Closing speech and a new dawn

This is the last speech I gave in IPM during the PAI election... I was speaking as much for myself and my journey as I was for AIESEC.

"There is a story being told in the world around us. It tells us to fear the foreign and the unknown. It says that only few can survive, and to survive we must fight. It says that some are better than the whole and that we must divide and isolate. It threatens that we are endangered an alone.

In AIESEC I have found another story. I have found a story that speaks to what is common in us. I have found a story that says we can work better together, than alone, that we are more similar than different, that we have a community and future in Humanity.

I believe the future of the world will be shaped by one of these stories - it is up to us to determine which.

The discovery of humanity has been my AIESEC journey. I have found it the hearts and minds of our members, though we seldom see it. I have found it in the vision and the strategy of our organisation though we seldom hear it. I have found it the actions and determination of our leaders, though we seldom speak it.

I say this spirit, our Vision, shall lead our organisation. It shall guide our strategy, will inspire our member base, will bring together diverse perspectives, people and organisations around a common aim.

To this end, I offer you all that I have.
I offer you my mind, which seeks to learn, seeks to teach, seeks to find a better way forward. I offer you my vision, an engaged, relevant and sucessful AIESEC- a true force for global change. And I offer you my heart, which beats with the pulse of humanity, as do each of yours.

AIESEC, be this the dawn, or the sunset, I thank you for helping me discovery what lies within each of us."

3 hours after closing this speech, I found out that it was to be a sunset. Like all the wonderful things in life, my AIESEC experience felt like it would be forever, until I found out it was nearly over. I have 5 months ahead of me to experience the best job in the world to the fullest. I will travel across the world, learn and teach from some of the brightest young minds, and give what I can. On July 31st 2005 AIESEC and I will move in different directions- but we have changed each other deeply in the last 6 years and neither will ever be the same again.