AIESEC facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
AIESEC

Formation	1948
Type	Not-for-profit
Legal status	Active
Purpose	Peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential
Headquarters	Montreal, Canada
Location	5605 Avenue de Gaspé #208, Montréal, QC H2T 2A4, Canada
Region served	Worldwide
Membership	40,000
Official language	English
President of AIESEC International (PAI)	Ana Leonor Fernandes
Main organ	Global Plenary

AIESEC is a global organization run by young people. It helps young people develop their skills through internships and leadership roles. AIESEC is a non-profit group that aims to create a positive impact on the world. About 40,000 members are part of the AIESEC network in over 120 countries.

AIESEC works closely with the United Nations. It is recognized by UNESCO. The main office for AIESEC is in Montreal, Canada.

What Does AIESEC Stand For?

The name AIESEC (pronounced: eye-sek) used to be a French acronym. It stood for "International Association of Students in Economics and Business." Today, the full name is not used anymore. This is because AIESEC welcomes students from all university backgrounds.

AIESEC's History

How AIESEC Started

AIESEC in Estonia

The idea for AIESEC began after World War II. Students from different European schools wanted to share ideas about business programs. Before the war, students often did internships in other countries. The war stopped these exchanges.

In 1944, some countries still exchanged students. In 1948, Bertil Hedberg, Jaroslav Zich, and Stanislas Callens officially founded AIESEC. They first called it "International Association of Students in Economic Sciences." The first main office was in Prague.

After the war, Europe needed to rebuild. Factories needed new leaders and managers. Also, the war had damaged relationships between countries. AIESEC was formed to help with both these problems. It aimed to develop young leaders and improve understanding between nations.

In 1949, students from seven countries met in Stockholm. These countries were Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. They held the first official AIESEC meeting. That year, 89 students took part in exchanges.

The organization's goal was to "expand the understanding of a nation by expanding the understanding of the individuals." This meant changing the world one person at a time. AIESEC was defined as an independent, non-political, and international group. Its purpose was to build friendly relations among members.

Growing Around the World

AIESEC grew very quickly. By 1955, over 1,000 exchanges happened in just one year. In the late 1950s, AIESEC expanded to North America, South America, and Africa. The United States joined in 1957. Colombia, Venezuela, and South Africa joined in 1958.

For its first few years, AIESEC did not have a central office. It was run by a group of leaders from each country. As it grew, a main governing body was created. In 1960, Morris Wolff became the first Secretary General. He set up the first permanent international office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Over the next ten years, AIESEC reached more countries. It spread to eastern Asia, Australia, and more parts of Europe, Africa, and the Americas. By 1969, AIESEC was active in 43 countries. In 2010, AIESEC completed over 10,000 exchanges in one year.

How Students Get Involved

AIESEC offers young people a chance to grow. Students in universities and colleges can go on international internships. They can also join local AIESEC groups. This helps them develop leadership skills by working with global teams.

AIESEC also partners with various non-profit organizations. Young people can work with these partners. They can also represent their country as campus ambassadors. AIESEC offers programs called Global Talent, Global Teacher, and Global Volunteer.

Each year, members can live and work in a foreign country. They can choose to work in areas like management, technology, education, or development. This helps them build important career skills.

AIESEC Conferences

Participants cheer during a local committee presentation at AIESEC France's "Spark 2013" national conference

AIESEC holds over 500 conferences every year. These meetings bring AIESEC members together from around the world. The goal is to improve their professional skills and meet new people. They also work on AIESEC's plans for the future.

Topics at these conferences include leadership, sustainable development, and entrepreneurship. They also discuss innovation and how young people can impact society.

Global Volunteer Program

AIESEC believes that young people taking the lead is very important. The "Global Volunteer" program is an international volunteer opportunity. It lets young people aged 18–29 help with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. These goals aim to make the world better by 2030.

Global Volunteering programs are short, usually 6–8 weeks long. They give young people a chance to travel abroad. They work for non-profit organizations, often in developing countries. Projects can involve teaching, raising awareness about health, or working on human rights. They also focus on environmental protection and leadership.

Since AIESEC is a non-profit group, participants pay for their travel. This includes flights, insurance, and local transport. Some projects might provide food and a place to stay. AIESEC works with the United Nations to help young people make a lasting positive impact globally.

Global Talent Program

"Global Talent" is a worldwide internship program. It is for young people who want to grow their skills and careers. These internships can last from 6 weeks to 1.5 years. They are often with startups, small businesses, or large companies.

Youth unemployment is a big challenge today. AIESEC helps with this through its Global Talent program. Young people work abroad with entrepreneurs. This helps them gain business experience and expand their network. It also helps them develop personally and professionally.

YouthSpeak Initiative

YouthSpeak is a movement started by AIESEC. AIESEC believes that young people need to act on the UN's goals for 2030. AIESEC helps young people feel strong enough to make a difference.

• YouthSpeak Survey: This survey collects the opinions of young people worldwide. It also teaches them about the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. There are 1.8 billion young people globally, and their voices need to be heard.
• YouthSpeak Forum: This event brings together young leaders. They meet to discuss and plan actions for the future.

Awards and Recognition

In July 2015, AIESEC was recognized by WorldBlu for the ninth time. It was listed among the "Most Freedom Centred Workplaces." Organizations earn this award through a detailed review process. Employees assess how much freedom they have at work. This looks at leadership, individual work, and company processes.

Countries with AIESEC Members

As of 2023, AIESEC is active in over 100 countries and territories worldwide. Here are some of them:

Famous AIESEC Alumni

Many people who were part of AIESEC have gone on to achieve great things. This list includes leaders, business people, and even a Nobel Prize winner.

• Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former President of Poland.
• Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Prize winner.
• Mario Monti, former Prime Minister of Italy.
• Aníbal Cavaco Silva, former Prime Minister and President of Portugal.
• César Gaviria, former President of Colombia.
• Francisco Gil Díaz, former Secretary of Finance in Mexico.
• Junichiro Koizumi, former Prime Minister of Japan.
• Helmut Kohl, former German Chancellor.
• Janez Drnovšk, former Prime Minister of Slovenia.
• James Shaw, Minister of Statistics and Climate Change Issues of New Zealand.
• Nerses Yeritsyan, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia.
• Andrei Spînu, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova.
• Aziz Akhannouch, current Prime Minister of Morocco.
• Moulay Hafid Elalamy, former Minister in Morocco.

See Also

In Spanish: AIESEC para niños

• United Nations
• IAESTE
• AIESEC