Back International Roma Day: a pledge of commitment in protecting and promoting the rights of the Roma community

International Roma Day: a pledge of commitment in protecting and promoting the rights of the Roma community


 

On 8th of April, Council of Europe and the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg hosted the celebration of International Roma Day.

The event gathered national and international institutions and members of the Roma civil society representing different municipalities.

Mr. Eric Dietz, Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg opened his remarks with delight of hosting the 53rd anniversary of the International Roma day at the premises of the embassy. He commended the Roma community in Kosovo* and in Europe for the resilience and contribution in the society. ‘It is a day where all of us can reflect for the journey Roma had gone through, for the cultural richness they have shared, and for the struggle on preserving the unique identity and culture’.

Ms. Mary-Ann Hennessey, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Pristina, highlighted that commemorating International Roma Day means recognizing the value of diversity which each culture brings to our societies, notably of Europe’s largest ethnic minority, the Roma.  She emphasised that Council of Europe will continue addressing challenges that Roma communities face, bringing people together through our shared values, human rights standards and monitoring bodies.

The event presented the guest with the Roma octet ‘Kujtim Pacaku’ who performed old Roma songs, and Roma painters, Fahrije and Bajram Mehmeti with displayed paintings portraying Roma identity and culture.



 


 

 

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo* Declaration of Independence.

Pristina 8 April 2024
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page
Fifty practitioners to enhance skills in provision of occupational therapy

Following the adoption of the Guidelines for Occupational Therapy (OT), as well as the Training of Trainers (ToT) on OT that took place in January 2024, three 2-day cascade training sessions were organised in the course of February and March 2024.  Fifty professionals, mainly from the Prison Health Department, along with representatives from the Correctional Services, Institute for Forensic Psychiatry, and the Special Institute for Persons with Mental and Physical Disabilities, were trained on this important form of therapy.

To complement the theoretical aspects and provide the trainees with practical knowledge, some of the sessions were conducted in the Dubrava Prison, in a section which houses prisoners with both mental and somatic problems. This on-site training allowed the participants to observe and understand the application of OT principles in a real-life setting, thus enhancing their learning experience by connecting theory and practice.

These cascade training sessions allowed the participants to further improve their skills in applying the OT Guidelines and tools in prisons and other closed institutions, a concept which was thus far not utilised in a structured manner. Furthermore, training healthcare and correctional professionals together helps them further strengthen the inter-institutional cooperation in the treatment and rehabilitation of some of the most vulnerable members of the society.

Each of these sessions were facilitated by two trainers who had participated in the ToT in January and were supervised and mentored by a Council of Europe consultant who has been involved in the process since the very beginning, thus further strengthening institutional capacity to provide training.

The activity was conducted under the auspices of the Council of Europe project “Improvement of the treatment of persons deprived of liberty”.

 

 

*All references to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions, or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United National Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.

Istog/ Istok 26 March 2024
  • Diminuer la taille du texte
  • Augmenter la taille du texte
  • Imprimer la page