Editing AIESEC

{{Short description|Student not-for-profit organization}}
{{Primary sources|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox organization
| image                    = 
| alt                      = 
| caption                  = 
| map                      = 
| logo                     = AIESEC_Logo.svg
| logo_alt                 = 
| logo_caption             = 
| formation                = 1948
| type                     = [[Nonprofit organization|Not-for-profit]]
| status                   = Active
| purpose                  = Peace and fulfillment of humankind's potential
| headquarters             = [[Montreal]], Canada
| coords                   = <!-- Coordinates of location using a coordinates template -->
| language                 = English
| leader_title             = President of AIESEC International (PAI)
| leader_name              = Arfan Nazar
| main_organ               = Global Plenary
| affiliations             = <!-- if any -->
| budget                   = 
| name                     = AIESEC
| size                     = 
| msize                    = 
| malt                     = 
| mcaption                 = 
| abbreviation             = 
| location                 = 5605 Avenue de Gaspé, Suite 110, Montréal, QC H2T 2A4, Canada
| region_served            = Worldwide
| membership               = 40,000
| num_staff                = 
| num_volunteers           = 
| website                  = {{URL|https://aiesec.org}}
}}
'''AIESEC''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|aɪ|s|ɛ|k}} {{Respell|EYE|sek}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtfpuAmgSy8|title=What is AIESEC?|via=YouTube|date=August 23, 2015|accessdate=6 July 2024}}</ref>) is an international "youth-run" and led, [[Non-governmental organization|non-governmental]] and [[organization|not-for-profit]] organization that provides young people with business development [[internship]]s. The organization focuses on empowering young people to make a [[Progressivism|progressive]] social impact. The AIESEC network includes approximately 40,000 members in 120+ countries.<ref name="numbers">{{cite web|url=https://aiesec.org/about-us|title=About us {{!}} AIESEC|website=www.aiesec.org}}</ref>

AIESEC is a non-governmental in consultative status with the [[ECOSOC|United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)]], is an independent arm of the [[United Nations Department of Public Information|UN DPI]]<ref name=dpi>{{cite web|title=Non-Governmental Organizations Committee Recommnds 52 Organizations for Consultative Status With Economic and Social Council|url=https://www.un.org/press/en/2007/ecosoc6248.doc.htm|website=www.un.org}}</ref> and UN's [[Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth]],<ref name=affiliate>{{cite web|url=http://blog.aiesec.org/the-end-of-the-ianyd-and-icmyo-meetings-just-the-start-of-aiesecs-involvement-with-the-united-nations/|title=The end of the IANYD and ICMYO Meetings – just the start of AIESEC's involvement with the United Nations|date=22 September 2013|first=Cassandra|last=Ruggiero|website=AIESEC International|access-date=27 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141205121631/http://blog.aiesec.org/the-end-of-the-ianyd-and-icmyo-meetings-just-the-start-of-aiesecs-involvement-with-the-united-nations/|archive-date=5 December 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> member of [[International Coordination Meeting of Youth Organisations|ICMYO]],<ref name="affiliate" /> and is recognized by [[UNESCO]].<ref name=unesco>{{cite web|url=http://ngo-db.unesco.org/r/or/en/1100041034|title=UNESCO English Search: AIESEC|website=UNESCO|access-date=2014-10-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023114448/http://ngo-db.unesco.org/r/or/en/1100041034|archive-date=2014-10-23|url-status=dead}}</ref> AIESEC's international headquarters are in [[Montreal]], Canada.<ref name=contact>{{cite web|url=http://aiesec.org/contact-us/|title=AIESEC: Contact Us|website=AIESEC}}</ref>

==Name==
''AIESEC'' (pronounced: eye-sek<ref>{{Cite web |title=AIESEC Global Brand Guidelines "Blue Book" |url=https://aiesec-canada.squarespace.com/s/AIESEC-Brand-Guidelines-Blue-Book.pdf }}</ref>) was originally a French [[acronym]] for {{Lang|fr|Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales}} (English: International Association of Students in Economics and Business). The full name is no longer officially used, as members can now be graduate and undergraduate from any university background.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oeISZarBe00C&q=AIESEC+was+originally+a+French+acronym+for+Association+internationale+des+%C3%A9tudiants+en+sciences+%C3%A9conomiques+et+commerciales&pg=PA38|title=Elsevier's Dictionary of Acronyms, Initialisms, Abbreviations and Symbols|last=Mattia|first=Fioretta Benedetto|date=2003-09-30|publisher=Elsevier|isbn=9780080544137|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unive.it/pag/20942/|title=Student associations|website=www.unive.it|language=it|access-date=2017-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170605103114/http://www.unive.it/pag/20942|archive-date=2017-06-05|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://aiesec.org/about-aiesec/#tab-id-2|title=About AIESEC {{!}} AIESEC Global|work=AIESEC|access-date=2017-06-08|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aiesec.org/|title=AIESEC {{!}} Live the experience|website=AIESEC|access-date=2019-02-07}}</ref>

==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.

== Awards and recognition ==
In July 2015, AIESEC was recognized for the 9th time on the WorldBlu list of "Most Freedom Centred Workplaces."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldblu.com/certified|title=Cultural Transformation in Organizations|website=www.worldblu.com|access-date=11 December 2018}}</ref> An organization makes it onto the WorldBlu List through a rigorous Freedom at Work assessment process completed by employees. The assessment evaluates the overall design of an organization along a fear-based to freedom-centred continuum in three core areas: leadership, individual performance and systems and processes.

==Members==
As of 2023, AIESEC is found in 100+ countries and territories worldwide, including:<ref name=countries>{{cite web|title=AIESEC: Contact Us|url=http://aiesec.org/contact-us/|access-date=2015-01-13|archive-date=2014-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217072650/http://aiesec.org/contact-us/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{columns-list|colwidth=12em|
* [[Albania]]
* [[Algeria]]
* [[Argentina]]
* [[Armenia]]
* [[Australia]]
* [[Austria]]
* [[Azerbaijan]]
* [[Bahrain]]
* [[Bangladesh]]
* [[Belgium]]
* [[Benin]]
* [[Bolivia]]
* [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
* [[Brazil]]
* [[Bulgaria]]
* [[Burkina Faso]]
* [[Cambodia]]
* [[Cameroon]]
* [[Canada]]
* [[Chile]]
* [[China]]
* [[Colombia]]
* [[Costa Rica]]
* [[Croatia]]
* [[Czech Republic]]
* [[Denmark]]
* [[Dominican Republic]]
* [[Ecuador]]
* [[Egypt]]
* [[El Salvador]]
* [[Estonia]]
* [[Ethiopia]]
* [[Finland]]
* [[France]]
* [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
* [[Germany]]
* [[Ghana]]
* [[Greece]]
* [[Guatemala]]
* [[Hong Kong]]
* [[Hungary]]
* [[Iceland]]
* [[India]]
* [[Indonesia]]
* [[Italy]]
* [[Cote D'Ivoire]]
* [[Japan]]
* [[Jordan]]
* [[Kazakhstan]]
* [[Kenya]]
* [[Kuwait]]
* [[Kyrgyzstan]]
* [[Latvia]]
* [[Lebanon]]
* [[Liberia]]
* [[Lithuania]]
* [[Malaysia]]
* [[Mexico]]
* [[Moldova]]
* [[Mongolia]]
* [[Montenegro]]
* [[Morocco]]
* [[Mozambique]]
* [[Myanmar]]
* [[Nepal]]
* [[Netherlands]]
* [[New Zealand]]
* [[Nicaragua]]
* [[Nigeria]]
* [[North Macedonia]]
* [[Norway]]
* [[Pakistan]]
* [[Panama]]
* [[Paraguay]]
* [[Peru]]
* [[Philippines]]
* [[Poland]]
* [[Portugal]]
* [[Romania]]
* [[Russia]]
* [[Rwanda]]
* [[Senegal]]
* [[Serbia]]
* [[Singapore]]
* [[Slovakia]]
* [[South Africa]]
* [[South Korea]]
* [[Spain]]
* [[Sri Lanka]]
* [[Sweden]]
* [[Switzerland]]
* [[Taiwan]]
* [[Tanzania]]
* [[Thailand]]
* [[Togo]]
* [[Tunisia]]
* [[Turkey]]
* [[Uganda]]
* [[Ukraine]]
* [[United Arab Emirates]]
* [[United Kingdom]]
* [[United States]]
* [[Venezuela]]
* [[Vietnam]]
}}

==Alumni==
This is a non-exhaustive list of notable AIESEC alumni:
* [[Akshay Chaturvedi]], CEO of Leverage Education.
* [[Aleksander Kwaśniewski]], President of Poland from 1995 to 2005.
* [[Andrei Spînu]], Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of the Republic of Moldova. 
* [[Aníbal Cavaco Silva]], former [[Prime minister|Prime Minister]] and President of Portugal<ref>{{Cite web |title=EU City: AIESEC alumnus, elected as new President of Portugal |url=http://eucity.blogspot.in/2006/02/aiesec-alumnus-elected-as-new.html |access-date=2018-02-17 |website=eucity.blogspot.in |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Aziz Akhannouch]], Prime Minister of Morocco since 2021. 
* [[César Gaviria]], Colombian [[economist]] and [[politician]] who served as the President of Colombia from 1990 to 1994, [[Secretary (title)|Secretary General]] of the Organization of American States from 1994 to 2004. 
* [[Francisco Gil Díaz]], Mexican economist and Secretary of Finance during 2000–2006, and current regional chairman for Telefónica Movistar. 
* [[Fernando Carro (businessman)]], Spanish business director currently CEO of [[Bayer 04 Leverkusen|Bayern Leverkusen]].
* [[Gunter Pauli]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=http://www.gunterpauli.com/about.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228000737/http://www.gunterpauli.com/about.html |archive-date=2018-02-28 |access-date=2018-02-17 |website=Gunter pauli}}</ref> - is an [[Entrepreneurship|entrepreneur]], economist, and [[author]]. 
* [[Helmut Kohl]], former German [[Chancellor]]. 
* [[James Shaw (New Zealand politician)|James Shaw]], Minister of Statistics and Climate Change Issues of New Zealand. 
* [[Janez Drnovšek]], former Prime Minister of Slovenia.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}
* [[Junichiro Koizumi]], former Prime Minister of Japan. 
* [[Mario Monti]], former Prime Minister of Italy<ref>{{Cite news |title=Endorsements |url=https://issuu.com/aiesecindia/docs/endorsement_-_aiesec_india |access-date=2018-02-17 |work=Issuu |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Martti Ahtisaari]], the tenth President of Finland (1994–2000), [[Nobel Peace Prize]] laureate and United Nations [[diplomat]] and [[Mediation|mediator]]<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/0--F0vxXSr8 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20120109091915/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0--F0vxXSr8&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Citation|last=AIESECFinland|title=Martti Ahtisaari's Greetings to AIESEC|date=2009-09-15|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0--F0vxXSr8|access-date=2018-02-17}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* [[Moulay Hafid Elalamy]], Former Minister of Industry, Trade, & New Technologies in Morocco until 2021.
* [[Nerses Yeritsyan]], Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, former Minister of Economy of Armenia

==See also==
* [[United Nations]]
* [[IAESTE]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website|http://www.aiesec.org}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Organizations established in 1946]]
[[Category:International student subject associations|Economic]]
[[Category:Student exchange]]
[[Category:International organizations based in France]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Montreal]]
[[Category:International youth organizations]]
[[Category:Alumni associations]]