Testimonials

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EFA was a beautiful experience, and it was a privilege to be there as part of Senza Confini. There are a lot of amazing memories, such as hiking above Alpbach at sunset, forming friendships that will -maybe- last a lifetime, the seminar I took on EU neighborhood policy or the dialogues between the lecturers and us. I particularly appreciated the informal setting of the fireside talks, which allowed us to pose questions to speakers we wouldn’t normally be able to meet.

In Alpbach I had two of the best weeks of my life – it let me grow personally, gave me a deep insight on European politics and got motivated to fight climate change. Additionally, it opened some doors for my career after I finish my Master.

One of the best things about EFA was that I met many scholars researching similar topics as mine. After I interviewed a representative of a local tourist organization for my PhD thesis, I was able to establish a cooperation and Alpbach has now become one of my research areas for the next three years. So many unexpected doors can open in Alpbach!

EFA has been one of the most rewarding experiences both in my personal and professional life, and one that I would not like to have missed. My personal highlight was the opportunity to indulge in whatever activity I was interested in – seminars, networking, social events or fireside talks. Another highlight was definitely the diverse and international community of CASC. 

EFA was by far one of the most inspiring and most mind-blowing experiences I’ve ever had. The Forum not only left me with quite some food for thought and many incredible people I was allowed to meet, but, most importantly, it left me with inspiration and hope – hope in humanity, and hope in the European Union.

As a student with a scientific background, I found it extremely fruitful to immerse myself in such a diverse community composed of high-level students, researchers and celebrated academics from different backgrounds. Participating at EFA was amazing, as there are still so many things to learn about this unique world.

My personal highlights at EFA were definitely the lectures: firmly grounded, with an emphasis on facts and knowledge, and great lecturers, whom I could listen to for months. I could not have felt more at home with Senza Confini. Even though we come from 3 different countries, there were no barriers between us!

I really had a blast at EFA! Meeting all these interested and interesting people is probably the best thing I took from these two and a half weeks. I was also able to make contacts with different companies that I want to work for. I did not believe that it was actually that easy to approach these people but all of them were helpful right up front.

I was impressed by how open-minded and curious all the people at the forum were. I liked the multicultural environment, and the different backgrounds allowed people to share ideas and discuss them from various perspectives, thus allowing an overall very enriching experience. I also felt that the #transnational character of CASC is an added value to the club, because it creates room for further dialogue and cooperation, and it allows CASC to truly embody the spirit of EFA!

EFA had a profound impact on me and I definitely returned as a different person. Being surrounded by such a diverse and multicultural community and by so many top-notch speakers made me realize that young people do have the power to influence major decisions.

My time at EFA has been among the most eventful and instructive experiences of my life. I do not have to explain any further either the evening hours at Jakober, where lifetime friendships/business relations have been made, nor the workshops, fireside talks and other activities. We all left Alpbach with many conclusions and ideas, which will be of importance for our Alps-Adriatic region.

Being in Alpbach was intellectually and emotionally challenging. It was nice to feel that all those young people, despite their differences, were there because of their curiosity and active interest in the world they live in. This meant a lot to me, because I needed to feel hopeful again, to see that young people like me have passions, ideas and projects and, above all, the determination and motivation to foster them. At the same time, in order to make this experience even more significant, I think it should be expanded to those who would normally be “excluded” from this kind of contexts. This is necessary to reverse a current trend, that is the increasingly more selective access to knowledge and information, and to further democratize culture.

EFA was truly an amazing and life-changing experience which helped me find exactly what I want to do in life. The thing I loved most was the atmosphere and the people at the forum. Everybody is super relaxed and interested in having meaningful conversations. From each person, you can learn something interesting and important, and the best thing is that they are usually super excited to share it. This is mainly why I see EFA as a parallel universe, totally unlike reality.

The spirit of Alpbach and CASC totally caught me! I really believe that crossing borders – not only geographically – but also hierarchically and on an interdisciplinary level is the most important pathway to a peaceful future. No matter if Senza calzini, soldini, bikini or confini – this Club is always the best! Thumbs up for the borderless love, cooperation and fun!