Editing AIESEC (section)

==History==

=== Founding ===
[[File:ACkonverents.jpg|thumb|AIESEC in Estonia]]
The idea behind AIESEC started after [[World War II]], when representatives from schools across [[Europe]] exchanged information about various programs and schools that specialized in [[business]] and [[economics]]. Students had been carrying out internships in other countries, mostly on their own initiative, but this came to a standstill with the onslaught of World War II.<ref name=aiese>{{cite web| url= http://media.www.universitychronicle.com/media/storage/paper231/news/2003/10/02/Diversions/Aiesec.Helps.Interns.Make.Adjustments-512353.shtml| title= AIESEC Helps Interns Make Adjustments| access-date= 2008-02-11| last= Kern| first= Beth| date= 2003-10-02| work= University Chronicle| url-status= dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090130050156/http://media.www.universitychronicle.com/media/storage/paper231/news/2003/10/02/Diversions/Aiesec.Helps.Interns.Make.Adjustments-512353.shtml| archive-date= 2009-01-30}}</ref> In 1944, the neutral [[Scandinavia|Scandinavian countries]] were still exchanging students. Bertil Hedberg, an official at the [[Stockholm School of Economics]], and students Jaroslav Zich (of [[Czechoslovakia]]) and Stanislas Callens (of [[Belgium]]), founded ''AIESEC'' on July 2, 1948, under the name {{Lang|fr|Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques}} (''AIESEc'')  with a headquarter in [[Prague]] and Jaroslav Zich as the first President of the association.

At the time of AIESEC's founding at the end of the 1940s, Europe was in the midst of recovery from the war that dealt grave losses to its population. [[Factory|Factories]] and enterprises were in desperate need of executives, managers and leaders. The continent needed more than just business development, however; the war had severely damaged relations between European nations, and many members of the community felt steps needed to be taken to address this problem.<ref name="60 Years">{{cite web|title=AIESEC 60 Years|url=http://www.slideshare.net/afvh/aiesec-60th-23376006|access-date=2014-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217004417/http://www.slideshare.net/afvh/aiesec-60th-23376006|archive-date=2014-12-17|url-status=dead}}</ref> AIESEC was formed to address both of these concerns. In 1948, a renewing development of the association was initiated, with implementation of international meetings (congresses), replacing the practice of governance from the headquarter. The first broad meeting was held by students from 9 [[University|universities]] of 7 [[Country|countries]] in April 1948 in [[Liège]] ([[Belgium]]). Then the official, constitutive assembly (the [[congress]]) was organized in 1949 in [[Stockholm]] with Bengt Sjӧstrand as the President and [[Sweden]] as the Presiding Country for 1949/1950. Students from seven nations: [[Belgium]], [[Denmark]], [[Finland]], [[France]], [[Netherlands]], [[Norway]] and [[Sweden]], came together for that first International Congress of AIESEC.<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=AIESEC History|url=https://www.aiesec.org/#/about/history|website=www.aiesec.org|access-date=2014-11-27|archive-date=2014-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141127095906/https://www.aiesec.org/#/about/history|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1949, 89 students were exchanged by AIESEC among the member nations. The next two annual congresses were conducted in [[Stockholm]], presided by Bengt Sjӧstrand, and in [[Paris]], presided by Jean Choplin, respectively. At those congresses the organization's mission was stated: "to expand the understanding of a nation by expanding the understanding of the individuals, changing the world one person at a time."<ref name=aiese/> Also a constitution for the organization defined a purpose: "AIESEC is an independent, non-political, and international organization which has as its purpose to establish and promote the friendly relations between the members."<ref name="60 Years" />

=== Global expansion ===

The organization grew exponentially{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} in the following years, with more than 1,000 exchanges taking place in 1955 alone. In the following few years, AIESEC quickly became global by establishing its first North American member, the [[United States]], in 1957, and its first South American and African members, [[Colombia]], [[Venezuela]], and [[South Africa]], in 1958.<ref name=expansions>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/vYjx5wYjY5s Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318231953/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYjx5wYjY5s&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|title=AIESEC Expansions since 1948|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYjx5wYjY5s|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

For the first years of its existence, AIESEC had no central governing body, but was instead managed jointly by a Presiding Country Committee composed of the National Committee Presidents of each member nation. As the organization grew, a central governing body was created and led by a democratically elected Secretary General. Morris Wolff, from the United States, was chosen as the first Secretary General in 1960, and established the first permanent international office for AIESEC in [[Geneva]], [[Switzerland]].<ref name="60 Years" /> Over the following decade, AIESEC expanded to [[East Asia|eastern Asia]], [[Australia]], and deeper within Europe, [[Africa]], [[North America]], and [[South America]], having a presence in 43 countries by 1969.<ref name=expansions />

In 2010, AIESEC surpassed 10,000 exchanges delivered in a single year for the first time. By 2020, more than 230,000 interactions will have been provided.<ref name="numbers" />

=== Global Volunteer ===
"AIESEC is a global network of people that simply believe that youth leadership is not an option, but our responsibility." The "Global Volunteer" portfolio in AIESEC is an international [[Volunteering|volunteer program]] which allows youth aged 18–29 to contribute to the United Nations' [[Sustainable Development Goals|sustainable development goals]] of 2030. The Global Volunteering programs are short-term in nature (6–8 weeks) and provide youth with opportunities to travel abroad and work for [[Nonprofit organization|Non-profit organizations]] with a special focus of second and [[Third World|third world]] countries.  Projects include teaching, promoting [[HIV]]/[[HIV/AIDS|AIDS]] awareness, working in [[human rights]], environmental [[sustainability]], leadership development and more.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Develop your leadership|url=https://aiesec.org/|access-date=2021-04-02|website=AIESEC|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=View all {{!}} StudentVolunteer.ie|url=https://www.studentvolunteer.ie/view-all|access-date=2021-04-02|website=www.studentvolunteer.ie}}</ref> Since AIESEC is a non-profit organization, the exchange participants are to bear all expenses associated with travel including airfare, [[Health insurance|medical insurance]], and transportation. Some of AIESEC's projects will provide food and accommodation. AIESEC's partnership with the [[United Nations]] seeks to tap the undiscovered potential of the youth globally and allow them to create a long-lasting impact to boost the international community.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnership/?p=23547|title=Global Partnership with AIESEC for Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship - United Nations Partnerships for SDGs platform|website=sustainabledevelopment.un.org|access-date=11 December 2018}}</ref>

=== Global Talent ===
"Global Talent" is a global internship opportunity at a [[Startup company|startup]], [[Small and medium-sized enterprises|SME]] or an [[Multinational corporation|MNC]] for young people who seek to develop themselves and their career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AIESEC exchanges {{!}} Erasmus Generation Portal |url=https://erasmusgeneration.org/mobility/aiesec-exchanges |access-date=2022-08-31 |website=erasmusgeneration.org}}</ref> They range from 6 weeks to 1.5 years in nature.