Campaigns `made by ERGO`

Stigmatisation and discrimination of Roma - in whatever form it is expressed - is intimately connected to the socio-economic exclusion of Roma across Europe. ERGO Network believes policies to tackles the exclusion can only really be successful if the prejudiced views and attitudes that many people hold of Roma are addressed at the same time.

For that reason, ERGO Network and its members are involved in a number of campaigns to raise awareness of a wider audience - as well as targeted actions to encourage authorities to address Roma issues.

REACT - Make Europe an Equal Place for Roma

No awareness – no progress. To tackle the social exclusion Europe’s largest minority requires an understanding of the problems Roma face and the dedication to solve them. And it requires both a sense of urgency to act and a perspective of concrete opportunities for progress. Roma and non-Roma share the responsibility to create this awareness and translate it into results.

With this campaign, ERGO Network and its members reach out to citizens – Roma and non-Roma – media and governments to commit to making Europe an equal place for Roma. ... more...

Thank you...?! Partnering for Roma Inclusion

Life for Roma may change whenever governments adopt policies and programmes to promote social inclusion and equal opportunities. But does it?

Roma themselves play a key role in ensuring that commitments translate into results – if they can express their common voice and share the responsibility to find solutions. The international campaign Thank you ….?! Partnering for Roma inclusion wants to boost the visibility of Roma as citizens of their societies – with equal rights and duties – and draw attention to the role of grassroots organizations as watchdogs and partners for policy implementation. ...more...

Typical Roma?

`Typical Roma?` was an international campaign of ERGO Network which ran from January to April 2010, when it ended during the Second European Roma Summit in Córdoba. In the campaign young Roma addressed and challenged the stigmatization and prejudiced stereotyping. NGOs from Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova participated in the campaign.

One of the most visible actions of `Typical Roma?` was the election of the `Most Roma-friendly Mayor` in the five participating countries. These Mayors were invited to the Roma Summit in Córdoba in April 2010, where they were awarded.

The campaign also lead to the publication of the Black & White Book, which presents both positive and negative stories about Roma inclusion through the eyes of Roma youngsters. ...more...

Racism beats the game

ERGO is very active in campaigns against discrimnination and anti-gypsyism, like the `Racism breaks the game´ campaign. The campaign combatted stereotypes and prejudices in football and involved many well-known people, such as Romanian football player Banel Nicolita. The former Dutch Deputy Minister on European Affairs, Mr. Frans Timmermans, also participated. Some ERGO members initiated similar activities in their countries, like a football game in Slovakia in Macedonia.

During the `Run against racism and discrimination` campaign, 900 people participated in a run through Bucharest. The event was organised by ERGO, the Italian Union `Sports for All´ and OSI. Many famous Italian and Romanian sportsmen participated, such as Daniel Prodan (former Romanian football player) and Daniele Masala (Italian gold medal winner at the 1984 Olympics).

Against fingerprinting

In 2008, ERGO participated in a spontaneous `fingerprinting campaign`, after Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi ordered the Italian police to register Roma and take their fingerprints. ERGO joined in this campaign, among others by participating in the first Roma Summit in 2008 in Brussels, wearing t-shirts with a fingerprint and the slogan ´against ethnic profiling`.

This event gave a huge boost to the debate on the position of Roma in Europe and kept the European Union alert on paying attention to the position of Roma.

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