Project launch press release
Launch of the project “Steppe Roma – a story about the past and roads to modernity”
14.06.2022
On May 26, 2022, the Labor Training and Consultancy Center signed the financing contract with no. RO-CULTURA-A7-3/2022/26.05.2022 regarding the granting of non-refundable financial support for the implementation of the project “Steppe Roma – a story about the past and roads to modernity” financed by the EEA Grants 2014 – 2021 within the RO-CULTURA Program, the call Supporting cultural initiatives about the Roma minority.
Thus, CIC Labor will implement in partnership with the Ialomița County Museum the project that will span a period of 17 months (06.01.2022 – 10.31.2023). The total eligible value of the project is a maximum of 956,847.33 lei, the equivalent of 193,384.53 euros, calculated at the InforEuro exchange rate from the date of signing the contract (1 euro=4.9479 lei).
The project targets the Roma population from 10 localities in the steppe area, which face economic, social and cultural underdevelopment. The project implementation area is represented by the counties of Ialomița (Andrășești, Căzăneşti, Slobozia and Traian localities), Călărași (Dragalina locality), Brăila (Berteștii de Jos and Gura Călmătui localities), Ilfov (Cernica locality) and Buzău (Rușețu and Sergent localities) Ionel Stefan).
The activities respond to existing challenges:
• Lack of empowerment measures;
• Lack of non-formal education programs specific to the cultural and creative sectors;
• Lack of measures to improve the reception of Roma culture.
The target group includes as direct beneficiaries 500 people participating in project activities, and the indirect beneficiaries are communities and local authorities, at least 700 internet users.
The Roma face exclusion from the labor market, severe poverty, emigration, access to seasonal jobs, discrimination and ethnic segregation. The intervention solves the needs for training, increasing self-confidence and strengthening cultural identity, desegregation and the elimination of discriminatory stereotypes.
The general objective of the project:
Consolidation of the economic and social development of the Roma from the steppe area of southeastern Romania (10 localities) through cultural interventions and modern art.
Specific objectives:
• O.1 Empowerment of 64 young people/students of Roma ethnicity by developing skills specific to the cultural and creative sectors;
• O.2 Strengthening the cultural identity of 30 young people/students of Roma ethnicity through non-formal education;
• O.3 Improving the reception of Roma culture and implicitly increasing the degree of inclusion through the creation and promotion of artistic productions/cultural products.
The main activities that will be carried out within the project are
• A.2 – Public awareness activities and reception of Roma culture through artistic products and productions – the activity facilitates the intercultural dialogue between the Roma minority and the majority population with an emphasis on promoting the cultural history of the Roma minority and increasing the degree of understanding of the lifestyle specific. Through the proposed cultural-artistic approach, the activity contributes to improving the knowledge of Roma intangible heritage in an innovative way, through original artistic products and productions, facilitating the inclusion of Roma in their communities, in parallel with wider recognition. 1 sociological research, 1 film about the lifestyle and cultural representations specific to the Roma, 1 online platform for the promotion of intangible Roma heritage elements and 1 product documenting the tradition of Roma cuisine – 1 Culinary recipe will be made.
• A.3 Roma empowerment through contemporary art initiatives – the activity contributes to improving access to culture by empowering 34 Roma youth/students. Cultural initiatives about the Roma minority are supported through two contemporary art activities: the organization of a creative writing circle and a digital narrative photography training program, activities that will stimulate the participants’ creativity and imagination using technology, new media and innovative methods of training, in the context where digital and creative skills are becoming increasingly important on the labor market.
• A.4 Activities for the consolidation of cultural identity through clubs, workshops and non-formal training for Roma youth/students: the main purpose of the activity is to strengthen the cultural identity of Roma youth/students by developing self-esteem, confidence, creativity and the ability to communication through innovative methods, the use of ICT and new media and favors in the long term the improvement of access to culture/traditional culture. Within the themes addressed, the activity capitalizes on the intangible Roma heritage elements identified in previous activities and contributes to supporting cultural initiatives about the Roma minority by organizing two contemporary art activities aimed at Roma culture: organizing an experiential theater group and storytelling workshops for 20 young people /Roma students and to a number of 10 people of Roma ethnicity trained at the workplace.
• A.5. The organization of cultural events with the participation of Roma and the majority population: 10 exhibition events – the activity has an essential contribution in improving the reception of Roma culture and increasing the degree of inclusion of Roma in the project implementation area and contributes to improving access to culture of at least 500 people and supporting cultural initiatives about the Roma minority by organizing 10 contemporary art activities aimed at supported Roma culture; within the exhibitions that will be organized in the 10 localities, snapshots captured during the project activities, images regarding representations and lifestyle in Roma communities will be brought to the general public made up of both Roma and the majority population, as well as photographic achievements of participants in contemporary art activities.
Indirect results (outcomes) and direct results (outputs):
• At least 500 people participating in cultural activities;
• 16 contemporary art activities aimed at Roma culture;
• Jobs created – 2.42;
• Persons of Roma ethnicity targeted by training measures – 64;
• Persons of Roma ethnicity trained at the workplace-10.
The EEA Grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe. There are two overall objectives: reduction of economic and social disparities in Europe, and to strengthen bilateral relations between the donor countries and 15 EU countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics. The three donor countries cooperate closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The donors have provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. For the period 2014-2021, the EEA Grants amount to €1.55 billion. More details are available on: www.eeagrants.org and www.eeagrants.ro.
RO-CULTURE is implemented in Romania by the Ministry of Culture through the Project Management Unit. The Programme aims at strengthening social and economic development through cultural cooperation, cultural entrepreneurship and cultural heritage management. The total budget amounts to almost 34 million EUR. For more details access: www.ro-cultura.ro
Labor Training and Consulting Center Str. Matei Basarab, No. 1, Block U21. Slobozia Municipality, Ialomita County E-mail: centrullabor@yahoo.com
The document can be accessed here.
The press release for the launch of the project picked up in the media, here.