Objective
The project “Involving Youth Leaders and Teachers in Countering Antigypsyism in Bulgaria” aims to change attitudes towards Roma and to increase sensitivity and intolerance towards the daily segregation of Roma.
Problem
Roma are the most unequal and abused minority in all of Europe, and anti-Gypsyism has been on the rise in recent years. Insulting expressions towards Roma, who are blamed for various social problems, are becoming increasingly “acceptable”.
In Bulgaria, Roma are the group most affected by hate speech. A number of media outlets provide a platform for radical-nationalist speakers who openly incite hatred towards Roma. Discrimination against Roma is institutionalized, systematic, tolerated and unconscious by the majority. The above statements are published in the introduction to the Handbook “Mirrors”, published by the Council of Europe in 2015, and republished in Bulgarian by the Mladenovo Foundation and the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation in March 2017. The Handbook “Mirrors” addresses the issue of racism against Roma. You can download the Handbook here.
Activities
Within the framework of the project “Involving Youth Leaders and Teachers in Counteracting Antigypsyism in Bulgaria”, the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation in partnership with the Mladenovo Foundation, Lom and the Education Trade Union of the Podkrepa Confederation of Trade Unions will train 340 teachers and 340 youth leaders from 17 Bulgarian cities on how to counter the widespread antigypsyism in their cities. The trainings were held in the period April-November 2017 and prepared local initiative groups to implement information campaigns on issues related to antigypsyism in the 17 cities. The cities in which the project was implemented are: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Varna, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kyustendil, Lom, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sliven, Sofia, Stara Zagora and Shumen.
The project ended with a national conference in June 2018, in which representatives of civil society presented the good practices generated in the 17 cities of implementation to representatives of public institutions and the media.
Who is behind the initiative
The project is implemented by the Workshop for Civic Initiatives Foundation in partnership with the Mladenovo Foundation, Lom and the Education Trade Union at the Podkrepa Confederation of Trade Unions. The project is co-financed by the European Union under the Rights, Equality and Citizenship program.
Results
A total of 17 campaigns in 17 Bulgarian cities brought together Roma and non-Roma to play sports and exercise together. Thus, over 2,000 people took the first step towards getting to know and bringing the two ethnic groups closer together. The campaigns were inspired by the trainings “Together against antigypsyism in Bulgaria”, which covered 558 teachers and 391 youth leaders. The trainings are based on the “Mirrors” manual, published by the Council of Europe and translated into Bulgarian within the framework of the project.
Learn more on the Initiative’s website: https://antigypsyism.frgi.bg/