The Council of Europe's Roma and Travellers Division, implementing the Joint EU-CoE Programme EQUIROM 'Equality and Freedom from Discrimination for Roma', recently launched a series of workshops on campaign development, bringing inspiration and empowerment to the participants, who exchanged on their activism though strong statements, such as “Don’t be afraid! As Roma YOU can be the voice of your community's fellows, you can take care of them! Fight for your rights!”.
The purpose of the EQUIROM project is to prevent and combat antigypsyism and discrimination and promote equality for Roma people, in accordance with the EU Roma Strategic Framework for Equality, Inclusion and Participation and the Council of Europe’s Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Travellers Inclusion (2020-2025).
The first workshop brought together 21 representatives from Roma and pro-Roma NGOs, including Roma youth and women from Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania.
The primary objective of the workshop was to empower participants by practically using the necessary tools and steps to develop impactful campaigns to tackle discrimination, hate speech and antigypsyism. Through group exercises, they experienced “understanding of root causes and effective strategies. Collaborative exchanges can inspire innovative interventions, emphasise the importance of cultural sensitivity, and highlight the significance of community involvement”.
Additionally, the workshop shed light on the EU and Council of Europe's efforts to counter hate speech and promote positive portrayals of marginalised groups in various communication outlets. Key texts and Recommendations to CoE member States revolving around Human Rights (European Court for Human Right, EU Charter), Freedom of Expression, hate speech (Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)16 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on combating hate speech) and anti-discrimination served as valuable resources to inspire and guide participants in their advocacy efforts.
The EQUIROM workshop series aligns with the Council of Europe's commitment to empowering Roma communities and promoting positive image of Roma and marginalised groups across Europe. As participants return to their respective regions, they carry with them the tools and inspiration to effect meaningful change and build a more inclusive future for all. The next workshop to develop campaign messages and materials will take place in April 2024.
