Members of the Ukrainian ICC Network (ICC-UA) celebrate important dates with concrete actions. Therefore, on 8 April 2021 in commemoration of the International Roma Day and the 50th anniversary of the 1st World Congress of Roma in London in 1971, the ICC-UA organized an on-line meeting.

ICC-UA representatives, including Roma and other ethnic and cultural minority groups, as well as ICC national and local coordinators convened to honour Roma culture, raise awareness, and find ways to effectively address the issues Roma people are facing today.

There are more than 200,000 Roma in Ukraine, almost five times more than official statistics indicate. Although many are respected members of ICC city communities and active participants of community life, some Roma in Ukraine still do not have identity documents, which creates barriers to accessing health, social, educational, and other services. Roma participants from Pavlohrad and Odessa spoke about their daily lives in Ukrainian ICC cities and society as a whole. They emphasised that the role of local authorities is crucial in improving the living conditions and ensuring the protection of the rights of Roma people. They also made positive remarks to the local authorities of the ICC-UA cities on the efforts made so far to assist Roma people and expressed appreciation for the cities' understanding of the true value of national minorities and ethnic groups for the sound development of their communities.

Educators from Melitopol and Pavlohrad presented the measures implemented in local schools to attract Roma pupils and involve their parents more effectively in school life. The results of the 2021 children's drawing competition launched by a young Roma leader in Pavlohrad a few years ago and featuring Roma culture and traditions were presented, followed by a special video commemorating Roma Day and telling the story of the Roma people of the intercultural Pavlohrad. Odessa proposed a very original visual honouring Roma people and their significant contribution to the rich social fabric and cultural life of the city.

In addition, Roma participants offered their reactions to the film on Roma in Ukraine recently produced by one of the Council of Europe’s projects. Pavlohrad, the host of the event, closed the meeting with the launch of a call for proposals for joint actions by ICC-UA cities to improve the situation of Roma people in local communities in Ukraine and to ensure the protection of their rights. Proposals will be collected until 25 April 2021. The meeting ended with the popular Roma expression "Te aven bakhtale!", a wish of happiness and good luck for all participants.