From November 26th to December 1st, we had the pleasure to organise and host the annual International Event Formation Workshop 2023, an event dedicated to soft skills training sessions delivered by the EUROAVIA Training System trainers. In total, twenty-five fellow EUROAVIAns from all around Europe, such as Spain, Romania, Italy, and other cities in Greece, attended the event.
The participants had a packed schedule as, for five days straight, they attended intense but extremely interesting workshops to enrich their soft skills. These focused on communication skills, including non-violent communication, feedback, and active listening, teamwork and conflict management, group dynamics and change management, decision making, and motivation. Across all workshops, the trainers emphasised on a training session called “Mission, Vision, and Values”, a motto that EUROAVIA inherently embodies. All the training sessions were interactive and were delivered through team activities, debates, and games. The participants caught a deep understanding on these topics, challenged their beliefs, and, most importantly, gained a wider perspective and knowledge of how our association works, our values, and our fundamental goals. Our trainers Leo Buchner, Edi Biliboc, Mara Gogiu, and Irina Stoican did an amazing job, and each of the participants was impressed from their delivering charisma.
Nevertheless, our event did not consist solely of work and workshops. It was an amazing opportunity for the participants to meet new fellow EUROAVIAns, that may not share the same culture, but do share the same passion: The love for travelling, space, and aviation. While exploring the beautiful and historic city of Athens, each participant engaged in interesting conversations with each other and created life-long bonds and friendships.
As the organisation team, we, AS Athens, showcased our hospitality by offering delicious typical Greek food, such as the worldwide famous moussaka and gyros, and by showing them the most exclusive and fun places of our city. Naturally, we did not leave out an extensive tour in the historic parts of Athens, such as the Acropolis Museum, the Parthenon, the picturesque Plaka, and explained the history behind each place. And let’s not forget the cultural night – the oldest and most fundamental EUROAVIA tradition – a night where we each tried different drinks and sweets from every place the participants came from.
Certainly, this would not have been possible without our generous sponsors, Altair Engineering, AVEK Vetrakos, ELVAL, Global Prep, our university – the National Technical University of Athens, efood, Red Bull, Papadopoulou, and Sklavenitis.
We are extremely grateful for the opportunity we were given to host such an amazing event, and we hope that the participants had as much fun attending our event as we had while organising it. The organisation progress allowed us to truly understand what the real meaning of the EUROAVIA Spirit is: The possibility to create bonds with people from all around Europe with common values based upon hard work, innovation, cultural awareness, teamwork, and international networking!
Until the next International Event, we wish all the best to each Local Group, and we are looking forward to building all together the wings of our future!
AS Athens