Press release – CG015(2011)
Summit of Mayors on Roma to consolidate local and regional action for Roma inclusion
Strasbourg, 21.07.2011 – To address the situation of the estimated 10 to 12 million Roma and Travellers, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is organising a Summit of Mayors on Roma, in Strasbourg (France) on 22 September 2011.
Press release – CG015(2011)
Summit of Mayors on Roma to consolidate local and regional action for Roma inclusion
Strasbourg, 21.07.2011 – To address the situation of the estimated 10 to 12 million Roma and Travellers, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is organising a Summit of Mayors on Roma, in Strasbourg (France) on 22 September 2011.
The Summit is a response to the increasing discrimination against Roma in Europe and their social and economic marginalisation. The Strasbourg Declaration on Roma, adopted by the High-level Meeting of the Council of Europe member states on 20 October 2010, highlighted the particular importance of local and regional action to improve the situation of Roma.
The Summit of Mayors on Roma, to be held under the theme “Building mutual trust at the grassroots”, is being organised in co-operation with the Special Representative of the Council of Europe Secretary General for Roma issues, Jeroen Schokkenbroek, and in partnership with the City of Strasbourg and the Strasbourg Club municipal network. The Summit will bring together representatives of municipalities, regions and networks actively addressing the situation of Roma or interested in becoming involved, Roma organisations and elected representatives as well as other institutions concerned with this situation, in order to provide a co-operation framework for action in favour of Roma.
The discussions will focus on the relations between local and regional communities and Roma groups, with a particular emphasis on identifying concrete and innovative solutions to any problems encountered. The long-term objective is to establish a pan-European network which will provide information on the growing number of local and regional initiatives and serve as a co-operation framework for the various actors in the field.
The Summit will be opened in the Hemicycle of the Palais de l’Europe by Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland, Congress President Keith Whitmore, President of the Parliamentary Assembly Mevlüt Çavusoglu, a representative of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers and Mayor of Strasbourg Roland Ries, President of the Strasbourg Club. Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg and Special Representative for Roma issues will lead in the plenary discussion on obstacles to Roma inclusion, which will be followed by workshops on integration through education, on fighting prejudice and managing cultural diversity, and on equal access to housing, health care and employment.
Debates on the local and regional commitment to the future action in favour of Roma and on financing activities for Roma inclusion will conclude the Summit. Among the personalities invited to address the participants are notably European Commissioners László Andor and Viviane Reding, President of the European Roma and Travellers Forum Rudko Kawczynski and Vice-President of the International Romani Union Nicolae Gheorghe, members of the European Parliament Lívia Járóka and Hélène Flautre, representatives of the Council of Europe Development Bank and Open Society Foundation.
Practical information:
Interpretation: The working languages of the Summit will be English, French, German, Russian, Italian and Romani.
Registration: www.coe.int/roma-summit-registration
Website : www.coe.int/roma-summit
Contacts: Dmitri Marchenkov / Sabine Zimmer
Roma.summit@coe.int
Communication Division of the Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities
Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 52 40
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 27 51
congress.com@coe.int
www.coe.int/congress
