If you have ever had to organise or work in a team for even a short period of time you will understand the several key elements about organising people. Imagine you are in a team building and management exercise where you need to co-ordinate 50,000 people to achieve a certain goal. Your exercise is complicated further by several variables, the 50,000 members of your team are spread across over 700 different locations and the overwhelming majority of them are only team members on a part-time basis.

A further point to note is that every team will change over roughly every 3 years. Sounds easy, right? In essence, this is the challenge of AIESEC that YOU have faced and overcome. It is your imagination, ideals and energies that have made this organisation an agent of positive change through education and cultural exchange in this era of globalisation.

AIESEC continues to provide a journey of personal growth and learning to its members and trainees and in our last 50 years, we have seen many changes ...changes that you have helped bring about. As AIESEC prepares to enter the 21st century, we honour the achievements of the past as it embarks on the endeavor to expand horizons and fulfill our vision of peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential.

After many promises of regular communication, and some way to establish a network of alumni and help you keep in touch with AIESEC, we have decided to start this newsletter. Though the beginning is perhaps on a humble note, it's certainly not lacking in ambition. We hope this newsletter can become a regular feature with contributions from you guys as well! 
Our aim is to keep those of us who have ever experienced AIESEC in tune with the newest developments and news of AIESECers… and there is definitely no lack of either. Perhaps the one thing that comes to mind when someone says AIESEC, is the word Dynamic… what we're trying to say is that no matter what this starts off as, there is no limit to what it can become! Our sincere request would be to not consider this to be limited to alumni of any one local committee

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From local hierarchies… to a global network…

The world has become much smaller place than it was in 1948, and with change forever on the horizon, AIESEC is mobilizing 50,000 people to meet the challenges of the future through activity today. Following the shift of focus to exchange, the last 3 years have seen the number of traineeships rise dramatically. This is also reflected in the exchange statistics of AIESEC in India in the year 1998-99, and half way into the next year, these figures have already been surpassed and sees us heading towards over 100 % growth.

As we look back in time at the world, youth and AIESEC's contribution to both, we give you over five decades of changing perceptions in AIESEC and the world…

1946-1948:AIESEC CONTINENTAL

AIESEC was still very much a Western European project and it was decided that one country Committee be designated as Presiding committee each year.

1958-1968:AIESEC INTERCONTINENTAL

The AIESEC Secretariat was set up in 1961 in Geneva. Greater importance was given to traineeship exchanges.

1968-1978:AIESEC MULTINATIONAL

Regional Development Officers were installed through creating Regional Congress.

1978-1988:AIESEC TRANSNATIONAL

International Theme Programme emerged on subsequent issues of education, energy, information, age and service, and the hosting of World Theme Conferences.

1988-1998:AIESEC GLOBAL

AIESEC became an active NGO.The Global Theme Programme (GTP) was created. The importance of such issues as Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainable development, Entrepreneurship emerged and AIESEC took part in the NGO Forum at the UN World Summits in Rio, Copenhagen and Istanbul.

BEYOND 1998:GLOBAL ETHNOSCAPES

Global ethnoscapes, the global flows of people, ensure that culture will never stand still. AIESEC itself is such a global ethnoscape

Exchanges in AIESEC in India - 1998-99

At all stages of development, AIESEC has reflected the world outside. It is the reflection of the cultural multitude of the World, not only in terms of "national cultures" which may be on the retreat, but also of the boundless individual opportunities of cultural expression.

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SUCCESS IN LIFE AFTER AIESEC…

An inspiring novel about the AIESEC Program

NEWS RELEASE... Bay Area author Enrico Antiporda has written a novel based on his life-changing experience as an AIESEC exchange intern (International Association of Students in Business and Economics). Within the framework of a love/adventure story and featuring a multicultural cast, THE BAND OF GYPSIES explores the lives of young foreign interns caught in the turbulence of the Basque separatist movement in Spain. The novel, loaded with cultural insights, was written as an inspiration for college students to participate in university-sponsored exchange programs. "These programs are a great resource," the author notes. "The benefits are not only academic, but also cultural. They prepare students for what has become a global economy by giving them an opportunity to live and work with people of other cultures. What an adventure." Antiporda adds, "They housed us in four co-ed flats; sixteen interns from five continents, of different races, speaking different languages¾ and getting along great. And in the middle of this were the intense clashes between the Basque Separatists and the Guardia Civil. It was unforgettable." Sometimes humorous, sometimes dark, often touching, THE BAND OF GYPSIES takes the reader across a quilt of mystifying stories as seen through the protagonist's eyes. About the Author Enrico Antiporda is both a writer and an artist whose works are on exhibits at art galleries and trade shows in California. He was born in Manila, Philippines and spent a year as an intern in Spain. A second AIESEC internship in San Francisco landed him a permanent position as Treasury Manager of a telecommunications company. He is now a full-time writer and freelance book cover designer. The Band of Gypsies, is the first of a two-book series. 
For more information see:
Website: www.jps.net/edanti 
Email: edanti@jps.net

AIESECer wins Nobel Prize

"AIESEC is what gave me an arena to explore, discover and fully exploit my potential. The skills, attitudes, values and ethics that I acquired, have given me the edge required to soar to great heights in any area of life. I still hold dear the values of life long learning, creativity and initiative that I learnt the true meaning of while a member of AIESEC. To this great organisation, I say thank you for the opportunity offered for young people to develop themselves, and to you (Nobel Prize Committee) I say thank you for recognising the achievements of the youth. To the corporates I say, do not tire in consulting with and supporting organisations like AIESEC that have been and will continue to produce global leaders."

Nyokabi Mwangi,

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for the "Outstanding Young Entrepreneur" and an AIESECer from Kenya

News...

The development of the global exchange-matching engine, Insight2, has been awarded to TCS (Tata Consultancy Services). TCS, Asia's largest global independent software and services company, has a long history working with AIESEC. TATA Chairman, Mr. Ratan Tata, has been supporting AIESEC in India since it became AIESEC member in 1968. Mr. Tata has also been involved as an International Honorary Member Advisor for AIESEC International in the 1980's.For further information on the development of INSIGHT, please contact Ernie Ghiglione at ernieg@ai.aiesec.org

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That's it from us… let this be the beginning of many more issues!!

PS: Addition to famous alumni : Mick Jagger, Reception Officer, AIESEC UK, invited to perform at IC 2000

- Intellectual property rights of AIESEC DI