GELU DUMINICĂ“IMPREUNA” AGENCY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

ROMANIA

“If you don’t behave, a Gypsy will come steal you!”

- Possible answers to the question “What you want to be when you grow up?”

Roma – Social category or national/European minority?

ROM, ROMI, (ROMA) ţigan (also written rrom) – from Romani Rom – “human being”

TIGÁN, -A, (GYPSY) I. (….) 3. Adjective given to a person with bad behaviour. Source – Explanatory Dictionary of Romanian Language, 3rd revised edition, Romanian Academy, Univers Enciclopedic, 2009

Roma – public perceptions (What are the “models” for our children

“promoted” even by Roma NGO’s)

Roma woman (trafficking victim or “hottest girl”)

“Parpanghel”

Dilemmas!

Are all the Roma ‘excluded’, ‘illiterate’, ‘beggars’, ‘migrants” etc?

Do all the Roma children need remedial support, desegregation, 2nd chance programs, mediators etc?

Can we develop a nation/minority (as Roma) supporting (only) the most excluded ones?

Why are the majority of measures promoted by national/European strategies dealing with Roma referring only to the “primary needs” (Maslow pyramid?)

Creating the WILL!

The WILL to fight with barriers, including yourself!

The WILL to fight with your primary needs, including your stomach!

The WILL to become “the best” possible, just because you CAN!

Offering/promoting “models”/pathways to be followed

Creating the mechanisms for “invisible Roma” to become visible!

What you want to be when you grow up?

Impreuna and UNICEF Romania

Creating inspirational movies – showing that it is possible

Visiting, with one of the ‘characters’, more than 180 schools (100 already)

Discussing with more than 5000 childrenCreating a CD with traditional Roma music

performed by famous Romani musicians, with key message lyrics (for parents). Live performances in the communities.

Photo exhibition and Life-story book “About us – 20 possible answers to the question ‘What do you want to become when you grow up?’”

“Inspirational” on-line platform (work in progress)

Feedback received

‘’Thank you for speaking to us and guiding us!’’‘’We must be proud of being Roma.’’‘’I know that, even if you’re Roma, you can be

anything you want to be when you grow up.’’‘’Racism will never completely disappear, but

we can try to make it smaller, more insignificant. ’’

‘’I liked all of the characters because they showed us that we must not give up.’

‘’When we really want something, we can succeed. ’’

‘’I liked the film because it’s about us.‘’

Are you with us?

Thank you!