Executive Committee

The EYCE Executive Committee (ExCo) is a board of seven volunteers, elected by the General Meeting for four years, who are responsible for the work of the Council and for the implementation of the mandates of the General Meeting. The ExCo takes all political decisions needed for the daily work of EYCE, in accordance with the mandates of the General Meeting.

Catharina Covolo, EYCE Chairperson

Hello everyone! My name is Catharina and I am EYCE Chairperson since 2011. I am 27 years old and have been active in EYCE since 2007. I very much enjoy being an ExCo member, as it gives me the opportunity to work in an international and ecumenical setting and to shape EYCE and its work in the years to come. It is a particular pleasure for me to work for and together with EYCE’s member organisations and to meet young people from their networks.

I come from EYCE’s German member organisation aej and when I am not volunteering for EYCE, I am studying Protestant Theology at the University of Heidelberg. In addition, I also hold an M.Phil. in Ecumenical Studies from the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin. My particular interests in the work of EYCE are in the fields of ecumenical training and formation, European youth politics, as well as peace and reconciliation work. I am hoping to meet you sometime soon in EYCE!

Adriana Florea, EYCE Vice-Chairperson

My name is Adriana Florea and I am studying protestant theology in my second year. I come from Romania and I am belonging to the Evangelical Church C.A. in Romania, the Lutheran Church in Romania.

My journey with EYCE started in Sibiu at the EEA3 and continued with the first EYCE event I participated in a few months after the assembly in Sibiu. Since 2007 I gained a lot of experience in the field of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. For the past two years, I became quite familiar with EYCE’s work, especially because I am a member of the Leadership Team for our Campaign to Overcome Fundamentalism.

I am ready to serve EYCE’s work in the following years as a member of the ExCo. I think this work will be a challenge for me, but also an opportunity to grow due to my engagement with EYCE. I am looking forward to the next years!

Sini Tyvi, EYCE Treasurer

Hello everyone! My name is Sini Tyvi and I’m a Lutheran from Finland. I’m excited to be part of the ExCo and to be able contribute to the work of EYCE. Serving as the Treasurer is an interesting task and a new challenge, with which I’m highly motivated to deal with.

I’ve learned about the EYCE and its work  through my involvement in SENnj (the Youth Committee of Finnish Ecumenical Council), which is one of EYCE’s member organisations. There I’ve been one of the two Secretaries of International Affairs for two years and for a year also the National Correspondent.

I work in a youth network doing advocacy on development issues. As a network assistant, I concentrate especially on campaign work and communication. Moreover, I am also trying to finish my Master’s thesis in Ecumenics, which I’ve been preparing at the Theological Faculty of the University of Helsinki.

Benjamin Mlynek

Hello all! I am Benjamin Mlynek and I come from the Czech Republic. I was introduced to the workings of EYCE only as recently as January 2011 but I was immediately impressed by them. I decided therefore to involve myself more and contribute to the work of the organization with as much as I can.

The pleasant companionship of nice Europeans and the friendly atmosphere promoted by them have helped me come to a realization. Although there are great differences in background, denominations or cultures, we all still share very similar values and worldviews. This aspect is fascinating to me and I am happy that I get the chance to further spread this ecumenical message.

I am student of Political Science but I also work for a Development and Relief Organisation as a project coordinator. Moreover, I volunteer at a small NGO which deals with issues of non-formal education and learning experiences for the youth. I am glad that I can contribute to EYCE with everything I’ve learned from my experiences, but I am also looking forward for this engagement to enrich my knowledge and develop my potential.

Andrea Aprile

Buongiorno! My name is Andrea Aprile and I am Italian. Currently, I am a student of theology in the Valdensian University in Rome.

I am involved with the youth organization called FGEi which is a member of EYCE and which brings together young people from the Methodist, Valdensian and Baptist churches. I myself am a Baptist.

Being part of the EYCE Ex.Co. is for me a new experience. I believe that it will be a very important part of my professional formation and I am confident it will help me in becoming what I always wanted: a pastor. I am also happy that I can share my experiences and contribute to the work of EYCE.

Zofia Kozłowska-Socha

Greetings! My name is Zofia Kozłowska-Socha and I’m a Baptist from Poland. My first experience with EYCE took place in 2008 when I participated in a campaign held in Albania on the issue of fundamentalism. The following year, my home youth organization (Polska Rada Ekumeniczna- Polish Ecumenical Council) nominated me for the position of National Correspondent (NC). As such, for the last 3 years I worked as NC and this opportunity helped me better understand the EYCE structure and its goals.
As an ExCo member I will focus on external relations with other organizations. I believe that together we could become even more visible and better promote the image of the religious youth that is actively taking part in civil society in working for the benefit of the entire community.

Slavi Spasov

Hello! My name is Slavi Spasov and this year I finished my Theology degree in the University of Sofia. I am Orthodox from Bulgaria and I am part of Christian Youth Council in Bulgaria, member organisation of EYCE.

I have been part of EYCE’s Executive Committee for few years already. This has changed my view of life and helped me to meet Christians from all over the world. During this period I have gained a lot of experience which I can use in my country and local organisation.

I am happy to be involved in EYCE and looking forward to meet new challenges!