In a democratic society, activism is, at the same time, a right and a responsibility. 30 undergraduate and current or recent post graduate students coming from EU and non-EU countries, most of them with experience and engagement with student movements and NGOs, shared experience and knowledge in Turin, during the Forum of Students for Legality. This meeting allowed them to consider themselves not as single individuals who may have achieved whatever goal, but to be a part of an ongoing historical movement of civil society, in order to promote human rights and struggle against organized crime, corruption, or discrimination.
The Key Note Speakers shared good practices with all participants, having high-quality motivational speeches, followed by fruitful discussions. Michele Curto, the president of FLARE Network, sustained the power and importance of good models, sharing some truly stimulating examples of their work. The organization’s new approach to deal with organised crime in Europe and neighbouring countries, by creating methods and procedures alternative and complementary to the ones developed by national institutions and law enforcement agencies, the activities which focus on informing civil society about topics such as human and drug trafficking, corruption and information, eco-crimes or money laundering and the concrete support of those people who have fallen victims of international organised crime, the idea of social reuse of criminal assets, as well as the energy to mobilize people from so many countries inspired the participants to become more active agents of their communities. Everyone agreed that if we want to make a difference, we should start with the self-reconstruction. Michele also highlighted the value of collective memory and moral heritage that should be the commence of our initiatives.
Andrea Spagnolo, professor at UNICRI, LLM programme on International Criminal Law and Justice, emphasised the importance of diminishing the gap between the academic field and the job market by creating opportunities for students to learn by simulating real frameworks. Milan Stefanovic, one of the organizers of the student movements against Milosevic in Serbia (Niš), shared the story of two long successful protests, when, without any new technologies like Internet or mobile phones, but efficiently using ‘noise’ and ‘humour’ as weapons, young people managed to make themselves heard and change something in their community. Members of Studenti indipendenti and UniLibera provided their international colleagues with information about the actual state of facts in the university field in Turin.
The participants have voiced the students’ rights and needs for freedom of expression from their home Universities and discussed about the educational system in their countries, starting to build an action plan on international level. During the Forum, they have also drafted their own Student Declaration for Legality* which is supposed to be used as an international tool for advocacy for students rights and freedoms throughout Europe. Moreover, participants attended a conference on the topic of globalization and struggle against organized crime, at the European Parliament in Brussels, on the 10th of December, Human Rights Day.
The event was organized by FLARE, a network of civil society organizations- founded in 2008 and counting over 50 NGOs from 27 countries across Europe, Mediterranean basin, Russian Federation, Caucasus and the Balkans- which is committed to the social struggle against transnational organized crime, raising awareness about the diffusion and the influence of this phenomenon in Europe and in the surrounding areas, through social events, communication, youth engagement and consultancy.
* Declaration of the European Students for Legality
We, students of the European Forum for Legality originating from all over Europe, collectively in one voice stand for respect, protection and fulfilment of the general principles of legality within Higher Education Institutions. Therefore with this declaration we state the following principals, demands and commitments for Participation, Justice, Transparency and Culture in the universities:
Participation
UNIVERSITAS MAGISTRORUM SCHOLARIUM
We, the European Students for Legality, commit ourselves to promote and defend Participation by:
• Emphasizing the significance of student participation in decision making processes;
• Encouraging participation so students can be in a position to contribute, support, influence and promote the principles of democracy and legality;
Therefore, we commit ourselves to:
- Pursue democracy by promoting collaboration among university stakeholders;
- Ensure equality of opportunity for all;
- Call for the establishment of a sufficient legal platform and financial support to ensure the sustainability of student participation;
- Raise awareness and distribute information to emphasize the importance and necessity of active student participation;
Therefore we demand:
Empowerment of students so that they participate in decision making processes at their university. Thus we apply the principle of check and balances, assisting the university in executing its academic purposes.
Justice
FIAT IUSTITIA NE PEREAT MUNDUS
We, the European Students for Legality, commit ourselves to promote and defend Justice by:
• Promoting Equal opportunity for all in terms of rights, access to education and admission, participation
• Fighting for Respect of Students’ Opinion
• Demanding Just/ Fair grading system (of students, professors, curriculum)
• Advocating for a clear and efficient Legal framework which is based on transparency and is internationally accredited.
Therefore, we commit ourselves to:
- Promote youth active citizenship through different forms of education (formal and non-formal) at all levels;
- Ensure students’ representation at the university and other institutions in decision making processes (legal framework, anti-corruption, etc.);
Therefore we demand:
Improvement of the regulation systems in order to become stronger, well-controlled and more transparent.
Transparency
QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES
We, the European Students for Legality, commit ourselves to promote and defend Transparency by:
• Ensuring accountable institutions, open access to information, free channels of communication and independent regulation;
• Advocating clarity, cooperation, responsible ethics, student representation and public debate;
• Demanding direct procedural and deliberative democracy;
Therefore we demand:
Transparent institutions:
- Proper appointment of professors;
- Fair and public budgets, finance and accounting;
- Elected student bodies;
- Clear sanctions for breach of transparency by a disciplinary body;
- Independent regulation of universities;
A transparent information service:
- Active free access to information (e.g. complaints procedure);
- Open decision making process;
- Publishing and monitoring results;
- Detailed information about budgets, funds and donations;
- Ensuring laws regarding freedom of information access are properly applied;
A transparent assessment (evaluation) system:
- No tolerance with regards bribing;
- Fair marking;
- External and independent assessment;
- Assuring all institutions provide evidence and records of exams (oral and written);
- Publish the curriculum (assessment criteria).
Culture
ALMA MATER SOCIETAS
We, the European Students for Legality, commit ourselves to promote and defend Culture by:
• Stating that universities should not only educate future workers but also promote culture and knowledge;
• Promoting civic culture should be enhanced to help youth to think critically and to be active in encouraging improvement.
Therefore, we commit ourselves to:
- Encourage debate and engagement on current affairs
- Explore our own universities multicultural environment
- Stimulate artistic expression and creativity
- Fight against discrimination and celebrate diversity
- Confront ourselves with the wider society and other universities in our country and abroad
By the same token we demand from institutions, local, national and European government to:
- Fund exchange programs
- Develop ethical codes that promote tolerance
- Grant support for cultural activities
- Create a system of quotas to encourage the participation of minorities in universities.
Turin, Italy
7th December 2010
Diana-Adela Ionita/ La.Specula.com