1 June 2012 (Gipsy Television/ Paulina JANOVA) – The Roma Education Fund, together with the European Union and the World Bank, has the pleasure to invite you to the Conference on Early Childhood Education and Care for Roma Children ‒ Lessons from the EU Parliament-DG Regional Policy Pilot Project and Policy Implications for EU Structural Funds Use, which will take place on the 4th of June in Brussels.
This conference aims at disseminating the results and outcomes of the “A Good Start” project as well as exploring future steps for scaling up the successful models of the project. It will explore how nongovernmental organizations, the European Union, and national and local governments can learn and work together on how best to improve the educational outcomes of thousands of young Romani children in Europe and provide at least two years of free preschool to poor and disadvantaged children of vulnerable minority groups like the Roma.
Operating over the last two years, A Good Start is an initiative launched by the European Parliament as part of three EU Roma Pilot projects. It is funded by the European Commission and supports more than 4,000 Romani children from ages zero to six to access early childhood education and care services in 16 locations across four countries (Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, and Slovakia).
The conference will also launch the World Bank report “Toward An Equal Start: Closing The Early Learning Gap For Roma Children In Eastern Europe ” which is based on the 2011 UNDP/WB/EC regional Roma survey of Romani households in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia.
The Opening Remarks will be chaired by Mr. Rudolf Niessler, Director of DG Regional Policy (European Commission) and the list of high-level speakers includes Mr. László Andor, European Commissioner, Ms. Danuta Hübner, Member of the European Parliament, Ms. Lívia Járóka, Member of the European Parliament, Mr. Pierre Mairesse, Director of DG Education and Culture (European Commission), and Mr. Costel Bercus, Chair of the Roma Education Fund.
After the opening remarks, a Press Conference will be held from 10.15 a.m. to 10.40 a.m.
Participants at the Conference will have the opportunity to view a Photo Exhibition about the project’s beneficiaries.
This final conference will bring together the policymakers, academics, Roma and non-Roma civil society organizations, governments, and European Commission and European Parliament representatives interested in developing a more inclusive system of early childhood education and care for Roma disadvantaged children.
DATE AND TIME Monday, 4 June 2012.
Opening Remarks at 9:15 a.m.
Press Conference at 10:15 a.m.
VENUE Hotel Crowne Plaza, 8th Floor
Rue Gineste 3
B-1210 Brussels – Belgium
For more information and to confirm your participation, please contact:
Camelia Teodorescu
International Department, Fundación Secretariado Gitano
+34 91 422 09 68 camelia.teodorescu@gitanos.org
http://www.gipsytv.eu/en/news/invitation-conference-on-early-childhood-education-and-care-for-roma-children.html?page_id=2506
