The third annual Regional Beneficiaries’ Meeting for the Roma Integration Program was held in Pécs, Hungary from May 31 through June 1, 2006. Over fifty Roma and non-Roma Roma Integration Program beneficiaries and individuals associated with the program – government and ministerial representatives, donors, teachers, social workers, and education experts from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia – came together to discuss and develop strategies for improving Roma education.

The conference goal was to share strategies, best practices, and project ideas for advancing educational opportunities for Roma. Attendees took part in education-oriented site visits in and around Pécs, lectures from experts and government officials, and interactive discussions about best practices and education projects. An “Open Space” session on the second day encouraged participants to cooperatively develop strategies for change in their own communities. Below are some of the meeting highlights:

• U.S. Ambassador George H. Walker III spoke to participants via video, praising the Roma Integration Program for its work. He thanked all those in attendance for their commitment. “I applaud all of you for your work and dedication,” he said. “Improving educational access for Roma is an investment that will pay great dividends in the future.”
• Hungarian Minister of Equal Opportunities Kinga Göncz suggested increased support from regional governments for local Roma education programs, such as anti-discrimination initiatives, and encouraged parents to develop a home environment conducive to learning.
• A Panel Discussion entitled “How education systems can improve the success of Roma children in schools,” explored ways to improve the success of Roma children in schools and discussed the impact of government policies on Roma students.
• Site visits offered conference attendees opportunities to visit Csokonai Vitéz Mihály Primary School, the Gandhi Secondary School and Dormitory, and the Collegium Martineum Dormitory in Manfa. These programs demonstrate successful methods for improving Romani students’ classroom performance by exposing these disadvantaged youth to new educational and cultural opportunities.
• An Open Space session provided a space for participants to generate their own solutions to pursue following the conference. The open space format is modeled around the idea that the most productive collaboration between conference attendees always occurs during coffee breaks, when individuals are free to explore topics of personal interest. Attendees first decided which topics to discuss and which warranted further exploration. Based on this brainstorm, participants formed their own groups to identify problems relating to these topics and develop solutions, such as:
  • Drafting a law requiring schools with large Roma populations to hire more Roma teachers and assistants;
  • Providing mediation services to act as a link between students, parents, and teachers;
  • Establishing schools to train Roma teaching assistants;
  • Creating more free-time and extracurricular activities for children.
• During the open space session, participants were also invited to join a media breakout group. Facilitated by the Roma Integration Program’s Regional Coordinator, this media session brought together representatives from various media outlets. They met to discuss the creation of a Roma media network, and discussed best practices in linking community-based media initiatives with national and international networks.

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