with UNESCO, ECOSOC, UNEP, UNFPA, UNDP and other agencies and bodies. AEGEE-Europe works with the World Bank, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe). AEGEE-Europe is a member of IFISO (Informal Forum of International Student Organizations). History 1985 The association was born the 16 April 1985 as a result of the EGEE 1 conference (États Généraux des Étudiants de l'Europe), when it held its first event in Paris: an assembly of students from Paris, Leiden, London, Madrid, Milan and Munich, organised by founding president Franck Biancheri in cooperation with five Grandes Écoles in Paris. It had the aim to overcome the paralysis of the European integration process at the time. Franck Biancheri led the whole process and soon all students involved wanted to turn the EGEE conference into an organisation being the platform for young Europeans. The aim of the founders was to create a space for young Europeans to discuss European matters and present their ideas to both the European and national institutions. Due to the uniqueness of the idea at that time, EGEE was able to stimulate many students to establish antennae in their cities. 1986 Three EGEE working groups were formed: Sponsoring, Traineeships and Language Study. EGEE hosts a conference on cross-border developments in Nijmegen. By the start of the academic year, EGEE has 26 branches and 6,000 members. EGEE organizes in Heidelberg, a conference on relations between the Far East and Europe. EGEE organizes in Toulouse, the first European Space Weekend. EGEE organizes in Paris a conference on the pharmaceutical industry in Europe. EGEE organizes in Munich, a conference on the European Monetary System. EGEE organizes, together with the newspaper Le Monde the Night of the 7 European cities, broadcasting political debates about the future of Europe between students and high level politicians in seven different cities. 1987 EGEE persuades French president François Mitterrand to support funding for the Erasmus programme, a student exchange program financed by the European Commission. Unblocking the ERASMUS programme is considered as main achievement of the association and :it:Domenico Lenarduzzi, Head of Education of the European Commission at the time (1984–87), confirmed in this interview The creation of the Erasmus Programme, and the role of AEGEE. EGEE organizes in Madrid a European Week to mark the first anniversary of Spain and Portugal joining the European Community. 1988 The association changes