Purpose: The aim was to contribute to the prominence of the Roma and Sinti community by strengthening their cultural belonging within the city through the medium of art.
Stimulus/Rationale: The project in the Reggio Emilia area aimed to strengthen existing pathways for participation and to promote the cultural heritage of the Roma and Sinti communities. It used art as a means to foster a sense of belonging and support the self-affirmation of young Sinti. The initiative was made possible through the involvement of Roma and Sinti artists who draw on their cultural identity as a source of inspiration in their work and aim to foster inclusion as a result of the work.
Process: The cultural protagonism course was aimed at young people of Roma and Sinti origin and saw the participation of about 15 young people from the municipalities of Reggio Emilia and Cavriago. The two municipalities have been working for years in a network for the development of welfare and intercultural policies for the development of specific socio-educational paths addressed to the Roma community in the two territories.
In the first phase, within the socio-educational path launched by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia and Cavriago, the designer Noell Maggini met with youth workers to understand with them how to structure the meeting with the young people. During the discussion with the youth workers, Noell had the opportunity to share his personal and professional story of the discrimination he had experienced. This is a common issue for the Roma community when it comes to accessing the job market and fully participating in socio-economic life.
Subsequently, with the support of the educational support workers, and thanks to the support of the officials of the two municipalities involved, a moment of dialogue and frank exchange took place between Noell and the 15 young people involved. The meeting took place in the afternoon of 5 April at the Sala del Tricolore in Reggio Emilia, an emblematic place and centre of the city's politics. During the meeting, Noell shared his journey with 15 young people, highlighting the challenges he faced and his educational and professional achievements. He encouraged them to persevere despite the stigma that often hinders the personal and professional growth of those from Roma and Sinti communities.
The action culminated in the realisation of a public event, "U khablame (love) fashion show", addressed to the city of Reggio Emilia and aimed at enhancing Romani culture through the medium of art. The fashion show, as can be deduced from the title chosen by the designer, aimed to tell and convey 'love as the means that transcends any discrimination, fear and weakness'. In fact, through the fashion show, Noell Maggini wanted to recount his journey in fashion as a young man of Sinti origin who realises his dream despite the discrimination that constrains and stigmatises the Roma and Sinti population.
Impact: The event, which took place on 5 April 2024 at the Laboratorio Aperto dei Chiostri di San Pietro was widely attended by the local population, leading to the organisation of two sessions of the event. A total of 60 people registered via the Eventbrite platform for the first round and 40 for the second, for a total of 100 spectators of the fashion show.
