70 Years after Auschwitz – Remembrance and Education of Young Europeans about the Roma Genocide
70 Years after Auschwitz – Remembrance and Education of Young Europeans about the Roma Genocide
The project « 70 Years after Auschwitz – Remembrance and Education of Young Europeans about the Roma Genocide » was funded with the support of the European Union under the Programme “Europe for Citizens”.
This project aimed to raise a strong awareness on the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII in order to preserve the memory of the Roma and Sinti victims of Nazism. As our European values and integration are fundamentally built on our historical experience and memory, we need to shed light on the forgotten Roma genocide, the over 500.000 victims, and the continuation of social exclusion, antigypsyism and hate speech as a consequence of the ignorance and lack of recognition of the Roma Genocide. This project built the capacity of educators, citizens and a wide network of civil society organizations to lead educational and citizens’ initiatives for remembrance and education on local, national and European level. It built new educational methods and tools for Holocaust education, it stimulated debates about our culture of remembrance by and with Roma communities with a focus on the role of young people now and in the future to preserve our European memory. This project aimed to engage Roma, Jewish, minority, non-Roma and youth organizations in an awareness-raising campaign, and to advocate the recognition of the Roma Genocide through August 2nd as an official day of remembrance on European level.
Event 1: Preparatory meeting
Participation: The event allowed a total of 15 citizens , 1 from each partner country, locals of : Resita. Romania; Budapest, Hungary; Berlin, Germany; Beek, Ubbergen, Netherlands; Buxxel, Belgium; Barcelona, Spain; Rome, Italy; Banska Bystrika, Slovakia; Vienne, Austria; Beograd-Ripanj, Serbia; Kumanovo, Macedonia; Kamen, Bulgaria; Krakow, Poland; Usti nad Labem, Czech Republik; Paris, France.
Location/Date: Timisoara, Romania from 10/09/2015 till 13/09/2015.
Short description: The event was organized in order to prepare the next activities of the project. Logistical details and details related to project promotion were discussed, the promotion strategy and a set of standard documents to be used in the future. The event was also an opportunity for partners to establish some general rules of communication and collaboration as well as to establish the roles of each of the partners involved in the project.
Event 2 – Recognition and Remembrance of the Holocaust of the Roma in the Czech Republic
Participation: The event involved 46 citizens, including 4 participants from the city of Resita (Romania), 6 participants from the city of Berlin(Germany), 4 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 2 participants from the city of Beek Ubbergen (Holand), 5 participants from the city of Bruxeles (Belgium), 3 participants from the city of Barcelona (Spain), 2 participants from the city of Roma (Italy), 2 participants from the city of Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), 2 participants from the city of Viena (Austria), 2 participants from the city of Belgrade (Serbia), 2 participants from the city of Kumanovo (Macedonia), 2 participants from the city of Kamen (Bulgaria), 3 participants from the city of Krakov (Poland), 5 participants from the city of Usti nad Labem and Prague(Cehia) and 2 participants from the city of Paris (France).
Location/Date: The event took place in Prague and Lety from Czeck Republik from 01/12/2015 till 05/12/2015.
Short description:The event was organized to commemorate the Genocide against the Roma in the Czech Republic and to draw an alarm signal related to the location of the pig farm in Lety exactly where the extermination camp was. The event consisted of a cooperation meeting organized on December 2 where new partnerships were established, a Visit during which a moment of commemoration was held at the Lety extermination camp in Lety on December 3rd and a conference on the topic of the organized Roma Holocaust organized in the Parliament of the Czech Republic on 04 December 2015.
Event 3 – Commemorating events organized by young people
Participation:The event was organized using social networks of each partner at home in all the partner countries involved in this project
Location/Date:The events took place in all partner countries within the project at the partners’ premises being held around January 27, the Holocaust Remembrance Day
Short Description:The event was dedicated to the commemoration of the Internationsl Holocaust Day on 27 January and consisted of campaigns organized by young people using social media and not only in each partner country involved in this project near that date. At the same time, there were also events of dissemination of informations related to the Roma Holocaust, round tables, flash mobs, debates, letters sent to Holocaust survivors (a total of 640 letters), were organised meetings of young people not only with Holocaust survivors but also meetings with local authorities discussing both the Holocaust and the situation of young Roma. All these activities were organized and coordinated by young volunteers or members of partner organizations
Event 4 – Training in Heidlberg on Holocaust Education and especially on Roma Genocide
Participation: The event involved 52 citizens, including 4 participants from the city of Resita (Romania), 6 participants from the city of Berlin(Germany), 4 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 2 participants from the city of Beek Ubbergen (Holand), 2 participants from the city of Bruxeles (Belgium), 4 participants from the city of Barcelona (Spain), 3 participants from the city of Roma (Italy), 3 participants from the city of Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), 3 participants from the city of Viena (Austria), 2 participants from the city of Belgrade (Serbia), 4 participants from the city of Kumanovo (Macedonia), 2 participants from the city of Kamen (Bulgaria), 4 participants from the city of Krakov (Poland), 3 participants from the city of Usti nad Labem and Prague(Cehia) and 6 participants from the city of Paris (France).
Location/Date:The event took place in Heidelberg, Germany between 16/03/2016 and 22/03/2016.
Short description:The event was a seminar attended by experts in the field of Roma Holocaust and not only young people interested in the theme of the Holocaust, the purpose of the event being to empower the young people present to develop and coordinate educational activities, seminars, training sessions and information sessions on the Roma Holocaust . The event was organized in Heidlberg, some sessions were held in the Documentation Center for Roma and Sinty, giving participants access to the Roma Holocaust Museum. Meetings of participants with Holocaust survivors also took place. At the same time, the seminar aimed to develop new working methods to be used in Holocaust education and human rights education. Also during this meeting was the program of the event of commemorating the genocide against Roma, which was to be organized in Krakow in August.
Event 5 – European Youth Remembers the Roma Holocaust – International Conference
Participation: The event involved 362 citizens, including 48 participants from the city of Resita, Cluj and Iasi (Romania), 50 participants from the city of Berlin and Heidelberg (Germany), 35 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 10 participants from the city of Beek Ubbergen (Holand), 35 participants from the city of Bruxeles (Belgium), 10 participants from the city of Barcelona (Spain), 10 participants from the city of Roma (Italy), 15 participants from the city of Banska Bystrica and Bratislava(Slovakia), 30 participants from the city of Viena (Austria), 10 participants from the city of Belgrade (Serbia), 15 participants from the city of Kumanovo and Skopje (Macedonia), 15 participants from the city of Kamen (Bulgaria), 44 participants from the city of Krakov (Poland), 20 participants from the city of Usti nad Labem and Prague(Cehia) and 15 participants from the city of Paris (France).
Location/Date:The event took place in Krakow, Poland in th Aushwitz concentration camp betwen 01/08/2016 and 05/08/2016
Short Summary:The event was dedicated to commemorating, recalling and educating young people about the Roma Holocaust. The event’s program consisted of a commemoration of the Roma Holocaust organized on August 2 in Auschwitz, two days of seminar and youth education on the Roma Holocaust, human rights and activism And one day was dedicated to visiting the museums of Auschwitz and Birkenau. During the event, which was attended by young people from 21 countries, information and education sessions were organized on the Roma Holocaust conducted by the Heidlberg seminary and supervised by A team of experts in non-formal education provided by the Council of Europe on August 3 and 4. The Roma Holocaust Commemoration Event was organized by the hosts as an international event attended by delegates from the governments of 22 countries.
Event 6 – 70 years after – local activities of remembrance and education about the Roma Holocaust
Participation:The event involved 724 citizens, including 64 participants from the city of Resita, Cluj and Iasi (Romania), 70 participants from the city of Berlin and Heidelberg (Germany), 34 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 58 participants from the city of Beek Ubbergen (Holand), 77 participants from the city of Bruxeles (Belgium), 84 participants from the city of Barcelona (Spain), 34 participants from the city of Roma (Italy), 71 participants from the city of Banska Bystrica and Bratislava(Slovakia), 14 participants from the city of Viena (Austria), 25 participants from the city of Belgrade (Serbia), 18 participants from the city of Kumanovo and Skopje (Macedonia), 30 participants from the city of Kamen (Bulgaria), 52 participants from the city of Krakov and Warshaw (Poland), 21 participants from the city of Usti nad Labem and Prague(Cehia) and 69 participants from the city of Paris (France).
Location/date: The events took place in Resita, Cluj and Iasi – Romania, Barcelona – Spain, Berlin – Germany, Budapest – Hungary, Rome – Italy, Banska Bistrita – Slovakia, Prague – Czech Republic, Krakow – Vienna – Austria, Kamen – Bulgaria, Paris – France, Brussels – Belgium, Leeuwarden – The Netherlands throughout the year 2016
Short description: The event was devoted to the recruitment and inclusion in a long-term training course of 10 young people from each partner country who had the role of organizing activities at the local level throughout the training. They organized local activities as follows: on May 16 in France, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Macedonia, Serbia, August 2 in all 16 partner countries in one or more locations, 9 October and June 1 in Romania, May 5 in Austria, April 19 in Poland, and January 27, 2017 in all partner countries. Local activities aimed at informing citizens about the Holocaust and its effects, especially in connection with the Holocaust of the Roma, to commemorate Holocaust victims, educate young people about the Holocaust, and develop civic spirit and activism in among Young people.
Event 7 – European Conference on Roma Education and Remembrance of Roma Genocide
Participation:The event involved 41 citizens, including 5 participants from the city of Resita, (Romania), 4 participants from the city of Berlin (Germany), 3 participants from the city of Budapest (Hungary), 1 participants from the city of Beek Ubbergen (Holand), 6 participants from the city of Bruxeles (Belgium), 3 participants from the city of Barcelona (Spain), 2 participants from the city of Roma (Italy), 2 participants from the city of Banska Bystrica (Slovakia), 2 participants from the city of Viena (Austria), 2 participants from the city of Belgrade (Serbia), 2 participants from the city of Kumanovo (Macedonia), 2 participants from the city of Kamen (Bulgaria), 3 participants from the city of Krakov (Poland), 2 participants from the city of Usti nad Labem and Prague(Cehia) and 2 participants from the city of Paris (France).
Location/date: The event took place in Brusseles, Belgium, from 28/11/2016 till 30/11/2016.
Short Description: The event was devoted to the dissemination and promotion of the project’s results atinternational level and included one activity dedicated to the preparation of future advocacy and commemoration activities of the Roma genocide, one public advocacy activity during which young people met with members of the European Parliament and With representatives of international organizations such as the Open Society Institute, the World Bank, the United Nation Development Program, ERGO, one parallel activity with the European Platform for Roma, and as well one preparation activity for future actions. At the same time during this meeting it was discussed the continuation of the activities of this project through the partnership and the involvement of the international organizations. Activism and participation of young people were promoted by the fact that in all the activities young people were those who set the final agenda and moderated the discussions