OBESSU 50th by Sam Biewer, UNEL
We, UNEL, were honoured to be invited by OBESSU to their event celebrating its 50th anniversary. UNEL is, once again, deeply grateful for the opportunity to participate in the celebration.
The event, held in Brussels, brought together current and former activists, partners, and allies from across the continent to reflect on OBESSU’s rich history and envision its future. UNEL, as a long-standing member of OBESSU, joined in the festivities and discussions, reaffirming its commitment to international solidarity and inclusive education.
The event opened with speeches by several current OBESSU members, who reflected on the organisation’s history and its evolution over the years. The speeches were very well performed and greatly expressed the gratitude for everyone who has contributed to OBESSU’s journey.
Following this, a fishbowl discussion took place, where multiple people talked and discussed different topics regarding education. This was particularly engaging, as it offered diverse and compelling perspectives, each illustrated by personal experiences with education across Europe.
It was interesting seeing many different generations of OBESSU activists, those that fought and those who are still fighting for student rights, come together. Seeing the younger generation engage with the older generations was a great reminder of how much we can learn from each other.
UNEL also had the opportunity to meet many interesting people, share points of views and exchange knowledge. We also got to meet other Luxembourgish that were once active in OBESSU as UNEL international officers.
Throughout the whole event, education was at the center of the discussions, and it was reaffirmed that education holds a fundamental role in European societies and is essential to guarantee rights to a free and fair education for all European citizens.
As OBESSU embarks on its next chapter, UNEL remains a proud and active member, committed to strengthening the European student movement. The 50th anniversary was a testament to the resilience, creativity, and courage of young people fighting for a better world, and a reminder that their voices are not only important, but indispensable.
Written by Sam Biewer – UNEL
