Temelko Dechev – #74289 – Bulgarien

What do you like about Europe?
There are so many opportunities that Europe offers today. Social, cultural, business, traveling, economics, sports, etc. Great gifts that we all should appreciate. The connections and friendships of the 500 million people that now share so many common things. Together. The greatest one is summarized in this song from the 1992 Eurovision Contest (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b5whZydVZc). Europe is united and goes steady and firmly in a certain direction.)

What did your country gave to Europe (music, literature, theatre, politics…)?
Highly qualified skilled human capital. Delicious food and authentic yoghurt too.

What did Europe gave to your country (generals, kings & queens, artists, concepts)?
It is difficult to speak on behalf of an entire country.

In result of your time at JCI: What did you love about JCI?
The people. I made lifetime friendships with wonderful people from all over the world. Priceless!

What do you love about the Senate?
The active framework of concrete actions and the experienced and knowledgeable people who are the members!

What is your vision for Europe in 2044, the 75th anniversary of the European Senate?
I think that the focus should fall on the development of the following skills and human/social capital in our organization:

  • Critical thinking
  • Decision making
  • Complex problem solving.
  • Creativity
  • People management.
  • Coordinating with others.
  • Emotional intelligence.

What is the action you take to make that vision happen?
Running my businesses in alignment with all the above stated and adding value in the countries we do business in/customers we make happy. The DNA of the companies I run mirrors the values and goals I described above. That is a direct way I can truly contribute and impact that otherwise somehow abstract and far-fetched goal.

Péter Szamosközi – Norway #77326 National President 2013, JCI Hungary

What do you like about Europe?
Diversity: various cultural and historical places as well as events in few hours travel time. At this part of the world, something is always going on. 🙂

What did your country give to Europe (music, literature, theater, politics …)?
Founder of Hungary, István the First (975-1038), who became a saint of both Western and Eastern Catholic Churches. Báthory family (13-17. century), which were governors of Poland, Lithuania, Transylvania and Hungary. Ferenc Liszt (1811-1886), composer, pianist and conductor. Author of 1400+ masterpieces. János Neumann (1903-1957) and János Kemény (1926-1992), mathematicians, founder of Computer Science. István Szabó (*1938), filmdirector and screenwriter. Author of Mephisto (1981) and Sunshine (1999) among other films. Andy Vajna (1944-2019), film producer. Executive producer of Rambo2 (1985) Rambo3 (1988), Evita (1996), Terminator3 (2003), Basic instinct (2006), Terminator films (2007-2010). Famous Hungarian companies nowadays: Prezi, LogMeIn, Wizzair, Docler Holding, OTP Bank, MOL, Richter Gedeon Pharmaceuticals.

What did Europe give to your country (generals, kings and queens, artists, concepts …)?
Blessed Gisela of Bavaria (985-1065), first queen of Hungary. Traditionally her marriage to István the First is considered the beginning of the Bavarian-Hungarian friendship.
Miklós Zrínyi (1620-1664), born in Croatia: military leader, statesman and poet. Writer of Peril of Sziget (1651). Ádám Clark (1811-1856), born in Scotland: engineer, designer of Budapest Chain bridge, which was the longest bridge of the world that time. Gudbrand Gregersen (1824-1910), born in Norway: engineer, bridgemaker and designer of the old National Theater.

In terms of concepts:
– state hierarchy from Germany
– numbers from Arabs
– alphabet from Italy (Roman times)
– spa and thermal bath culture from Turkey (Ottoman empire)
– religion from Italy/Vatican (Western Cath.), Switzerland (Calvinist), Turkey (Eastern Cath.)
– balls and classic dances from Austria (Habsburg times).

In result of your time at JCI: What did you love about JCI?
Wherever I go, there are friends: either they have been, or they will be. Let’s give an example: I was approached for this interview as Hungarian, but hereby I have to say thank you to JCI Norway: when JCI Hungary got disaffiliated in 2015, they offered me to continue my membership there. Moreover, I received my senatorship last autumn from my chapter in Trondheim and JCI Norway.

What do you love about the Senate?
Having yet only a few months as a senator, I can talk about my home Senate in Norway, which has been extreme open and welcoming.

What is your vision for Europe in 2044, the 75th anniversary of the European Senate?
The best continent to live in: social security, low unemployment rate, integrated minorities, peace among countries and taking care of the environment.

What is the action you take to make that vision happen?
The current project I’m working for, is in April 2019: a two day long international conference on Young Leaders in Europe: first day includes JCI related partner organisations, trade chambers and foreign ambassador is giving keynote. The second day is focusing on stepping up for Europe.

Dietmar Gombotz – # 66530 – Austria

What do you like about Europe?
Europe is so many different cultures on such a small area that overlapps happen everywhere, this creates new and innovative ideas and social interactions not seen anywhere

What did your country gave to Europe (music, literature, theatre, politics…)?
Most people think of mozart but i think more of the many nobel laureates and one of the oldest universities in the world. since ww2 we try to be a place for exchange and diplomacy where agreements can be made.

What did Europe gave to your country (generals, kings & queens, artists, concepts)?
Opportunity as a bridge between the “old” and the “new” europe after the breakdown of the sowjet union.

In result of your time at JCI: What did you love about JCI?
The diverse set of people all with the common goal of changing our world. The place where “usual enemies” will be friends and where we do not care about colour, race or nation

What do you love about the Senate?
Keeping contact with the network of jaycees, but also beeing able to learn from older senators who share their ideas and their experiences

What is your vision for Europe in 2044, the 75th anniversary of the European Senate?
That we helped create a better JCI that grows and flourishes and brings people together

What is the action you take to make that vision happen?
Helping locally and connecting internationally, influencing and mentoring whenever i get asked

 

Vojtech Kacirek – #75741 – Czech Republic

What do you like about Europe?
a lot of colours of different countries having the same culcure

What did your country gave to Europe (music, literature, theatre, politics…)?
eishockey, pilsner beer 😉

In result of your time at JCI: What did you love about JCI?
democracy and support after the 17.11.1989, positive behavioural patterns to follow them

What do you love about the Senate?
meeting of interesting people, networking, exchange of experiences and visions

What is your vision for Europe in 2044, the 75th anniversary of the European Senate?
Stable and prospering region in the World – economically, politically and curtually

What is the action you take to make that vision happen?
supporting of joung enterpreneurs to develop their businesses and communities having the positive impact on the society

Charlotte Gregory – #72298 – Malta

What do you like about Europe?
The Unity and the diversity it incorporates.

What did your country give to Europe?
Malta is the southern most part of Europe, situated between Italy and Libya in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea our country has always been a crossroad for different cultures, we have brought different types of cuisine that have a Middle Eastern Influence. Malta is also the birth place of Dr Edward De Bono, he is the founder of Lateral Thinking.  Malta has also been for centuries the base for different European countries forming strategic alliances.

What did Europe give to your country?
Malta being European and part of the EU has given endless opportunities that otherwise would have not been possible on this tiny island, both for work and study.

In result of your time: What did you love about JCI?
JCI gave me endless opportunities of growth and development. It helped me experience different cultures and countries in a safe environment. It also helped me meet like minded people, with common goals. However, the most important thing that JCI gave me is the belief that one person can make a change.

What do you love about the Senate?
I am not very active within the senate, however what I like about the Senate is the link between the young members and the past of JCI. I believe that the Senate is a very important source for the organization to move forward and learn from what was successful or not in previous years. The Senators are proof of how JCI aids members to grow and develop both personally and in business.

What is your vision for Europe in 2044, the 75th anniversary of the Europe Senate.
Although 2044 seems a long way away, I hope that the European Senate remains strong and start to working more closely with Local Chapters to grow, since the decline of membership is very worrying for the organization. The last thing that we need is to have more senators than active members. 

What is the vision you take to make that vision happen
For this to happen I believe that a Mentoring program needs to be set up throughout Europe with senators that want to contribute towards this project.