The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) will be officially launched in Berlin on Thursday, 8 June.
The launch event is organised by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Alliance for the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture, the Council of Europe and the Open Society Foundations. It will bring together high ranking officials, as well as Roma artists, intellectuals and activists from across Europe.
The arts exhibition “Transcending the Past, Shaping the Future” is a part of the event; it will feature Roma contemporary artists from eight countries — reflecting the new institute’s focus on creating a space for under-represented Roma artists, performers and thinkers in the mainstream of European art and culture.
The launch will take place from 10.15 to 12.15 a.m. on Thursday, 8 June, at the Lichthof area of the German Federal Foreign Office (Werderscher Markt 1, Berlin).
Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe; Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office; George Soros, Chairman of the Open Society Foundations, Željko Jovanović, Chair of the Board of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture; Timea Junghaus, Spokesperson of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture; Sead Kazanxhiu, Painter and Romani youth activist; Dijana Pavlović, Chairperson of the Alliance for the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture; Romani Rose, Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma are expected to speak at the event.
The event is open to media. Advance media registration is mandatory.
A press conference will take place from 09.30 to 10.00 a.m., with participation of the Secretary General Jagland, Open Society Chairman George Soros, Minister Roth and ERIAC Chair Jovanovic.
The launch event will be followed by reception from 12.15 to 1.00 p.m.
