Deadline July 26th: Roma Youth Conference - September 26-30, 2011

The Roma Youth Conference aims at bringing together Roma youth organisations and Roma youth representatives to discuss the priority needs and objectives for a Roma Youth Action Plan within the Council of Europe. In addition to the need to implement a youth dimension to the Strasbourg Declaration, the youth sector of the Council of Europe is driven by the need to refresh its approach on working with young Roma in view of the bi-annual programme of activities for 2012-2013. A Roma Youth Action Plan will provide a strategic approach to the youth policy of the Council of Europe regarding Roma by pooling resources and initiatives and by linking individual activities with medium-term goals.

The involvement of Roma young people in discussing and preparing the priorities and approaches of such a Roma Youth Action Plan is crucial to its relevance and success. The Roma Youth Conference is organised by the Directorate of Youth and Sport, together with the Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Roma Issues. It is prepared in cooperation with European Roma youth networks (FERYP and Ternype) with participation of the Advisory Council on Youth and the European Steering Committee on Youth, the two bodies of co-management in the Council of Europe youth sector.

The European Youth Forum, representing youth organisations, is associated to the preparatory group as well as the Open Society Foundations (OSF) Roma and Youth Initiatives. This should allow to link the conference with the initiatives OSF related to Roma and youth policies.

The main objectives of the Conference are:

  • to share and explore the situation of Roma young people in Europe, particularly in relation to discrimination and access to human rights;
  • to discuss the meaning and relevance of the Strasbourg Declaration for young Roma today and ways to contribute to its implementation;
  • to identify youth policy responses to the situation of Roma young people today, particularly at European level;
  • to develop proposals and priorities for activities involving Roma young people and youth organisations in the Council of Europe’s youth sector and beyond;
  • to bring together and facilitate the dialogue between different stakeholders on Roma youth issues in Europe;
  • to enhance the participation of Roma youth in the activities of the Council of Europe.

Further information:

ternYpe members
please contact your national ternYpe member organization for further information regarding your application.

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