The first thing you get to know when you hear about AIESEC is that it was established in 1948 with the aim of creating a new leaders’ generation: the generation which would avoid the Second World War’s horrors.
Years have passed, but our motto is still the same: “Peace and fulfilment of humankind’s potential”
But in the 1989, the risk of a third world war loomed like never before, and the epicentre, was once again, in Berlin.
Luckily things went differently: the wall fell down and the iron curtain itself was down for good. After one of the most dreadful times in our history there has come a new chapter in the life of many people, and AIESEC was there.
Stefano Boccaletti, Leonardo Cullurà and Claudia Siracusa, three generations of leaders were in Berlin of the night of November 19, 989.
A month ago I had the pleasure to meet them and to hear their stories.
Claudia started up:
“I just became an AIESEC member and I had to find an excuse to justify my getaway in the middle of semester. I told my father that I had been awarded with a journey for my scholar merits, but the lie was definitely worth it!!!”
For Stefano that would have been one of his last international meetings since he was close to the end of his term and he wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
“The night of the 9th of November, was set in my AIESECers’ agenda as an outdoor global pyjama’s party. Suddenly, someone started shouting in German, that “the wall is being demolished”. None of the Italian delegates could speak German but it didn’t take long for us to understand what was happening.”
Leonardo told us that they have managed to steal a street sign to use it as a hammer. Suddenly they saw Claudia jumping on the wall and singing it with a few Danish.
The emotion and the trembling voice while telling us the story is beyond imagination.
The year after that, Claudia has become the AIESEC Brescia’s Local Chapter President, while Leonardo was voted the President of AIESEC in Italy. In their motivational speeches they both reminded that it is us, young people, who can change the future.
Ana Julea, AIESEC in Italy
See the inspiring story of AIESEC’s first Secretary General, Victor Loewenstein:
