would be tremendously impeded if our stereotypes got in the way of the goal – to improve. That is why it is not only important but essential to understand stereotypes and their impacts.

In order to understand stereotypes we have to know where they derive from. Rather than this being a simple answer like ‘culture’, this behaviour has many roots, some of which are surprising. Stereotyping is a cognitive (mental) process, used to categorise individuals in a fast m a n n e r, m o s t l y b a s e d o f f appearance. Thi s menta l i ty, however, has biological roots developed over our evolution. Being in a somewhat ‘hostile’ environment it was evolutionarily advantageous to c las s i fy people based by appearance in order to protect ourselves, survive, and hence allow our genes to continue to spread.2

Our brain also learns by making connections; forming groups allows our memory to progress and work more efficiently. However, in this

society, which is very different from past times, this behaviour is actually impeding our development, and creating harsh tendencies to unfamiliar groups. These simple blonde jokes could actually lead to something more – the beginnings of w h a t c o u l d d e v e l o p i n t o discrimination. For any stereotypes can lead to prejudice, which c o n s e q u e n t l y c a n l e a d t o discrimination. But it must be hard to actually develop a negative attitude, right? The answer to that question is no. Humans in general look for information to try to prove the stereotypes rather than discredit them.3

HOW IT ACTUALLY AFFECTS US

W h e n s o m e o n e i s continuously recognised as something (bad, dangerous, dumb, etc.), eventually they may begin to conform to that idea. In 2000 Spencer et al. tested the effects of the stereotype ‘girls are bad at math’. Researches gave a collegiate math test to both women and men of the same qualifications twice; one a control and one under the stereotype ‘threat’ about women and mathematics. They found the second test the women ‘significantly underper fo rmed’ when t h r e a t e n e d b y t h e stereotype. They performed the same tests with the exception of using literature students. Both times the levels of performance were the same for both men and women – this was attributed to the fact that women are not stereotype threatened in this area.2 From this a sort o f “se l f -handicap” can develop. This not only applies for gender, but also ethnicity. In 1995 Claude Steele tested the stereotype t h r e a t u s i n g A f r i c a n -American and European-American college students performing a Graduate Record Exam. Under the stereotype ‘threat’ students underperformed by 20% more than a second group receiving the same test without the threat3. ________________________1  Concluded  by  Fiske  (2007)2  Snyder  and  Swann  (1978)3  Oxford  “Psychology”  Course  Companion  John  Crane,  2009  pg.1084    Steele,  Claude  M.;  Aronson,  Joshua  (1995).  "Stereotype  threat  and  the  intellectual  test  performance  of  African  Americans".  Journal  of  Personality  and  Social  Psychology  69  

“To enjoy life, you don't need fancy nonsense, but you do need to control your time and realise that most things just aren't as serious as you make them out to be.”

– Tim Ferris, The 4-Hour Workweek

What has caused the most lives, with potential, to go unfulfilled?

Being realistic, there are some very serious barriers that stand in the way of the lives of many people, things that limit people before they even get going, such as poverty and lack of access to essentials like education. But putting these aside for now, the case could be made that far too many people in the “developed” world, a place ripe with opportunities, have succumb to something menial and often easy to overcome, lack of

motivation. Days slip away without progress ion or fulfilment. Without motivation, dreams don’t become reality; that book doesn’t get written; that gym doesn’t get, frequently, visited. We waste away in front of computer screens, or as we enjoy those few extra hours of sleep that we “really, really definitely needed”. Authors like Tim Ferris argue they’ve found the way to get people back into the game, by allowing people to find their motivation, and hence giving them a shot at a more fulfilling life.

GET IT TOGETHERBy Caley Routledge

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Helena Pierides Zahra Runderkamp

Who is this Tim I speak of ? He was a small business owner, whom upon becoming tired with his monotonous day-to-day life decided to find a new formula, a new process to get where he wanted to go. He's now an extremely successful advisor to, and investor in, many well-known companies, such as Facebook, Twitter and StumbleUpon. Many have cited his book “T he 4 -Hour Workweek” a s the inspiration that led them to finally achieving their life long goals, goals that until reading the book they had simply allowed to slip away. He provides tips from how best to diet and work out, to how to most effectively tackle things like learning a language - of which he speaks seven. The "4-hours" he speaks of are not meant to be applied literally by most, but simply represent how he himself truly does work 4-hours a week, and how you too can maximise the efficiency and fulfilment of your own work week. If Tim Ferris is one thing he’s an incredible self-marketer, a man deserving of some admiration, with ideas deserving of merit. Three bestselling books, all on how you can lead a productive life, modelled around his own. TED talks; lectures at Google, the Oxford Union, as well as millions of hits on YouTube. The man offers up his own model for a “successful life”, and many have eagerly sought to get a look, his first book remaining on the 'New York Times Best-seller list' for seven consecutive years.

So, how many of Tim's top tips have I applied to my own life? Honestly? I can only think of one. So why am I even telling you about this "life changing book"? Especially when many have even argued

they are simply scams. In some ways, they're right. The books do not magically make you fitter, smarter or richer. The reality of it is these books do very little at all, without your own efforts. Books like his do inspire. They do make you realise that there are people out there who have “got it together” far more effectively than yourself. If anything, they’re a bit of a reality check. They make you identify where you’re currently at in life and where, with a bit more motivation and discipline, you could be. And generally that place is a lot nicer. So I'd truly advise those struggling to find a way of motivating themselves to acquire one of these books and read it - or even just watch one of his talks online.

But bear in mind that if all you do is look, you won’t go far. Let books like these be the push you need to achieve your goals, but let the true force moving you closer and closer to success be your own spirit of will. I assure you, doing this will feel far better than living through the moments in which you realise how much more you could’ve done with your time.

If anything is going to stop you in life, don’t let it be lack of motivation. That devil has already claimed too many.

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Sweden, January 30th 2014. There is a storm coming up. I see a Europe where human rights are followed - at least, if you’re not a homosexual living in Russia. I see a Europe where xenophobic parties are growing faster than weeds. I see a Europe I’m not fully comfortable with. I see a Europe where I can take my responsibility and stop the intolerance rising in Sweden and across Europe. Yet I see a Europe where my vote could make a difference.

The European Parliament election, the Swedish parliamentary election, 20 regional elections and 290 municipal elections will take place all over Sweden in the year of 2014. We are facing a so called ”historical super election year” where all these 312 elections occur. In terms of voter participation the last general election in Sweden and the European Parliament elections turned out to be disappointments, even compared to the already low participation rates in previous elections. Sweden had a turnout of 85 percent in the parliamentary elections 2010, yet only 45 percent in the last European elections 2009.

Turnout in elections to the European Parliament has been consistently lower than the turnout in national elections across Europe. A persistent regularity has been observed since the first elections to the European Parliament were held in 1979, namely that the turnout is almost always lower in comparison to the most recent national elections. Voter turnout at European elections differs significantly across the various EU Member States with an all-time low of 24 percent

in the United Kingdom in 1999. Luxembourg and Belgium on the other hand present the highest average turnout of approximately 90 percent for these two countries are committed to compulsory voting. Is, however, the low turnout in the EP elections actually a serious problem? By looking at the EP elections in particular, low turnout means problems for the legitimacy of the European Parliament and the EU as whole. The conventional wisdom about elections to the European Parliament suggests that Europeans do not really care about the European Union. The media does not appear to devote much coverage to EP campaigns as the campaigns largely focus on political issues and the performance of political parties at the national level. The view amongst many citizens about the EU and the elections is that they do not play any significant role in their everyday life, which is subject to debate.

Because of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Parliament has become a powerful co-legislator and plays a determining role in shaping European policies. A vote in the European elections is every citizen's chance to influence the shape of the Parliament and the decisions it takes over its five-year term. Not only is it our civil right to vote, it is also our duty. By taking advantage of the right to vote, we have the ability to influence society in political matters affecting us everyday. Mainly, politically extreme parties that benefit from low participation in the elections. All governmental power should emanate from the people. It’s time for us to show counterforce. The power to reverse this trend is in our hands.

Elections: Why bother? By Christina Abdulahad

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Europe 2020; I want to see a flourishing Europe where human right are followed, whether you are a homosexual or heterosexual, a male or female, a Romanian or a Greek, a Muslim or a Christian. I want to see a Europe where each and every one of us takes the responsibility to stop the intolerance rising in Sweden and across Europe. I want to see a Europe where our votes count. I want to see a tolerant and respectful Europe that I’m proud of.

How about you? Sabrina Ariana Mellerowic

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Why you shouldn’t be satisfiedBy Zephyr Brüggen

“Country which lost its right, whose belt is tightened and tightened again by the cocksurely powerful. […]Booze at last, drink! European Commissioners’ cheerleaders shout. However, Socrates gives you back the hemlock poison cup full to the brim.”

This is a fragment of Gunter Grass’s poem ‘Shame of Europe’, criticizing the way Europe is handling the debt crisis in Greece, namely by imposing harsh austerity measures. These measures have proved to bring the countries’ economy in a downward spiral rather than to stimulate growth. Some Greeks have simply had enough. More and more people are out protesting on the streets against European legislation imposed on their national government. If we head slightly eastwards, we arrive at the Maidan square in Kiev. Here as well, young and enraged people, among whom many of our fellow EYP’ers, are protesting, this time in favour of Europe. They are frustrated that the Ukrainian government won’t sign trade agreements with the European Union and that they are denied the right to protest against it.But also on the normally quieter western boundaries, in the United Kingdom, we can find scepticism. The country is in doubt whether or not they still want to be inside the Union, with an in-or-out referendum possibly coming up in 2017. Actually, on this very day, at this very moment, Prime Minister David Cameron is discussing a ‘more

flexible’ Europe with French President François Hollande.

Whether pro- or anti-European, Europe’s citizens are becoming increasingly revolutionary and sceptical. In his essay ‘The End of History?’ Francis Fukuyama argues that the established status of Western liberal democracy may signal the end point of h u m a n i t y ’ s h i s t o r i c a l , ideological, and dialectical evolution. That we cannot protest against something because we have reached the final form of government. History, seen as an evolutionary process, an endless chain of actions and reactions, has, according to Fukuyama, an ultimate state of being: the liberal democracy. Europe, he thinks, is the perfect example of such a post-historical state, t r a n s c e n d i n g n a t i o n a l sovereignty and the power politics that were in force during the Cold War.

Stephane Hessel, a French philosopher, diplomat and Resistance member against the Nazi’s, opposes this vision. He urges people to get outraged, and to become militant, strong and engaged to join the current of history. “And the great current of history must continue thanks to each individual. And this current goes towards more justice, more freedom, but not the unbridled freedom of the fox in the henhouse.” Indifference, simply not caring, Hessel states, is the worst of attitudes. It is a personal responsibility to engage in the ‘current of history’, that it is our common interest and our common responsibility to help history forward.

Judging from all the revolutions taking place in our continent, the end

of history has not quite arrived yet and there is

plenty of space for indignation. Therefore, and it may sound a bit

weird, it is of great importance that we are

not easily satisfied. Not satisfied with the status quo. Not satisfied with

Europe. Not satisfied with our governments,

even if they are democratic. Not satisfied

with politicians, and maybe not even satisfied

with ourselves.

Indignez-vous!

One may argue that politicians are rich, yet hardworking people who are always looking for the best outcome for their citizens. On the contrary, other people may say that politicians are not in it for your best interest as it all may be seen as an act.

Think about your two favourite politicians for a moment: what do they have in common? They probably defend an opinion that suits your vision about how both the present day and the future should look, and might be able to raise their voice and speak with great rhetoric in front of an audience. In short, many would argue that good politicians should aim to realise the best policy in the most effective way for as many citizens as possible.

However, one may say that it merely appears this way and assert that politicians are habitually dishonest, tell voters what they want to hear before in order to be elected, and pursue their own agenda afterwards. They only care about the issues presented by people and groups who contribute large amounts of money and votes to their campaigns. On top of that, they believe politicians are selfish individuals who believe they are entitled to the best of everything. In other words, the border between lies and white lies become increasingly less visible.

These two perceptions of politicians can be seen as both optimistic as pessimistic. The founding father of the first generation theory, Richard Musgrave, characterised in The Theory of Public Finance (1959) politicians as elected individuals who cause the social welfare of every single citizen to be maximised. With a wink to the invisible hand of the free market, his optimistic view on politicians and government intervention is now referred to as the

helping-hand paradigm. This is in sharp contrast to the grabbing-hand politicians described by Niskanen and Buchanan in their theory about the second-generation politicians. Unfortunately, this pessimistic vision of government intervention is still strongly held throughout Europe.

As a result, it would not be wrong to compare politicians to actors. Both politicians and actors are characterised by a charm and public appeal, which makes them able to connect easily with the common man. They mostly start with the best intentions in the world, but those who get anywhere realise that they are just reading lines dictated and approved by people with access to money and power. Both of them are performers by trade who are put under intense public scrutiny with careers requiring a huge amount of stamina and guts. Even on a local level, politics can be compared to a show. As directors and producers of a movie do, they write a script, built a set and try to get their message across. They fake it until they make it.

Fortunately, the optimistic vision held by some is also seen in the political world and that gives us hope for the future. Considering this, there is one further question you should ask: how can you apply this in EYP?

It is pivotal that we learn from the first generation politicians to be implicitly good because the way we say it, the way we are dressed, and a small group of powerful voters we can satisfy are not what truly matters. What really matters is the message we want to get across. On top of that, we should learn from the good actors to present ourselves effectively in order to achieve credibility instead of stimulating distrust. As Taylor Swift used to say: “Just be yourself, there is no one better.”

Fake It Until You Make ItBy Louis Wouters

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If you want to be trusted, be honest. If you want to be honest, be true. If you want to be true,

be yourself.

Albin Touma (EMPL) Erik Danielsson (EMPL)

Louis Wouters

by David Soler Crespo

• • •

Everyday people come and go. Airports get full with people that you will probably never meet yet perhaps have something to do with you.

Most l ikely they are also t r ave l l i n g a l o n e t o t h e i r destination. Work and vacations are the most common reasons for travelling alone, yet EYP can serve another purpose. If you stop and think about it may seem scary to travel by yourself to places you have never been before with languages you will probably never speak - one of the many exc i t ement s o f travelling alone. To many it’s an adventure in which you have to prove yourself that you can manage without Mum or Dad. Travelling alone opens your eyes towards real world, experiencing intercultural conversations and even tasting foods you wished you had never tried. The adventure i s cha l l eng ing, however once you’ve tried it once, you can’t stop.

The beginning of the adventure starts in your bedroom at home, choosing what clothes to pack. This is the first task where the careful thinking starts. If you’re flying to Gothenburg where temperatures in January are below zero, you will need warm clothes and big jackets - not sandals. Maybe a hat and pair of gloves will be useful too. Once you’ve done packing you have to remember to check in and print

your boarding pass if you want to guarantee your spot on the plan the plane. Travelling truly is about the little things. Nowadays I can choose to sit near a window and capture one of many views, such as my view on the Alps on my way from Barcelona to Gothenburg.A f t e r a l l exc i t ement and p r e p a r a t i o n s t h e d a y o f departure finally arrives and you have to make sure you are ready to go. If you live at home or in a shared flat you may be lucky enough to be woken up by a family member or fr iend, however if you live all by yourself you have to make sure your alarm is set properly before waking up. Check it twice therefore would not be a bad idea! The real worrying however starts with the instructions at airports. At the start of your journey it will be easy as you’re still in your home country, but in other countries you’ll have to be mindful of different indications. It may appear as second nature if you speak English, but if you travel to a country such as Switzerland where their first three (!) languages are German, Italian and French, things start to get challenging.

Although at this point you have already managed to solve various complications, the most difficult part of your journey is yet to come. This is when you arrive to your destination and you have to manage yourself to get to your accommodation with some s imple sugges t ions. Indications which only a native, such as your friend, would understand clearly. When lazy bones such as me tend to make

a habit of getting home with the flow in your hometown, it becomes increasingly more difficult to get to Slottskogens Vandrarhem. You better ginger up to not get lost! The funny part comes when you go and ask a native, in English of course, which stop is one you get out of. Most likely you’re getting a couple blank stares in return, after which you’ll be notified in sign language that he or she doesn’t speak English. Mimics and gestures suddenly start to make sense to get your message across, yet until you show your ticket they’ll be as lost as you are. My advice is not to worry too much; ultimately you’ll find your stop and continue your way to your accommodation.

Although it may seem very challenging to travel alone after this quick guide, I have to admit it’s much easier than it may seem. At the end of the day you just sit down and chill until you get to your destination whilst enjoying the delicious sandwich the airline has to offer (unless you’re flying Ryanair - in which case I hope you just get there).

THE ADVENTURES OF TRAVELLING ALONE