...We are here because we think we can change some of these things. Already the Roma Integration Program sub-grants program has produced fantastic results in the field of education – through tolerance training, national roundtables, and media initiatives. The positive impact of these programs has been confirmed in my discussions with Roma leaders who say that Partners’ approach and assistance has been critical to integration and education efforts.

I would like to present you with a few examples of our success. The Center for Christian Help in Pardubice, with the help of Roma Integration Program sub-grants, is preparing young Roma children from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter majority primary schools by teaching them critical communication and language skills. As result of this project, more than 70 percent of all preschoolers attending this preparatory class successfully entered “normal” majority primary schools this year.

Here in the small Hungarian village Borsodbota, near Ózd, more than 50 percent of the population is Roma. The town, in cooperation with the Roma self-government, installed a top of the line computer lab. With help from a Roma Integration Program sub-grant, the program was able to train teachers in basic computer skills using the new lab. The teachers love working with the computers and use them in their classrooms frequently. Students have responded to their new educational tools with similar enthusiasm. They are finding the computers make it fun and easy to complete their lessons and their attitudes towards learning have improved greatly as a result. These students, most of whom had never worked with a computer before, will have increased educational and employment opportunities in the future because of this program.

In each country, Partners has also designed programs to promote tolerance and cultural sensitivity in the schools by training teachers and developing new or modifying existing curricula. Thousands of school administrators, teachers, and students will enjoy the positive benefits of this tolerance project for years to come. “This was a very good system to learn about tolerance – very original!” one student remarked.

On the national level, Partners has held roundtables to bring together government representatives and civil society organizations for discussions on education reform. In Slovakia, a national roundtable allowed multiple stakeholders to develop suggestions for a new education law under consideration by the Ministry of Education. The conference ultimately opened communication channels between the government and Roma representatives, allowing greater input by Romani communities.

Today, we are increasing our ability to address these very important issues. We may come from different ethnic, geographical, and professional backgrounds, but together we are united by a common goal. You have all been chosen to attend this conference because you are each committed to improving Roma educational opportunities. The key to this conference is openness. We must all be willing to share our successes and our failures for the benefit of future generations of Roma students who will be impacted by the decisions we must ultimately make. Together we will create a fairer and more equal world for these disadvantaged communities. Thank you.

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