Our work with partners: Roma inclusion in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria

In the Czech Republic, we work with the Centre for Roma and Sinti in Prague and the Museum of Roma history and Culture in Brno. They bring to the table their in-depth knowledge about the Roma holocaust, Roma history and culture. This year, EWC connected them to various partners in Norway during a study visit. We held workshops in peer education and worked to develop educational programmes for teaching school children about the Roma holocaust.

This spring, our Czech partners visited us in Norway for more mutual learning, and EWC participated in the commemoration of Roma Holocaust in Lety in May 2023. During these visits and meetings, we focused on using participatory education as a basis for increasing Roma inclusion in the school sector.

Meanwhile, in cooperation with the National Institute for Education and Youth in Slovakia, EWC hosted a group of over thirty Slovak educators for a training in Oslo in June, coupled with study visits to institutions that provide a range of educational programmes for teachers and students.
Combining the elements of these field trips with training sessions, we discussed direct and indirect discrimination, exploring innovative educational methods and learning about the latest teaching practices in the field. During their time in Oslo, teachers and school principals from Slovakia were actively encouraged to become agents of change within their educational communities when they return home.

Our Bulgarian partner, Center for Educational Integration of Children and Students from Ethnic Minorities (CEICSEM), proposed an idea for further collaboration during their study visit with us last August. We are now excited about a new cooperative project in the pipeline. Its aim will be to strengthen the regional approach when it comes to sharing best practice and knowledge on Roma inclusion. As part of this effort, we are working on preparing a regional conference that will take place next year.