17/08/2018
Do you want to know more about Non Solo Sole ### Edition - The Show Must Go On? Check the interview on Golden Times
“We met the President of the European Parliament”
SU #27: AEGEE-Salerno: “Non Solo Sole ### Edition - the Show mUst go on”, SC, 25 July – 7 August 2018
Golden Times: What was your Summer University about?
Antonio Castiello, main organizer: This edition was dedicated to arts and self-expression. The participants’ selection was like a casting for actors of a big summer show and during the SU we gave them some opportunities to show their talents.
GT: How many participants and how many organisers did you have?
Antonio: We had 30 participants from 8 different countries and a big group of organizers: 10 full-time organizers, 15 part-time organizers and five helpers. For three days we have three adventurers too.
GT: What were the greatest thematic program highlights of the SU?
Antonio: We had an Art Day on the mountain in Petina. It’s a small village one hour away from Salerno, where the participants had the possibility to paint, play instruments and sing. Actually, on the wall of our office we have amazing masterpieces from that day. During the days in Petina we learned how to play "Tammorra", dance typical folk dances and make home-made cheese.
The day in Vietri Sul Mare was our lucky day: after the traditional Ceramic Workshop we had the chance to meet and speak with the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani. Last but not least, on the same day we had fried fish for lunch and an amazing boat trip on the Amalfi Coast.
In Salerno we had cinema and photography lessons and we showed our participants the underground side of the city: the graffiti called "Muri d'Autore".
GT: What were the funniest or most exciting moments?
Antonio: Honestly, We could have an entirely extra interview about the funny moments and stories during this SU. Honorable mention goes to the Limoncello Working Group, the protagonists of the after parties: they were running between our mattresses, drinking and offering limoncello to sleepy people.
Of course, the Pool Party in Olevano sul Tusciano, where the long season of the stolen flag of our antenna it started – it was stolen 4 or 5 times. The Strange Party was amazing, imagine 50 people, dressed as strange as possible, running into the main street of a small south Italian village – for example two Spanish guys wore pasta as skirt…
During the last night we had a big celebration for the 30th Anniversary of the Summer University Project and at the same time of the “Non Solo Sole” SU. The theme of the night was the Oscars’ Night and traditional awards were given with the golden figures. We invited even old members to this celebration to ask them about the first editions of the “Non Solo Sole” SU.
GT: How was the group of participants?
Antonio: Before starting the SU we were a bit worried about the age gap, but then we realized that in AEGEE, even if you are at the first event, this difference doesn't matter. They were full of spirit: during the free time they organized activities by themselves like meditation, zumba, yoga... We were sometimes surprised, because they were always on time and it was not hard to wake them up in the morning.
GT: How was the cooperation in the organizing team?
Antonio: The organisers were kind of a family: AEGEE-Salerno grew up a lot as antenna in recent years, thanks to a lot of events and work. We knew that the 30th edition of the “Non Solo Sole” SU was special and we shouldn't fail as a group. Even the helpers – four out of five of them were participants of past Non Solo Sole SUs - worked very hard for it and they were really collaborative.
GT: How was the romance factor of the SU? Where there many couples and what were the highlights from the gossip box?
Antonio: During the morning everything was quiet, but when the sun went down the gossip box burnt. We cannot write about very clear couples; participants and organizers were very indecisive. This year the organizers had very valid competitors for the Latin Lover Award, which was won by a Spanish participant. A place in the history will be taken by a mysterious "Pepe Best Participant" and by a still not very clear "Cannelloni Team".
GT: How successful was the SU overall?
Antonio: Definitely very successful. Participants and Organizers had a really good feedback about this SU. Someone said "Thanks for organizing the best two weeks of my life" and this pays back all the hard work that we did. We are still in touch thanks to a Whatsapp Group and we will have a little reunion during Agora Istanbul.
GT: Anything you would like to add?
Antonio: We hope that all the passion that we put during this SU will be rewarded with new active members all around the network. In any case, the Show mUst go on and “Non Solo Sole” will continue to give amazing memories to all the brave hearts that want to join it.
