ABOUT THE 2022 SEMINAR

The seminar Roma Youth Together 2022 will bring together some 30 young people who are youth leaders or youth workers in Roma communities and youth organisations. It will take place at the European Youth Centre Strasbourg on 6-8 April 2022.

The seminar is organised by the Youth Department, with support of the Roma and Travellers Team, in cooperation with Phiren Amenca International, ERGO Network and the European Roma Institute of Arts and Culture.
 

 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The seminar aims to re-connect Roma youth leaders with European youth policy processes and exchanges on strategies and priorities for youth empowerment and participation, especially after the cancellation of many activities due to the pandemic, and to associate young people with the celebration of the International Roma Day in the Council of Europe.

The participants will also provide input to the contents of a draft of the Recommendation on Roma youth participation (currently under preparation) and discuss how to be involved in the youth campaign on revitalising democracy.

The seminar aims to re-connect Roma youth leaders with European youth policy processes and exchanges on strategies and priorities for youth empowerment and participation.
 

Its specific objectives are:

  • to reconnect and share recent experiences and challenges that emerged during the recent crisis (in particular Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine) and their impact on Roma youth;
  • to collect the input and feedback on the draft of the Recommendation on Roma youth participation including the thematic priorities in this field;
  • to identify strategies for empowerment of Roma youth and Roma communities beyond the work on Roma youth participation;

  • to reconnect and to strengthen partnerships with European youth organisations and networks working in the field of Roma participation.
  • to associate young people with the celebration of the International Roma Day in the Council of Europe;
  • to engage participants in the preparation of the youth campaign on revitalising democracy, in particular on the theme of meaningful youth participation;

 PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS

The participants are Roma young people, Roma youth leaders, trainers or youth workers in Roma communities, representatives of organisations and networks working with Roma communities from all across Europe.

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 PROGRAMME AND METHODOLOGY

The methodology of the seminar will be based on the principles of human rights education, peer to peer learning, exchange of practices and dialogue among participants by using the participatory methods of learning, such as working groups and facilitated discussions. It will be structured in connection to the previous work done by the Council of Europe in the area of Roma youth participation.

The activity will ensure space to explore the wider perspectives on Roma youth participation and its challenges in connection to the themes such as democracy, non-discrimination, equality and meaningful youth participation.

The programme will be built on participants’ experience, needs and inputs to the draft of the Recommendation on Roma Youth Participation.

There will be three main pillars of the programme:

  • Reconnection: aiming to build a safe space of working together and to map challenges faced by young Roma and translate them into priorities of action;
  • Reflection: putting together, needs, expectation and resources for strengthening Roma youth participation, notably about youth, human rights and inclusion policies;
  • Action: Celebrate International Roma Day and establishing working groups focussing on input on Recommendation and connection with the youth campaign.