“I Am Not Invisible” was the powerful message promoted with great success by a group of 11 young Roma from Romania during the I-YES G 1000 European Youth Summit held in Brussels on November 30 and December 1, 2023. The summit was attended by 8 young students from Italy, 28 from Saint Denis – France, 46 from Bordeaux – France, and 815 from Brussels, along with esteemed guests and other dignitaries.
On the first day of the Summit, the Romanian students actively engaged in the “Workshop Meeting Commission” held at the Chamber of Representatives in the Belgian Parliament and Palais de la Nation. Discussions delved into critical issues such as Racism and Discrimination, Social Segregation, School Bullying and Cyberbullying, as well as Gender Equality, Advocacy and Discrimination on various grounds, including ethnicity.
“Discrimination against Roma people in Romania and across Europe remains an issue that must be addressed, starting from classroom discussions with students from the remotest villages to the highest levels of European institutions. The youth from Romania managed to express their opinions firmly, both through plenary interventions and through an artistic moment in the form of trap music, performed for other European youth and decision-makers in European institutions. Congratulations!” said Alexandru Zamfir, educational expert from the REF Romania.
On December 1, at the Basilica Sacre Coeur in Brussels, the Romanian team introduced the conclusions from the previous day’s workshop to Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium and to famous artists from France and Belgium such as Patrick Bruel, Ycare, Axelle Red that also had artistic moments within the themes of the summit.
Additionally, the Romanian students showcased their artistic talents, performing the trap music piece titled “Stop Judging Me,” a manifesto against anti-Roma racism. The moment was coordinated by the Romanian trap artists Nico G and Ghetto Gang. On the evening of the Summit event, nearly 960 people were present at the Basilica Sacre Coeur from Brussels, and several thousand indirectly through their families, social networks and tv specials.
“The students managed to convert their personal experiences of discrimination and marginalization into impactful lyrics. Their song also highlights significant moments in the painful history of Roma in Romania, such as slavery and the Holocaust, while conveying a powerful message about the importance of feeling respected. Music, particularly trap music, is one of the primary tools that these young Roma can use to make their voices heard and to be understood and respected by society. Thank you Nico G and the Ghetto Gang group for being our partner during this fantastic journey!” said Luiza Medeleanu, educational expert REF Romania.
For this event, the students prepared from March till November 2023 on various topics such as the Roma history and culture, cultural diversity, important Roma cultural landmarks, segregation and discrimination, storytelling workshops, communication and public speaking.
During this period our young speakers embarked on an engaging workshop on effective communication techniques and strategies led by Carmen Marcu, the President of ART Fusion in Romania and also they learned about the power of storytelling with the talented actress and movie director Alina Șerban.
”For me, this project has been the perfect opportunity to meet other young people from all over Europe, to express our voices, and to make ourselves heard. I had the chance to speak and present our ideas in front of European representatives, and I hope that our messages will have an impact because together we can change things, and with small steps, we can address the issues faced by the Roma community”, Andrei Gîlbea, Law student.
The I • YES G1000 Invisible Youth European Summit is a project funded by the European Youth Together Program of Erasmus+ France / Education & Formation+ Agency, led by the International Organization for Success and Development, in partnership with Roma Education Fund (Romania), Helpcode (Italy), City of St-Denis, Musique de Nuit Diffusion/Rocher de Palmer (France), with the support of Le LABA
