Done!

Wow... it's done! Hard to believe that the week went so fast... and yet so much happened! That's the wonder of Mollina and the University on Youth and Development: it only lasts one week, but the changes it produces are so huge, that even though time seems to fly, when it's over it seems like one year has gone by! 300 young people from more than 90 countries from all around the world, selected by an alliance gathering more than 10 international youth platforms, attended 12 different events, and participated in several and diverse other activities in the CEULAJ. This means hundreds of hours of hard work in the meetings rooms, and almost as many hours of great fun here, there and everywhere, but especially at Paco's. For the ones of you who have never been to Paco's, the only thing I can say is that I can't really explain why we like it so much... I mean, it's exactly one of that kind of bars where I would never feel like coming in after taking a first look at it from the entrance door... and yet, it takes only one visit for the ones who have been there to understand exactly what I mean if I tell you that it is impossible not to feel at home after some minutes only. Paco's is the place. Be it for endless political discussions aimed at saving the world, for meaningless gossipping with no aim at all, for responsible (or not that much) rhum and other alcohol heavy consumption with various and diverse purposes, for loud table-football international tournaments promoting fair-play, or for romantic seduction games involving bilateral and multilateral international co-operation, and the establishment, development and consolidation of many alliances between several civilizations, Paco's is the place. And, at the end of the day, Paco's is a symbol of it all. A good university always has a nice bar, and the UYD has the best in the world. This might have been my last time here, at least in this context. And also because of that, this year's edition will be impossible to forget. As usual, I learned, I had fun, I met old friends, and made new ones. I arrived full of hopes and expectations, and they have all been confirmed and fulfilled. I will therefore leave with high levels of motivation, and with the deep believe in that the world can truly be changed into a better place for everyone. And, equally importantly, that there are many people wiling to assume this task. On an even more personal level, when I arrived here last week, I knew that this year's edition of the UYD would be one small step in the process of change that I am and will be undergoing over the next few months; I was not aware, however, of how much of a giant leap it could actually be.... and I feel fine!