"Migration Never Stops" in Macedonia

Starting from the 19-th of February, youngsters from Macedonia, the Czech republic, Serbia and Germany came together for the second encounter of the international youth project "Migration Never Stops". The project is supported by the Europeans for Peace program of the foundation EVZ and the Youth In Action program of the European Commission.

This international youth project intents to investigate stories of (Roma) migration in all its facets in the past and present. Why did people want to migrate or under which circumstances were they forced to? What was the impact of migration on the lives, culture and identity of people? We believe that migration is a strong reflection of the human rights situation in a country. Why did this happen in the past, especially in the last 100 years, and why does this still happen today?

The participants came together and started to work in their working groups: video, audio, web and comics. Their research of personal stories and history and their personal impressions were documented and will be upload on the blog, the web group created:

http://migrationneverstops.wordpress.com/

The groups also had the change to speak with Roma that work in the local municipalities and visit the only Roma municipality in Europe, Suto Orizari. In Suto Orizari, part of the group went to a meeting with the mayor Elvis Bajram, while part of them went to the Center of Skopje to prepare for the flash mob called "The Knot".

By the end of the encounter the participants organized their own exhibition were some of the work they did was presented.

The second meeting ended on the 26-th of February and the third meeting will be in the Czech republic, additionallly the work will be presented in the ternype memorial conference around the 2-nd of August 2012.

Advance planning meeting for the project "Migration Never Stops"

Representatives from RROMA, Slovo 21 (Czech), EHO (Serbia) and Amaro Drom (Germany) met in Probistip to discuss and prepare the details for the encounter of the project "Migration Never Stops".

The meeting was held in the Hotel "San Niko" from the 20-th of Januay till the 22-nd of January 2012.

On this meeting, the representatives of the partner organizations discuss the agenda, venue, procedures for safety of the participants, as well the travel dates, working conditions of the 4 groups (video, comic, audio and web), as well what kind of equipment each group will need.

It was agreed, if the weather condition won't allow it to have the meeting from the 12-th until the 19-th of February to ask for a short postponing. And to have the meeting from the 19-th till the 26-th of February 2012.

GA of RROMA

On the 28-th of February 2011 in Kratovo, the Regional Roma Educational Youth Association organized the second GA of the organization. On this meeting the results from 2010 were presented, both financial and narrative report. Also, in accordance with the new law for Associations and Foundations, GA members voted for acceptance of the changes made in the Statut of the organization and for acceptance of new members in the GA.

Read more »

The Black and White book-Typical Roma? in Cordoba, Spain

What is it like to be young and Roma? How do young Roma experience their live and what do they do to shape their own future? During the Second European Summit on Roma, ERGO presented the Black & White Book, which presents stories of successful and failed Roma integration.

ERGO Network believes these stories have a wider relevance. The insights they offer are rarely found in policy evaluations. Roma figure prominently in ‘best practice’-studies. But these obscure the real picture. When policy makers are looking for the reasons why ‘best practices’ are so good, they also need to be asking why the rest is then obviously so bad and how that can be overcome. This book shows the mechanisms of exclusion, hidden discrimination and inaction at work at the local level where policies actually need to be put in practice.

RROMA's president, Mustafa Jakupov presented the book in Cordoba, Spain. On this event, the Mayors that won the national competition received certificates from ERGO for their participation.

The Black and White book can be downloaded by clicking on this link or the following link.

2-nd EU Roma Summit, Cordoba-Spain

The second European Summit on Roma inclusion will take place in Córdoba (Spain), on the 8th and 9th April 2010, on the occasion of the International Roma Day, as a key event of the Spanish Presidency of the Council.

Debates will build upon the last developments of the Roma issue at European level, in particular the outputs from the two meetings of the European Platform for Roma inclusion and the 10 Common Basic Principles for Roma inclusion annexed to the EPSCO Council Conclusions of June 2009.

Following the pattern from the first Summit, this event will gather representatives from the EU institutions, Member States, international organisations and Roma civil society.

Participation in the Summit is limited to those invited by the Spanish Presidency of the Council.

ERGO (European Roma Grassroots Organization) will have their side-events at the Summit. One of the events is a debate between the MEPs, the Mayors that have won the International competition "Most Roma-friendly Mayor" from Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania and Moldova and the Roma youth that were part of the campaign "Typical Roma?".

Another event is the presentation of the Black and White book. A book prepared by the "Typical Roma?" partners. The presentation will be held at the youth camp in Plaza Corredera.

Members of RROMA are participating in these events, two of the youth are part of the training that begun from the 1-st of April near Sevilla. The aim of the training is to create visible action for the Summit.

The president of RROMA is, also invited to be part of the Summit and will be present in Cordoba and the ERGO side-events.

The theme of the Summit is "Promoting policies in the favour of the Roma population". We really hope that this will be a successful event in the favour of Roma and that we get some good experience from it.