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 A Handbook on Participatory Action Planning to Combat Poverty and Roma Exclusion has been published |
| 2007-04-16 |
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| European Citizenship and Diversity: Roma's contribution past and present |
| 2006-11-21 |
The Pakiv network is currently looking to compile a broad list of outstanding Roma working at the local level, furthering human rights, democracy and social inclusion. Out of the list, a first round of selected individuals will be interviewed and highlighted in the context of the project ‘EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP AND DIVERSITY: Roma’s contribution – past and present’, supported by the European Community, amongst others.
The project involves the preparation of interviews and background papers, an international conference, publication in five languages and wide distribution to promote active citizenship, using Roma as the primary example.
One of the main effects of the project is to promote a new discourse and new knowledge on Roma, which places greater stress on Roma’s contribution to the development of European values and societies, and their existing internal resources, rather than focusing on needs and deficiencies, which indirectly support a negative image of Roma. Secondly, the project looks to create a new resource for inspiring young Roma to become active citizens and engage in processes of social change.
At this stage, the project includes examples from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, and it is hoped that the initiative will be expanded to other countries in the future.
Please have in mind the following criteria when proposing individuals:
- Should be active at the local, community level.
- Have a clear outcome which contributes to promoting European values and principles, such as tolerance, multiculturalism, respect for diversity, equal opportunity or access, democracy, human rights, social inclusion, etc.
- Have a clear impact and influence on others
- Serve as a positive role model or example.
We would greatly appreciate if you could propose some local, active Roma by Friday, September 22, 2006. Please include the full name, contact information and a brief description of his or her activity and impact.
Likewise you are welcome to distribute this letter to other persons or organisations who may contribute, or contact country representatives below for a translation of this letter in local languages.
The nominations or any questions or comments may be sent in English, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovak or Romani to any of the following persons:
Emil Metodiev, e.metodiev@pakiv.org (Bulgaria)
Iulia Halangescu, i.halangescu@pakiv.org (Romania)
Szilvia Rezmuves, sz.rezmuves@pakiv.org (Hungary)
Zdenka Demeterova, z.demeterova@pakiv.org (Slovakia)
Jennifer Tanaka, j.tanaka@pakiv.org
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| Pakiv received the Theodor-Heuss Award - 2006 |
| 2006-03-24 |
We are honoured to announce that Pakiv European Roma Fund received the Theodor-Heuss award this year, alongside the Schaworalle organisation of Frankfurt and Mr. James Wolfensohn of the World Bank. The Award's ceremony was on 28 April, in Stuttgart.
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| Pakiv Transnational Exchange Workshop in Berlin |
| 2006-03-24 |
From 24-28 April, Pakiv, together with other partners, will be organising a transnational exchange workshop in Berlin, Frankfurt and Stuttgart. The workshop will bring some 30 participants from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia to Germany for joint discussion and learning from German models. The participants represent local governments, schools, Romani communities and Pakiv faclitators currently engaged in activities to combat Roma exclusion. The program is part of the Transnational Exchange Program to Combat Social Exclusion and Poverty, with support from the European Community.
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| Pakiv Presentation at the Joint International Conference 20-21 October 2005 |
| 2005-10-26 |
Reflections on the Proposed Fund for Sustainable Development of Roma Communities
Presentation at the Joint International Conference on the Implementation of Policies/Action Plans for Roma, Sinti and Travellers, and Measures against the Anti-Gypsyism Phenomenon in Europe
20-21 October 2005
Jennifer Tanaka, Pakiv European Roma Fund
This statement was presented in the session on 'How to use and co-ordinate funding mechanisms and initiatives better to help local authorities and Roma working together at the local level'. The full statement may be downloaded in the publications section
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| Transnational Learning on Local Partnerships and Action Plans to Combat Poverty and Roma Exclusion |
| 2005-10-26 |
Pakiv and the Hungarian Foundation for Self-reliance, together with local governments and Romani/pro-Romani NGOs in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Germany and the UK, will launch the Transnational Learning on Local Partnerships and Actions Plans to Combat Poverty and Roma Exclusion program, funded by the European Commission.
The program addresses the issue of social inclusion of Roma as an increasing priority policy area in fighting poverty and exclusion in an enlarging Europe. Institutionally the program will focus on increasing the participation of Roma communities through local strategic partnerships for development of Local and Regional Action Plans for inclusion as part of the overall process for developing National Action Plans to Combat Social Exclusion and Poverty among EU member and Accession states.
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| FUND – FOR THOUGHT! Critical reflections on development interventions and funding mechanisms |
| 2005-10-26 |
13th OSCE Economic Forum – Side Event:
“Increasing access of Roma to employment opportunities and to their inclusion in local economic development;
Elements of an OSCE cross-dimension approach”
FUND – FOR THOUGHT!
Critical reflections on development interventions and funding mechanisms,
Jennifer Tanaka, Pakiv European Roma Fund
As a follow-up to Pakiv’s cooperation with the OSCE-ODIHR and OCEEA in last year’s Economic Forum, we decided to continue the discussion of a possible fund for economic development of local Roma communities. The idea was linked to the need for start-up capital, which would compliment local capacity building activities.
In thinking about the creation of an eventual fund, we need first to ask ourselves, ‘How can such a fund really be effective?
For the full text, see 'publications'.
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| Gaining by Learning |
| 2005-02-22 |
GAINING BY LEARNING! The informal learning and educational dimension of community mobilizing - lessons learned in the PERF regional program and local projects
- supported by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights -
From 10-12 December PERF organized a 2.5-day, regional workshop in Budapest, involving 26 participants from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Through a facilitated process, individuals presented their ongoing work with Roma and reflected on the positive methods applied in working with grassroots communities.
Participants were also informed about the World Bank/OSI Decade of Roma inclusion process (each receiving the country national action plan) and the OSCE Action Plan on Roma and Sinti, and discussed ways to organize themselves in making a civic contribution to the ongoing processes surrounding the Decade and other governmental strategies. In doing so, the participants formulated the contents of a joint statement to be released with the launching of the Decade of Roma Inclusion, February 2, 2005.
The draft statement, along with the meeting notes and a brief explanation of the useful community mobilising methods are attached. In addition, a collection of examples/stories relating the use of the specific methods are currently being prepared by participants.
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| OSCE-ODIHR CPRSI and Pakiv Side Event at the 12th Meeting of the OSCE Economic Forum |
| 2004-06-07 |
In the beginning of June, Pakiv and ODIHR/CPRSI organized a side event meeting at the 12th meeting of the OSCE Economic Forum, “New Challenges for Building up Institutional and Human Capacity for Economic Development and Co operation” in Prague. To represent Pakiv, Ms. Bari Judit (Hungary) and Ms. Erika Adamova (Slovakia) attended the meeting and gave presentations on the Pakiv approach/experiences and the need to promote economic development of Roma in times of social legislative reform in view of preventing social crisis as was the case in Slovakia in March.
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| Pakiv/OSI - NWP Gender and Development Training |
| 2004-04-06 |
The Pakiv European Roma Fund, with the support of the OSI Network Women’s Program has launched the
ENGENDERING DEVELOPMENT WORK WITH GRASS-ROOTS ROMA COMMUNITIES program.
The Program takes a „first step” toward increasing gender awareness and responsiveness amongst development practitioners working with Roma in the region. Through training, community-based analyses, report writing, and distribution, the program will both raise capacities for employing specific gender analysis frameworks and produce new knowledge concerning actual gender roles and relations amongst Roma groups in a number of locations in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
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| Pakiv Leadership and Community Development Training |
| 2004-01-22 |
Having completed a comprehensive training program in Denmark, at the International People's College, trainees are currently in their home countries to carry out a community-based research, and identify possible entry points for starting up development processes.
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| Pakiv leadership trainees travel to Denmark |
| 2003-10-10 |
From 8 October to 22 November, the participants of the Pakiv Leadership and Community Development training will be attending the International People's College in Denmark, as part of the 9-month, intensive capacity-building program.
The educational program in Denmark includes: English language, community mobilising and facilitation, theater for community development, Programming, monitoring and evaluation systems, proposal writing and fundraising, human rights, income-generation, p.r. and media relations, advocacy and campaigning and study visits to Danish NGOs.
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| 2nd International Leadership and Community Development Training - selected participants |
| 2003-06-04 |
The Pakiv European Roma Fund is pleased to present the list of selected participants to the 2nd International Leadership and Community Development Training. The selected young Roma will partake in an intensive, 9-month learning process involving English language, computer skills, leadership and management techniques, team building, communication, community mobilising and development facilitation techniques, grass-roots development experiences, especially income-generating activities, project planning and management, evaluation, human rights and advocacy and campaigning. The program combines both theoretical and practical exercises, where the new participants will work closely with former Pakiv trainees, in view of developing national and international teams formed of young Roma with active links to the grass-roots level.
The list is presented below:
BULGARIA
1) Katia IVANOVA, 19, Lom
2) Asen KARAGIOZOV, 26, Plovdiv
3) Krasimir KIRILOV, 30, Sliven
4) Emil METODIEV, 22, Dupnitsa
5) Boiko STOIANOV, 21, Kustendil
6) Katia VESELINOVA, 24, Pazardjik
HUNGARY
7) Judit CSIK, 19, Budapest
8) Csilla JONAS, 23, Budapest
9) Renata RONTA, 21, Bogadminszent
ROMANIA
10) Bogdan CHIRIAC, 20, Iasi
11) Mariana DINCA, 23, Nana
12) Ionelia Claudia GROSU, 23, Braila
13) Iulia HALANGESCU, 25, Roman
14) Alina Simona LACATUS, 21, Bistrita
15) George RADULESCU, 22, Braila
16) Marius TABA, 28, Fetesti
SLOVAKIA
17) Zdenko BALAZ, 25, Hontianske
18) Lydia BARIOVA, 23, Prievidza
19) Miroslav CHONKA, 22, Spisska Nova Ves
20) Lucia CUREJOVA, 22, Stara Lubovna
21) Zdenka DEMETEROVA, 23, Humenne
22) Katarina VAVREKOVA, 19, Rimavska Sec
Gender breakdown: 9 male, 13 female
Average age: 23
Country representation:
Bulgaria: 6 Romania: 7
Hungary: 3 Slovakia: 6
Together with participants from the first round of training in 2001, with whom we are still working, the total is 36, formed of:
Gender breakdown: 16 male, 20 female
Country representation:
Bulgaria: 10 Romania: 11
Hungary: 7 Slovakia: 8
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| Pakiv Actions for International Roma Day – April 8, 2003 |
| 2003-05-09 |
Pakiv Actions for International Roma Day – April 8, 2003
At the international Pakiv network meeting in March, three main aims for the common Pakiv actions for April 8th were defined:
- To introduce Pakiv philosophy and programs, therefore increasing visibility through common actions in public
- To raise awareness about exclusion and to promote tolerance
- To build partnerships
The common theme was to include “memorial” actions, rather than “celebrations” only, given that the day is in commemoration of the Roma killed in WWII. Local actions were organised in each of the 4 countries in a total of 12 locations. Actions included lighting candles and placing flowers on memorials, silent marches, religious ceremonies, community cook-outs, films about Roma and Holocaust, television interviews, roundtable discussions and children’s painting exhibitions with theme “Roma in Past and Present”.
In some of the locations, common pamphlets were prepared to inform Roma and non-Roma about International Roma Day. The information included the following decisions from the 8th of April 1971 in à Congress of Roma in London: 1) To use the word Rom, Roma instead tzigani, gypsies, hitanos, chengene and tzigan; 2) The Roma flag to be a wheel on the background of two colors – blue and green; 3) The anthem of Roma to be the song Gelem, Gelem, 4) 8th of April to be the International Day in memory of Roma killed during the World War II. In addition information concerning the Roma killed in the Holocaust, the Pakiv European Roma Fund and local partners organisations were included in the pamphlet.
Participating communities:
BULGARIA: Biala Slatina, Blagoevgrad, Dupnitza, Lom, Pazardjik
HUNGARY: Barcs, Sajószentpétar, Nógrádmegyer, Szécsény, Tiszavasvári
ROMANIA: Banloc, Cluj-Napoca, Comlosul Mare, Deta, Dudestii Noi, Fetesti, Petrosani, Timisoara,
SLOVAKIA:Kosice
Participating organisations:
BULGARIA: Alternativa, Roma-Lom Foundation, New Generation, Pakiav Initiative Group
HUNGARY: Organisation of Roma Representatives of Southern Somogy, Association for Community & Environmental Development in Northeast Hungary, Amen Sam O Bargyalo Kast, Opre Roma
ROMANIA: Parudimos Association of Rroma students, Democratic Union of Rroma from Banat, Intercultural Institute from Timisoara, The Association of Rroma Women for our Children, Rromani Bax,Romano Suno Association of Roma Students, Speranţa Association, Equal Association, ADRL Saşa, Thumende Association, O Del Amenca, Romani CRISS
SLOVAKIA: Cultural Union of Roma Citizens in the Slovak Republic, Secondary School of Music and Arts
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| LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRAINING FOR YOUNG ROMA: Call for Applications |
| 2003-02-18 |
The Pakiv European Roma Fund is pleased to announce the Call for Applications to the 2nd International Leadership and Community Development Training for Young Roma from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
‘Pakiv’ means trust; confidence; respect in Romani language, and the name itself reflects the value-orientation of Pakiv programs. In this regard, training activities and the support of community initiatives serve as tools to promote democratic values and professionalism, such as transparency, pluralism, responsibility, and critical thinking.
The Pakiv European Roma Fund is developing the knowledge and skills of young Roma with active links to Roma communities who can use local experiences to influence public policy. Supported local income-generating initiatives will serve as tools to mobilise communities, provide concrete experience to trainees, and serve as eventual cases studies, which can be used to influence public policies and practices.
At the same time, the Pakiv European Roma Fund is facilitating the development of national networks for discussions, co-operation and joint action amongst Roma and other civil society actors, in view of lobbying for policy change. In this way, civic development and human rights actions will produce concrete experiences and have a greater social impact, beyond their direct beneficiaries. The network or lobby group will also monitor the implementation of policies and provide feedback to the state.
In promoting professional Romani leadership in managing the programs, the Pakiv European Roma Fund is seeking candidates for its 2nd intensive, global training for young Roma from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
The training program and application forms can be found on this website, under the "Activities -> Training" section.
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| NEW LINE OF PAKIV PROGRAMS: ADVOCACY AND CAMPAIGNING |
| 2003-02-18 |
In 2003, the Pakiv European Roma Fund is developing a new line of program activities aimed at improving public policies concerning Roma and the social impact of civic initiatives to improve the situation of Roma. Recognising that civil society initiatives can produce models and experience, but they alone cannot solve the social, economic and human rights problems at the systemic level, Pakiv develops capacities of Roma with active links to local communities, so that they can use local experiences to influence public policy at the national and international levels. Supported local income-generating initiatives, amongst others, will serve as tools to mobilise communities, provide concrete experience to Roma activists, and serve as eventual cases studies, which can be used to influence state policies and practices.
To do so, Pakiv is in the process of developing of national networks for discussions, co-operation and joint action amongst Roma activists and other civil society actors, in view of advocating and lobbying for policy change. In this way, civic development actions will produce concrete experiences and have a greater social impact, beyond their direct beneficiaries. The network or lobby group will also monitor the implementation of policies and provide feedback to the state.
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| International Network meeting |
| 2003-01-18 |
The 3rd international meeting of Pakiv community development facilitators was held from 24-28 October in Bulgaria. During the meeting, participants presented their situational and needs analyses concerning human rights, community development and civil society in their countries. In responding to needs expressed by participants, practical exercises on facilitating team building processes and identifying leadership styles were also organised. The meeting was also used to discuss the proposed Pakiv objectives and strategy for 2003.
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| Pakiv Board of Trustees meeting |
| 2002-10-08 |
The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held in Sofia, 15-17 November 2002.
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| International network meeting in Romania |
| 2002-09-09 |
The Pakiv European Roma Fund held an international network meeting of its community development facilitators in Timisoara, Romania, on September 5-6, 2002.
During the meeting the facilitators informed each other of the activities they have within the local communities, and began discussions on strategy-building within each of the participating countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia).
The participants also visited the local animal-breeding project in the village of Banloc, which is one of the projects supported by Pakiv as part of its learning-by-doing program for community development facilitators.
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| Pakiv-Europe sets up its new regional office in Sofia |
| 2002-05-21 |
The Pakiv European Roma Fund has recently opened its regional office in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Address: 26 Gurko str., 2nd floor, Sofia 1000
Tel./fax: + 359 2 980 1355
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