In a video message from Bucharest, Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland today urged governments to co-operate in the integration of the Roma and to make education a priority in support projects at the local, national and European level.

During his official visit to Romania, the Secretary General went to Ferentari district, one of the poorest areas in Bucharest, to get a first-hand impression of the challenges facing Roma communities and local authorities today.

He visited a local public school which has succeeded to get some 300 Roma children off the streets and into the classroom, giving them a new perspective of education and employment. Teachers and educators - some Roma themselves - highlighted the key role of schools in projects improving the situation of Roma communities.