Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative Venue: Brussels, Belgium Dates: March 14 to 17, 2015 (including travel days) Short description The conference of the Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative gathers 40 representatives of partner organizations and young Roma in order to advocate the recognition of the Roma genocide, as well as to present the practices and conclusions of the Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative to the European Parliament, European Commission and international stakeholders. The conference addresses the question how to empower young Roma to have a voice to become key agents of change, and to foster solidarity among young people! Moreover, the seminar creates a space for the participants to discuss about their vision for a different and just Europe. The participants discuss in the seminar, how young Roma and non-Roma can build a European culture based on respect, dialogue, human rights and equal opportunities. And how can we create space for young people to become active citizens through empowerment, mobilization, self-organization and participation. It shall be discussed during the seminar how the wider official recognition of the Roma Genocide in Europe and the formal establishment of August 2nd as the memorial day of the Roma Genocide can be addressed in the civic educational work. Furthermore, the seminar creates space for the participants to share their own experiences and to present their own positions and perspectives around the topics.

The Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative is an initiative of ternYpe International Roma Youth Network; the Brussels conference is organized in cooperation with ERGO Network, as well as with Roma Onlus, the coordinating organization of the Europe for Citizens project “Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative”.

The “Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative” is supported by the Europe for Citizens Program of the European Commission and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

The Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative With August 2nd 2014 marking the 70th anniversary of the remembrance day of the Roma Genocide, the year 2014 featured more educational and remembrance activities than ever, and demonstrated the wide engagement of Roma and non-Roma (youth) organizations for remembrance, recognition and reconciliation. The President of the European Parliament, Mr. Martin Schulz, and the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland, granted their patronage. During the key remembrance and education event around August 2, 2014, ternYpe International Roma Youth Network and its partners gathered over 1.000 young Roma and non-Roma from 25 countries for five days in Krakow and Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative 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 objectives  Advocate the recognition of the Roma Genocide, as well as the ternYpe youth initiative for remembrance and education;  Develop institutional relations with the European Parliament, European Commission, international (youth) civil society organizations  Raise the voice of young people in the political decision-making processes, and advocate the youth perspective;  Exchange practices, strategies and educational methods and tools of Holocaust and remembrance education regarding the Roma genocide;  Develop and plan educational and advocacy activities for the future, strengthen the partnership of organizations. Activities planned: i. Working Breakfast with Members of European Parliament An informal working breakfast will bring 40 young Roma and non-Roma together with several Members of the European Parliament that actively engage for issues concerning Roma communities in Europe. The working breakfast aims to raise the participation of Roma youth, and to bring their voices and visions to the decision-makers. The grassroots youth activists from around Europe will share their concerns, challenges and realities, but also highlight how Roma youth self-organizations have become strong agents of change for their communities and societies. ii. “European Platform for Roma Inclusion” of the European Commission The European Platform for Roma Inclusion brings together national governments, the EU, international organisations and Roma civil society representatives. It aims to stimulate co-operation and exchanges of experience among all stakeholders on successful Roma inclusion and integration policies and practices. ternYpe aims to bring a voice of young Roma and grassroots youth organizations to the Roma Platform. http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/roma/roma-platform/index_en.htm Side Event in the Roma Platform: March 16, evening ternYpe aims to organize a “Side Event” in the context of the European Roma Platform in order to draw attention of governments, international organizations and civil society organizations to the importance of the recognition of the Roma genocide. Young people and youth organizations will share about their achievements of the past years, and how it contributed to the empowerment, mobilization, participation and self-organization of Roma youth.

Program Programs/names to be confirmed Saturday, 14.03.2015 Morning Arrival in Brussels (morning, afternoon) Optional: Introduction to EU Advocacy basics: who-is-who, advocacy strategies (by ERGO Network) – time: Morning/Afternoon 18.00 Joint dinner 19.00 Welcome and opening of the seminar Aims and program of the seminar, expectations of participants 20.00 Conclusions of 2014 and of the Berlin seminar (December 2014 – Seminar on - 21.00 Remembrance and Holocaust Education on the Roma Genocide) Sunday, 15.03.2015 09.00 Working Groups 1. Activities 2015 in Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative 2. Framework and visibility for local actions (16 May, 2 August) 3. Long-term strategy for Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative and Krakow event 13.00 Lunch 14.30 Preparation of advocacy activities 1. Meeting with Members of the European Parliament 2. Side event in the Roma Platform 3. Roma Youth Statement for the Roma Platform 17.30 Plenary: Conclusions for the advocacy activities 19.00 Dinner Monday, 16.03.2015 08.00 Meeting in front of European Parliament 08.30 Working Breakfast of Young Roma with Members of the European Parliament (Mickey Mouse Café in the European Parliament) 10.00 Wrap up the meetings with MEPs (and return to MUNDO B) 11.00 Meeting with EP Communication Department about European Youth Event 2015 11.00 Meeting with Rita Izsak, Independent Expert on Minority Issues, on Report on Roma (Mundo B) 12.00 Lunch in Kamilou 14.30 Parallel program: 1. Continuation of the working groups on Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative 2. Preparation of the Side Event of RGRI in the evening 3. Few representatives in the Roma Platform of the European Commission 18.00/ Side Event of the Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative 19.00 in the Roma Platform of the European Commission 20.00 Dinner Tuesday, 17.03.2015 09.00-17.00 Roma Platform of the European Commission (just few selected participants) 09.00 Follow-up to the seminar Agenda-setting for future cooperation and realization of initiatives 10.30 Evaluation Closing of the Event 12.00 Departure