Help send me to the AIPES program in Prague

A project by: Elion Gerguri

£0
pledged of £800 target

This project did not reach its target.

Completion Date: Fri 22 May 2015
aipes prague tfas education summer school charles university

A short summary of your projects

I'm raising £800 to be able to join an international summer school program in Prague which will benefit me both educationally and professionally and allow me to bring back positive change in Kosovo.

Who are you?

I am a young graduate student from Europe's poorest country - Kosovo. I am one of approximately 150+ students to be accepted to attend the 2015 Institute. More than 400 applications from 40 countries are received for AIPES annually.

Your story

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”. This quote has inspired me since elementary school where I started to understand that the value of education is something one should always appreciate. Generally speaking, Kosovo has come a long way in the last 15 years, however, poverty has unfortunately remained a determining factor of one’s fate in life. Both of my parents faced numerous struggles during their university days but still managed to major in Economics. They were committed to instill in me that hard work and dedication can overcome any obstacle.

Because of my family’s continuing support and sacrifice, I was determined to work hard and achieve academic excellence even though we were always short of money. Upon finishing the first year at Staffordshire University, I decided that in order for me to continue my studies I would need to go and work in the United States. The three months I spent there helped me better understand the value of education and how important financial assistance can be. Fortunately, I was able to fund my second-year studies at Staffordshire University and managed to graduate with a 4.0 GPA while also being awarded the best academic essay in Strategic Management.  

This scholarship is the perfect opportunity for me to join a unique international program such as AIPES where I would not only network with students and professors from all over the world but also prepare for my postgraduate studies in the field of international affairs.

Letter of Support



I am writing in support of Mr. Elion Gerguri, who has been selected by The Fund for American Studies to attend the 2015 American Institute on Political and Economic Systems in Prague, Czech Republic. The Institute is presented annually by The Fund for American Studies and Charles University in Prague.

I understand Elion has appealed to your organization seeking additional financial assistance so he can attend the Institute, and I kindly ask for your consideration on his behalf. Elion AIPES participation fee is 700.00 USD out of a total cost of more than $3750 USD. Generous donors to the Institute contribute the remainder of the total cost of the Institute, which covers the costs of tuition, books, housing, special events and meal plan (breakfast and dinner). He is also responsible for his travel expenses to and from Prague, Czech Republic. 

As a student of AIPES, Elion will be one of 120 students from 40 nations in Europe, Central Asia, Middle East, North Africa, and the United States assembled to explore fundamental issues related to political philosophy, political economy, and conflict management. He was selected from a competitive pool of applicants that totals over 300 applications. Each student attending displays not only academic accomplishment, but leadership potential and involvement in their communities. In addition to the challenging curriculum, students also attend additional lectures and discussions involving well-known faculty and leading business and policy makers concerning the ongoing political, social, and economic transitions in the region . The goal for AIPES is that all of our students, including Elion, will return to their home countries to further educate the future generations about the true beliefs of an "open society" practicing freedom, liberty, and justice.

At the end of the Institute, all students are required to take a three-hour written examination in economics and government. Charles University will award Elion six ECTS credits upon completion of the Institute and passing the examination.

If you have any questions about Elion's participation in the 2015 Institute, please feel free to contact me via email at mkwasiborski@tfas.org. Sincerely,

Matthew Kwasiborski
European Institutes Director
The Fund for American Studies

Where will the money go?

AIPES Program: £500
Visa Expenses: £70
Plane Ticket: £200

Train Ticket: £30

Rewards

"NEWBORN" Postcards

The Newborn monument (stylized NEWBORN) is a typographic sculpture and tourist attraction in Pristina, Kosovo, unveiled on 17 February 2008, the day that Kosovo declared independence from Serbia.

"Newborn" was chosen as a single English word for the power to describe the birth of a new country, its positive connotations, ease of understanding by non-native English-speakers, and potential to present Kosovo as a new, contemporary, trendy country. 

The yellow color was chosen in combination with blue banners and the supporting slogans to represent both Kosovo's new flag colors as well as EU colors. According to New Kosova Report, the supporting slogans used during the unveiling were "NEW life is BORN", "NEW hope is BORN", "NEW future is BORN" and "NEW country is BORN", all presented in blue and yellow colors.

Images and video


Find me here

https://www.facebook.com/eliongerguri

Help me succeed!

You don't need to give money to help me succeed! Please share this project with anyone you think would support me – on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, by email, telephone, in a chat over the fence or on your blog.

In fact, share it with everyone you know as we think it's a great idea, and the more people who know about it, the more likely I am to make this work out brilliantly.

And I know I said you don't need to give money to help me, but I'd love it if you did! Please sponsor me and help make this happen.