The program is operating simultaneously at the community, national, and regional levels to achieve the following objectives:

• Promote Roma and non-Roma participation in cooperative decision-making and conflict prevention and resolution
• Increase leadership and advocacy skills of Roma and expand Roma access to services
• Reduce discriminatory attitudes and practices towards the Roma
• Create sustainable structures to improve majority-minority relations
• Create models of integration that can be replicated in Central and Southeastern Europe.

At the community level, the program aims to create sustainable participatory mechanisms through:

• Trainings for representatives of all sectors involved in Roma issues
• Trainings-for-trainers designed to empower local Roma and majority representatives to work in teams
• Cooperative planning processes, which gather stakeholders around a particular community issue for effective and durable solutions
• The creation of Conciliation Commissions for conflict resolution and public awareness

At the national level, the program aims to build on priorities identified at the community level through

• Empowerment of national Roma advocacy groups to promote their interests in cooperation with other sectors
• Trainings for Roma and majority journalists to promote accurate and non-discriminatory media reporting on Roma issues
• School-based initiatives that promote diversity awareness
• Public awareness campaigns on Roma issues and cooperative efforts
• Roundtables that share lessons learned, strengthen cooperation of Roma and non-Roma, and identify national level interventions
• To advance Roma integration

At the international level, the program aims to replicate program successes through:

• The creation of cross-border networks
• The sharing of regional expertise on minority integration and best practices
• The replication of models of integration in Central and Southeastern Europe.

In 2004-5, a $1 million small grants program in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary was launched to support innovative projects that contribute to achieving the program’s overall goals in each country.

For an update on program activities, please click here.

To view promotional material, please click here.

For the official press release, please click here.