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From recognition of the Roma Genocide towards Empowerment of Roma Youth

2020-1-DE04-KA105-0195472020Youth mobilityfinalizedGood practice
Countries: DE|SK|RS|RO|HR|BE|ES|HU|PL|FI|MK|FR · Grant: €90,146.45
Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)Roma and/or other minoritiesCivic engagement / responsible citizenship

Objectives

In 2021, the European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day on 2 August created a strong participation and visibility of Roma youth, as around 500 young Roma and non-Roma raised their voice to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. The remembrance on 2 August 2021 at the memorial in Auschwitz-Birkenau was a telling sign of the important progress in the recognition of the Roma and Sinti Holocaust. Since 2015, the European institutions raise awareness and take part in our remembrance events on 2 August as the Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. Nevertheless, awareness in most European countries remains extremely low. Now we shall continue to improve capacities among the young Roma and non-Roma in order to challenge stereotypes, antigypsyism and racism in Europe. The project has been designed and implemented with the aim to empower young Roma to have a voice, to foster solidarity among young people on the international level and support them to become key agents of change! The project’s aims are to strengthen the capacity of Roma and non-Roma youth in building and contributing to European culture which is based on respect, dialogue, human rights and equal opportunities. The project creates spaces and assists young people in becoming active citizens through their empowerment, mobilization, self-organization and participation. It is of utmost importance to raise the awareness about the Roma genocide, to strengthen the role of Roma youth organizations in the public discussion and an active remembrance and education about the Roma genocide, as well as to empower Roma youth and youth organizations in their struggle for equality, and against antigypsyism and racism. Main objectives of the project were to strengthen youth participation in accordance with the renewed post-2020 EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies. This was to be achieved particularly by creating the opportunities of dialogue between young people, policy makers and stakeholders, and increase the capacity of youth organizations to advocate for a strong focus on combatting antigypsyism; The aim of the project is to create opportunities for participants to learn about the historical and political context of the Roma Genocide, the starting points and mechanisms beyond it, as well as the consequences for present situation in particular states as well as in global European context; to develop critical thinking and reflection in understanding and analyzing the past and the present struggle of Roma in the world. Projects aims to familiarize the participants with the concept of remembrance and its relevance and role in addressing contemporary antigypsyism; to understand and reflect upon the genocide and its implications for present situation from the perspective of human rights as a system of moral believes and behaviors; strengthen dignity, solidarity and empathy with people who suffer racism, discrimination and any form of injustice. One of the objectives is to discuss the roles, responsibilities and opportunities of youth in addressing the current challenges of racism, discrimination and antigypsyism and support them in becoming agents of change. It is necessary to build a motivation, capacity, and empowerment of young people and youth organizations to engage in local, national and international youth work on issues of remembrance, human rights and combatting antigypsyism. By this project we aim to provide a possibility for the participation of young Roma in the ERASMUS programs and thus strengthening their European identity and citizenship, practice foreign language skills, their intercultural competences and sense for initiative and entrepreneurship.

Project partners (13)