The Future of Roma, Sinti and Travellers in Europe

The Future of Roma, Sinti and Travellers in Europe

Venue: European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Rue Belliard 99, 1040 Brussels, Room JDE63
Date: 9 April 2024
Time: 9:30-13:30
Format: Online/In-person
Online Recording: Here
Interpretation: Romani – English interpretation

Co-organisers:

  • ERGO Network
  • European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
  • Melde- und Informationsstelle Antiziganismus, DE (MIA) MEP Patricia Caro, GUE/NGL, Spain

Event Description: The event will discuss the ongoing political, economic and human rights changes Europe faces today and ways to ensure that Roma, Sinti and Travellers become a more prominent priority within the mainstream political discourse and policy priorities at the EU level to provide stronger accountability and political will by governments, both in the EU and Enlargement countries, to deliver on the equality, inclusion and participation of Roma, Sinti and Travellers. The event will also discuss the future of Roma, Sinti and Travellers after the European elections, the change in EU leadership and the possible increase of far rights groups in the EU’s political spectrum.

Agenda

08:30 – 09:20    Welcoming coffee and Registration

09:20 – 10:00    Official Opening of the Romani Week

Moderator: Gabriela Hrabanova, Director of ERGO Network

  • Aurel Laurenţiu Plosceau, Vice-President of the European Economic and Social Committee
  • Irena Moozova, Deputy Director-General for International Dimension of Justice Policies, Rule of Law and Equality, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission
  • MEP Peter Pollak, Slovakia, Group of the European People’s Party Member of CULT and LIBE Committees
  • MEP Romeo Franz, Germany, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Member of CULT, EMPL and LIBE Committees

10:00 – 11:00    Panel I: Addressing structural and institutional antigypsyism

Moderator: Marian Mandache, human rights lawyer, United States – presentation style

  • Eleni Tsetsekou, Head of the Roma Team, Council of Europe
  • Mustaka Jakupov, Antiziganism Reporting and Information Centre – MIA, Germany
  • Ana Jovanović, European Roma Rights Centre

11:00 – 12:15   Panel II: Political representation of Roma

Moderator: David Mark, independent, Malta – café style

  • Irina Spataru, President of the ternYpe International Roma, Sinti and Travellers Youth Network
  • David Beňák, candidate Association of Dissatisfied Citizens (ANO), Czechia
  • MEP Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, France – Europe Écologie, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, LIBE, FEMM Committees
  • Rumyan Russinov, Roma activist and leader, Bulgaria

12:15 – 13:15    Panel III: What should the Roma discourse be after the EU elections?

Moderator:  Jonathan Mack, Senior Adviser, Central Council for German Sinti and Roma – café style

  • Annelisa Cotone, Cabinet of European Union (EU) Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli
  • Kim Smouter, Executive Director of the European Network Against Racism (ENAR)
  • Soraya Post, President ERGO Network, former MEP
  • Marian Mandache, anti-Roma Racism expert, United States

13:15 – 13:30    Concluding remarks

  • MEP Cornelia Ernst, The Left group, Germany, Member of LIBE Committee
  • Gabriela Hrabanova, Director ERGO Network

13:30 – 14:30     Lunch break