Roma Youth Empowerment and Awareness for Change

Roma Youth Empowerment and Awareness for Change

Time: 23 April 2026 | 08:45 – 10:15
Venue: Venue: 25 Rue d’Arlon – 1050 Brussels (Place du Luxembourg)
Organisers: Uccu Foundation (Hungary), CAMPUSROM (Spain), DROM (Bulgaria) & Council of Europe
You can watch the event online here: https://youtube.com/live/RYpXIriIYO4?feature=share

Register to attend in person

External participation costs are not covered by the organisers.
Please note that participation may be subject to seat availability. We will confirm your place once your registration has been reviewed.

Agenda:

14:00 – 14:20    Welcoming messages

Moderator: Szilvia Szénási, Executive Director, Uccu Foundation

  • Lars Engsted, DG EMPL, European Commission

14:20 – 15:00 | Panel I: From Training to Action – Youth Experiences

Moderator:  Rosa María Cisneros-Kostic (CampusRom)

Speakers:

Ábrahám Oláh (Uccu Foundation, Hungary)

Alexandra Kökény (Uccu Foundation, Hungary)

Miguel Santiago (CampusRom, Spain)

Ivan Rusinov – DROM (Bulgaria)

Teodor Evdokimov – DROM (Bulgaria)

Short inputs by Roma young participants on:

▪ Skills and tools gained during the training process
 ▪ How practice-oriented activities supported their active citizenship
 ▪ Personal reflections on empowerment, participation and community engagement

Discussion

15:00 – 15:30 | Panel II: Presenting Policy Recommendations

Moderator:  Marina Vasic, Roma and Travellers Division, Council of Europe

Speakers:

  • Csilla Berki (Uccu Foundation, Hungary)
  • Raul Castro – Young Roma participant (CampusRom, Spain)
  • Stelina Dungaj, Vice-chair of ternYpe-International Roma Youth Network.

To celebrate International Roma Day (8 April), the Council of Europe organises Opre Roma! month from 1 to 30 April 2025, to raise awareness and highlight the challenges faced by Roma and Travellers in Europe. Events paying tribute to the contribution of the Roma language, culture and history to Europe`s heritage and cultural wealth take place in Council of Europe member States and in Strasbourg, under the aegis of the Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (ADI-ROM).