Roma Genocide Survivor and Young Roma Activists meet Members of the European Parliament
40 Roma youth activists from around Europe and 90-year old Roma Genocide survivor Raymond Gurême met the Members of the European Parliament Soraya Post, Damian Draghici, Barbara Lochbihler and Péter Niedermüller in Brussels to address the importance of the recognition of the Roma Genocide and August 2 as Remembrance Day, as well as to stress the capacity and role of young Roma in their communities and the need for investment into Roma youth structures.
The Working Breakfast of Young Roma with Members of the European Parliament allowed small groups of young people to address and discuss with the MEP their thoughts, personal experiences and proposals regarding the situation of Roma especially youth in Europe today. Raymond Gurême, who survived the Roma Genocide during WWII and fought in the French Resistance, shared his testimony, as well as the unresolved incidence from September 2014, where he was brutally beaten by French policemen in his own home.
The Working Breakfast and the three day lasting conference was organized by ternYpe International Roma Youth Network in cooperation with ERGO Network on March 14-17, to present the practices and conclusions of the Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative 2014 to the European Parliament, European Commission and international stakeholders.
Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative 2014
On occasion of the 70th anniversary of August 2, 2014, ternYpe International Roma Youth Network and its partners gathered over 1.000 young Roma and non-Roma from 25 countries in Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative, organized by ternYpe network since 2010, aims at raising awareness among young Europeans, civil society and decision-makers about the Roma Genocide, as well as about the mechanisms of antigypsyism in a challenging context of rising racism, hate speech and extremism in Europe.
Aims and achievements of the ternYpe Remembrance Initiative were presented during public event held in the centre of Brussels, with participation of various international and local organizations and institutions. Furthermore, the seminar created space for participants to share their own experiences and to present their own positions and perspectives on vision for a different and just Europe, empowerment of young Roma to become key agents of change, and how to foster solidarity among young people of all backgrounds.
Representatives of ternYpe – International Roma Youth Network participated as well at the EU Roma Platform, where for the first time the fight against antigypsyism was discussed as a main priority and challenge in Europe today.
For more information please contact:
ternype@romayouth.com www.2august.eu www.ternype.eu
The Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative is an initiative of ternYpe International Roma Youth Network, which is supported by the Europe for Citizens Program of the European Commission, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and the Council of Europe.
