Awareness-raising campaign: “DOSTA!(1)”

Official website: www.dosta.org

"Dosta", a Romani word meaning "enough", is an awareness raising campaign which is aimed at bringing non-Roma closer to Roma citizens.

"Dosta" means that we want to stop prejudices and stereotypes, not by denouncing them but by breaking them, showing who the Roma really are. They are not perfect, of course, but "who is?". What is sure is that the Roma are European citizens: they form a group of about 12 million people and can be found in almost all Council of Europe member states; in some Central and Eastern European countries, they represent over 5% of the population.

Being European citizens means that Roma not only have duties but also rights and aspirations like everybody else, and therefore their citizenship and human rights must be recognized. Furthermore, Roma culture is a rightful part of Europe’s cultural heritage: it has always contributed to the enrichment of European societies. It is now time to recognize this contribution.

A better life is everyone's right!

The Dosta campaign started as part of a wider Council of Europe/European Commission Joint Programme "Equal Rights and Treatment for Roma in South Eastern Europe" and has been implemented in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of Serbia, and "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", during 2006 and 2007.
Launched as a regional campaign, Dosta! soon raised the interest of other Council of Europe Member States.

Consequently, in 2008-2009, the Council of Europe/European Commission anti-gypsyism campaign was adapted and launched in Ukraine and Moldova, as well as opened up to partnerships in other Council of Europe member States. Although European countries have different policies towards the Roma, different cultural patterns and social standards, the messages "Dosta!" wants to convey are the same for them all. We are all different, but it doesn't make a difference!

Dosta! is a Council of Europe awareness-raising campaign on Roma, implemented with funding by the European Union (50% of co-financing.

More information available at : www.dosta.org
 

(1) "Dosta" means "Enough" into Romani.
 

Last update: December 2008