Roma population is dispersed across Europe, and is estimated between 8 and 12 million people. The situation and problems related to Roma communities have not fundamentally changed during the EU enlargement; they became even more complex after 2007 when, as a result of Bulgaria and Romania joining EU, another 3 million Roma became EU citizens. Despite constitutional guaranties of human rights for everyone, Roma communities frequently encounter institutional discrimination and social exclusion. Many experts state that the major problem is not of legal nature, but is related to the negative stereotypes and bad attitudes towards Roma people by the majority population, especially in the countries of large Roma minority (Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia&Herzegovina). In these very worrying circumstances, the focus on arts and culture could be one of the strategic means to combat negative stereotypes and anti-Roma attitude and to alter the wrong image of Roma.

Since early 2000, the theoretical and academic discourse on Roma culture has changed considerably. Cultural studies have offered new approaches in the evaluation of cultural institutions and Roma representation. The Decade of Roma Inclusion (2005-2015) (www.romadecade.org), the First Roma Pavilion, established at the 52nd Venice Contemporary Art Biennale in 2007, initiated and supported by OSI (http://www.romapavilion.org/), Roma Musicians at the NY Carnegie Hall during the Hungarian Cultural Season in the United States (2009),  the launch of the Council of Europe’s European Route for Roma Culture (2009) (http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/aware/Routes/roma_en.asp) certainly have a catalyzing effect on the positive perception of contemporary Roma art, as well as Roma history, culture, values and lifestyle across Europe and beyond.  The Open Society Institute (OSI) has been actively supporting Roma cultural activities and research since 1999 through diverse initiatives and program areas (http://www.soros.org/initiatives/arts).

Organisations related to Roma issues on a pan-European level deal primarily with areas where attention and support for Roma communities are the most needed, such as: human rights, housing and improving living conditions, improving quality of life and health conditions, advocacy, fighting prejudices and stereotypes, education, support of activism and leadership among Roma communities.  One of the most active are:

-          European Roma Rights Center (www.errc.org/);

-          European Roma Information Office (http://erionet.org)

-          European Roma Grassroot Organisation ERGO (http://www.ergonetwork.org)

-          Roma Education Fund (http://romaeducationfund.hu/)

There are organisations especially devoted to young Roma: education of young leaders, working with young Roma people, for example: Union Romani (www.unionromani.org), Roma Community Center (http://www.rcctoronto.org/), ROMEA (http://www.romea.cz).  Several international organisations aim at working for positioning/repositioning of Roma identity and raising awareness among population on Roma issues, for example: Voice of Roma, USA (www.voiceofroma.com), Roma Rights Network , Canada (www.romarights.net).

There are several internationally recognised organisations devoted to Roma arts and culture, which has their unique place and image among Roma and non-Roma communities. Among them are:

-          RADOC (http://www.radoc.net) - the largest world collection of Romani monographs, bound articles, papers and letters, prints, transparencies, photographs, audio- and video-recorded material, framed and unframed prints and documents as well as many other non-media items.

-          Museum of Romani Culture in Brno (http://www.rommuz.cz/), dealing with preservation of Roma culture, history and traditions;

-          Rroma.org (www.rroma.org), and Romani.org (www.romani.org) - devoted to Roma history, traditions, language, fairy trades, music.

-          Vide_o_drom (http://www.romavideodrom.net/) -  a project which takes place simultaneously in four European countries: Austria, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria over a period of 9 months (September 2008-June 2009).

-          The Khamoro Gypsy Festival (www.khamoro.cz) - an international Festival which takes place in every May, in Prague since 1999.

-          The Hungarian Roma Parliament and the Romano Kher (www.ciganyhaz.hu) - an online representation and extensive database of Roma musicians, artists , films, and cultural events.

-          EU_ROMA Contemporary Architectural Project (www.eu_roma.net) - a detailed state-of-the-art analysis of Roma living housing conditions. It investigates the space appropriation process and the needs for a stronger Roma social integration through the living qualitative dimension.

-          Dzeno Association (www.dzeno.cz), serving as information center on an international level, helping to promote Roma human rights and an end to discrimination and racism.

-          International Romani Writers Association (www.romaniwriters.com/), aiming at strengthening the language and culture of Romani people, collecting and disseminating information on modern Roma literature.

Have a look, explore and learn more, contact these organisations! Help them by collaborating and exchanging experiences. Investigate ways to initiate joined projects. There are many Roma artists and talented individuals who need to get visibility and to increase their understanding on European cultural cooperation. This is one of the concrete ways to experience the “intercultural dialogue” in practice.

The blog is created with the kind contribution of Timea Junghaus, OSI, Budapest.

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Image: Gypsyland, 2007 (mixed media on printed map), by Damian Le Bas, source: http://www.romapavilion.org/artwork.htm

Photo: Delaine Le Bas