RomArchive – Digital Archive of the Roma
Press Kit
Content
General Press Release Weblinks For Background Information Project Participants Quotes Dr Nicoleta Bitu: »Roma: Who Are We?« RomArchive Ethical Guidelines Collection Policy ERIAC – An Explainer
RomArchive – Digital Archive of the Roma
RomArchive, the Digital Archive of the Roma – funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation – makes the arts and cultures of Roma visible and illustrates their contribution to European cultural history. Through narratives told by Roma themselves, RomArchive creates a reliable source of knowledge that will be accessible internationally on the Internet to counteract stereotypes and prejudices with facts.
In terms of content, 14 curators define the presentation and select exemplary artistic contributions for the archive sections on dance, film, literature, music, theatre and drama, visual arts, and the interdisciplinary field of flamenco, as well as material on politics of photography, self-testimonies related to the persecution of Roma in National Socialism and scientific material on the civil rights movement. The archive's ever-expanding collection exemplifies the enormous range and diversity of cultural identities and national idiosyncrasies as an integral part of its approach, rather than conveying an unrealistic image of a homogeneous »Romani culture«. Here, the wealth of an artistic and cultural production—centuries old, lively and varied to this very day—becomes visible and publicly accessible for the first time in such a wide scope.
The participants in the project—within the various working groups there are around 150 actors from 15 countries across Europe and beyond—form a worldwide network of artists, scientists and activists, most of whom come from a Roma community. They make RomArchive currently the largest cultural project of, for and with Roma in which the principle of »Romani Leadership« is consistently implemented: Roma have shaped the archive in all key positions. The core group of the project consists of about 40 people who have met regularly to exchange information, including the curators of the ten archive sections and the international advisory board, which supported the curators and determined the strategic guidelines of the project. Thus, RomArchive has become an international place of intensive debate long before the actual realisation of the online archive. Here the most diverse interests, cultural identities and national differences came together—German Sinti, Spanish Gitanos, Eastern European Roma and Romani Travellers from Great Britain discussed a common goal: How can self-representation succeed despite all differences? How can counter-narratives and counter-images be created to contrast against the constantly repeated external attributions and stereotypes with which everyone is confronted?
For it is not Roma who dominate their image in public, but rather the clichés, attributions and images of others in the majority populations—which have always been marked by a mixture of fascination and contempt. There is hardly any positive counter-image or enlightenment about the reality and cultures of Roma. In the approximately 600-year history of Roma in Europe, they have been subject to numerous forms of discrimination and persecution almost everywhere since the end of the 15th century at the latest. The Nazi regime
2/15 organized the genocide of approximately 500,000 Sinti and Roma, which was recognized as such by the German government in 1982—only 37 years after the end of the Second World War. And it was not until 2012 that an important memorial for this social group was created in Berlin, the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Murdered under the National Socialist Regime. But even political successes have little changed the fact that Roma continue to be subjected to sweeping defamation and social, economic and cultural discrimi- nation.
Exclusion and disregard are revealed not least by the fact that the diverse cultures of Roma are largely ignored in European cultural institutions. To this day, there is hardly any place in Europe where they can tell and present their own arts, cultures and history. RomArchive will become this place. Here, the part that Roma have played in European cultural productions over the centuries and still play—for example in the music of Flamenco or Balkan Brass—is finally being made visible as theirs.
The archive website is trilingual (German, English and Romani) and through images and stories provides a lively introduction to the individual topics—an opportunity for majority societies to ascertain the richness of their culture, to which Roma have contributed much more than most people are aware, a way for minority representatives to reclaim their own arts, their own art history and their own cultures.
Following the launch of RomArchive, it will be institutionalized. The two project initiators, Isabel Raabe and Franziska Sauerbrey, will then hand over the responsibility of RomArchive to the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) who will continue the archive and further develop it. The archive itself is then to become a platform for networking: a trustworthy place to make one's own cultural production visible and to get in touch with Romani cultural practitioners and scholars.
RomArchive has strong partners: The German Federal Cultural Foundation supports the project with 3.75 million euros. This is a clear signal: One of the largest public foundations in Europe is dedicated to Europe's largest minority, recognizing and promoting the richness of its centuries-old culture. The European Roma Cultural Foundation and the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma assisted the project from the very beginning. The Goethe-Institut supports the work of RomArchive and accompanies it with events. The Deutsche Kinemathek - Museum für Film und Fernsehen is the cooperation partner for the technological implementation. The Federal Agency for Civic Education is involved in the promotion of RomArchive and intends to support the editorial management of the archive for a further five years from 2019 onwards. RomArchive is also supported by the Federal Foreign Office. www.romarchive.eu
Press contact Denhart v. Harling, [email protected], T: +49 179 4963497
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Weblinks For Background Information
Video interview with RomArchive’s project initiators https://blog.romarchive.eu/?page_id=9023 Isabel Raabe and Franziska Sauerbrey explain how RomArchive originated and shed light on the structures and background of the project.
Video interview with Professor Ethel Brooks, member of RomArchive’s Advisory Board https://blog.romarchive.eu/?page_id=8357 What possibilities are there to fight stereotypes by using artistic strategies and how can Roma defend and reappropriate their culture?
Éva Ádám: »Investigation of Picture Agency Databases – On Poverty, Musicians and the Invisibility of Discrimination« https://blog.romarchive.eu/?page_id=8512 Éva Ádám and the Politics of Photography archive section have carried out research on the classification and indexing of images of Roma in relevant picture agencies.
Jürgen Keiper: »Our precarious legacy – Discriminatory and racist materials in archives« https://blog.romarchive.eu/?page_id= 7435 In 2016, archive representatives from a wide variety of fields discussed the presentation of discriminatory and racist content in their institutions.
Professor Dr Hristo Kyuchukov: »International Romani Language Day« https://blog.romarchive.eu/?page_id=8874 Professor Dr Hristo Kyuchukov explains the history and linguistic backgrounds of the Romani language.
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Project Participants
Curators
Dr Thomas Acton Sociologist (Great Britain) Curator, Romani Civil Rights Movement archive section
Katalin Bársony Filmmaker (Hungary) Curator, Film archive section
Isaac Blake Dancer and choreographer (Great Britain) Curator, Dance archive section
Dr Beate Eder-Jordan Literary theorist (Austria) Curator, Literature archive section
Dr Karola Fings Historian (Germany) Curator, »Voices of the Victims« archive section
Dr Petra Gelbart Musician and ethnomusicologist (Czech Republic/USA) Curator, Music archive section
Tímea Junghaus Art historian and curator (Hungary) Curator, Visual Arts archive section
Dr Angéla Kóczé Sociologist (Hungary) Curator, Romani Civil Rights Movement archive section
Dr Anna Mirga-Kruszelnicka Anthropologist (Poland), Curator, Romani Civil Rights Movement archive section
Gonzalo Montaño Peña Musicologist (Spain) Curator, Interdisciplinary Section Flamenco
André Raatzsch Media artist and theorist (Germany) Curator, Politics of Photography archive section
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Dragan Ristić Cultural manager, theatre director, musician (Serbia) Curator, Theatre & Drama archive section
Dr Jan Selling Historian (Sweden) Curator, Romani Civil Rights Movement archive section
Miguel Ángel Vargas Art historian, theatre director, actor, musician (Spain) Co-curator, Theatre & Drama archive section
Advisory Board
Pedro Aguilera Cortés Political scientist (Spain)
Dr Gerhard Baumgartner Historian (Austria)
Dr Nicoleta Bitu (Chair) Democratic Federation of Roma from Romania (Romania)
Professor Dr Klaus-Michael Bogdal (Deputy Chair) Literary theorist (Germany)
Professor Dr Ethel Brooks Sociologist (USA)
Ágnes Daróczi Cultural manager (Hungary)
Merfin Demir (Deputy Chair) Terno Drom – Intercultural Youth Self-Organization of Roma and Non-Roma in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany)
Dr Jana Horváthová Museum of Romani Culture (Czech Republic)
Zeljko Jovanovic Roma Initiatives Office (Hungary)
Oswald Marschall Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma (Germany)
Moritz Pankok Gallery Kai Dikhas (Germany)
Romani Rose Central Council of German Sinti and Roma (Germany)
Riccardo M Sahiti Roma and Sinti Philharmonic Orchestra (Serbia/Germany)
Dr Anna Szász Sociologist (Hungary)
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Project Initiators
Isabel Raabe and Franziska Sauerbrey sauerbrey | raabe gUG (limited liability) Elisabeth-Hof, Portal 1b Erkelenzdamm 59/61 10999 Berlin
Future Host Organisation
European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture ERIAC Reinhardtstraße 41-43 10117 Berlin www.eriac.org
Funding
RomArchive is funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation.
Partner responsible for the technical implementation
Further support
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Quotes
»You cannot fight racism without making reference to history and the arts.« Dr Nicoleta Bitu
»The Roma Art label could become a really important way of reclaiming our practice, reclaiming our art history, reclaiming our culture.« Professor Dr Ethel Brooks
»I am very glad that RomArchive allows us to raise awareness of our minority’s important contributions to the cultures and histories of their respective home countries. We live in a democratic Europe, and this gives us the chance to voice grievances and at the same time to refer to and reassess our long history. This includes, for example, the role of Hungarian Roma in the uprisings of 1848 and, even more so, of 1956—just like the contributions to music, be it to classical music or modern jazz.« Romani Rose
»Dance can be political. It can help people to analyze their own preconceptions of what is Roma.« Isaac Blake
»The voices of the victims of the Nazi genocide are an impressive testimony to the power of self-assertion in the face of extermination.« Dr Karola Fings
»Romani performers are masters of mixing historically separate genres, for reasons that go far beyond the oft-cited ›Gypsy nomadism‹.« Dr Petra Gelbart
»We must start to write Roma history with Roma voices.« Tímea Junghaus
»We want to tell the self-narrated history of the Roma movement and show Roma as agents for change.« Dr Anna Mirga-Kruszelnicka
»Emancipated images mean aesthetic resistance.« André Raatzsch
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Roma: Who Are We?
by Dr Nicoleta Bitu (Chair of the RomArchive Advisory Board)
We Roma are first and foremost human beings, just like all other human beings. Unfortunately, we have not always been treated as such in history, nor are we even now.
Research in the fields of linguistics, anthropology and population genetics has meant that the long discussed Indian origins of Roma have started to be con- sidered a fact. However, the exact reasons why we Roma left central and north-eastern India has not yet been clarified and remains open for further investigation.1 Our language, Romani, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan languages group, has been and remains the fingerprint of both our origins and our migration route, for it contains within itself the connection to the languages of the peoples we have come into contact with, such as the Greeks, Persians and Armenians in the pre-European era.
So if anyone wonders whether we are Europeans or not, the answer is found in these historical facts: we were most probably living in the Byzantine Empire – the territory of what is today’s Greece – before 1200,2 and there is consistent written evidence of our presence on European soil dating back to 1400, which is in fact when the first accounts of our deportations and expulsions appeared. By 1450 we had spread throughout Europe.
Meanwhile, in Wallachia and Moldavia (modern-day Romania),3 from the se- cond half of the fourteenth century onwards we were forced into bondage and slavery for a period of five centuries, an enslavement comparable with that of African–Americans in the United States.
»Gypsies shall be born only as slaves; anyone born of a slave mother shall also become a slave« (The code of Wallachia at the beginning of the nineteenth century)
We were owned by the prince (as »slaves of the state«), by monasteries and by boeri (as the aristocracy of the time was known). The slave owners had com- plete control over our anscestors’ lives, from birth, through marriage, and until death – they even sometimes had the right to the virginity of young girls.
Towards the middle of nineteenth century, an abolitionist movement emerged among intellectuals in the Danubian principalities, influenced by the other European revolutions at the time, and this led to our liberation. It should
1 https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/roma/Source/FS2/1.0_india-europe_english.pdf 2 https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/roma/Source/FS2/2.0_arrival-europe_english.pdf 3 https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/roma/Source/FS2/2.2_wallachia-moldavia_english.pdf
9/15 be noted that the majority of private owners agreed to liberate us only if they received compensantation from the state. Once the emancipation of slaves had been achieved, the next issue to be raised – and one still being raised to- day – was that of our integration into the social and economic life of Romania. Traces of slavery persisted in the memories of former masters and their slaves, and the era of slavery has marked relations between the descendants of these two social strata to this day.
The fate of we Roma in Central Europe between our arrival and the eighteenth century was strongly determined by political changes and, of course, by con- flicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. Therefore, for example, in Hungarian territories we were confronted with two different policies until 1683, when the battle of Vienna took place: under Ottoman rule our artisanal and musical skills were appreciated, while in Habsburg con- trolled areas we were barely tolerated and faced bigoted assimilation policies. There were some regions along the western Hungarian border where both types of policies were present at the same time, making our lives even more difficult.
Although Roma were taxpayers, blacksmiths and soldiers, there were periods of time when we were forced to the peripheries of towns, evicted and subject to banning orders. Those of us who had letters of safe conduct issued by rulers were allowed to stay in central and western European countries. But even this limited right came to an end, and from the beginning of the sixteenth century onwards more and more radical laws were issued to legalise persecution and make it more organised, a process which even led to killings. Spain and the Holy Roman Empire were the last to be affected by all these phenomena, which reached them only in the eighteenth century. We might say that these were all early manifestations of the anti-Gypsyism found across Europe.
Meanwhile, the Russian Empire treated us as equal subjects with corre- sponding full civil rights,4 while making an effort to make us meet our obliga- tions as citizens. We might say that this was where mainstream policies were first implemented for we Roma. Wherever there was a »special« policy directed at Roma, the aim was to overcome separation from society without exerting pressure to achieve assimilation.
Spain pursued policies of assimilation, while Portugal and later the United Kingdom deported us to the Americas, which is one of the reasons for our presence there too. Another source of our existence in the Americas and Aus- tralia is what historians have termed the »second migration« in the mid-nine- teenth century, with migrants coming mostly from central and south-eastern Europe in the wake of social changes and in particular the abolition of slavery in Wallachia and Moldavia.
More and more regulations were issued by the Austro-Hungarian Empire be- tween 1850 and 1938, restricting opportunities for Roma to earn a living, en- forcing settlement and banning certain professions. Economic crisis and Na- tional Socialist propaganda aggravated the situation, and finally there was »forced labour, deportation and sterilisation« as a means of resolving the »Gypsy question« with a »National Socialist solution«.
Police checks on Roma were initiated as early as the mid-1920s in Germany and Austria. The media played a major role in promoting negative news arti- cles and inflaming the existing prejudices. In the name of preventing crime the government identified and registered Roma and Sinti, which formed the
4 https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/roma/Source/FS2/3.2_russian-empire_english.pdf
10/15 basis for later systemic persecution by the National Socialists. In 1936 a central agency was formed to combat the »Gypsy problem« in Vienna. Heinrich Himmler intiated concerted action to eradicate Roma throughout the Reich. The Nuremberg racial laws of 1935 classified Roma and Sinti as »racially infe- rior«, leaving us without citizenship or rights. We were exterminated by means of forced labour, concentration camps, killings in forests or deportations. By 1945, roughly one in four Roma who had lived in pre-war Europe had fallen victim to Nazi persecution.
It is still unknown exactly how many Roma were casualties of the Nazi tyranny. Roma were not always registered as such, and might appear in victim statis- tics as members of the majority population, or as »others«, or not at all. Docu- ments from the extermination camps and deportation lists were lost, are scat- tered in numerous archives or have not yet been analysed. Research has to rely on estimates, but whatever evidence is taken as the basis, a number of at least 250,000 victims is considered highly probable.
Even after we had been subjected to the Holocaust,5 our survivors were con- fronted with the same prejudices we had been forced to endure before 1933 throughout Europe. After 1945, there was no public interest in our fate at all. In Germany and Austria, restitution or compensation payments were issued later, but it took until the mid-1990s for us to receive proper offers. In the so- cialist countries, Roma were not officially recognised as victims of the Holo- caust at all.
After World War II, a substantial number of us lived in the communist part of Europe, facing different degree of assimilation policies, while western Euro- pean societies were marked by policies of integration or ignorance, combined with the sterilisation of women. The result of these policies has been an in- crease in the number of educated Roma but also an increased number of us losing our language and proud identity.
Despite this history of persecution, discrimination and marginalisation, we Roma have a rich cultural heritage – one that is part of European culture and has contributed to its development. This cultural heritage is now visible in RomArchive.
5 https://www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/roma/Source/FS2/6.0_surviviors_english.pdf
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RomArchive Ethical Guidelines 6 21 March 2017
The aim of RomArchive is to foster the process of deconstruction and recon- struction of Romani history, arts, and cultures. New narratives of both the past and present need to be created and preserved for future generations.
The RomArchive intends to counter and subvert not only the structural, secu- lar racism that led to antigypsy representations of Romani identities, arts, and cultures, but also the hierarchy of non-Romani perspectives over Romani per- spectives in the field of culture.
The material will be compiled and presented to proffer the entire scope of por- trayals of Roma7 as protagonists, agents of change, survivors, and contributors to mainstream cultures and societies. This will also ensure that Roma are not portrayed solely as victims.
RomArchive is a cultural project, yet it reflects, and is framed by, its political context.
The work of the individual archival sectors is not intended to be an exhaustive and representative research project, but rather a curated collection that re- spects the following principles and guidelines:
1. RomArchive contributes to the cultural and intellectual diversity of Europe.
2. RomArchive increases the visibility of Romani cultures, in particular their self-representation, and actively seeks to enhance the profile, im- pact, and standing of these cultures. The archive approaches the his- tory, language, and cultures of Roma as historical assets to be pre- served, disseminated, and handed down to future generations.
6 These ethical guidelines represent the framework and principles for the entire project, governing its three main spheres—collection policy, access policy, and presentation policy. Some of these ethical guidelines are further detailed in the document »collection policy.« Issues of communication, property rights, and out-side fundraising are regulated in contracts with the individual curators.
7 The term »Roma« is used to encompass the wide diversity of the groups covered by RomArchive: on the one hand a) Roma, Sinti/Manush, Calé, Kaale, Romanichals, Boyash/Rudari; b) Balkans: Egyptians and Ashkali; c) Eastern groups: Dom, Lom and Abdal; and, on the other hand, groups such as Travellers, Yenish, and the populations designated under the administrative term »Gens du voyage«, as well as persons who identify themselves as Gypsies.
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3. RomArchive guarantees equal rights and equal treatment of all per- sons, regardless of gender, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, or dis- ability. Only an atmosphere of mutual respect can ensure creative and productive work.
4. RomArchive guarantees freedom of opinion, freedom of artistic expres- sion, and research and curatorial autonomy.
5. RomArchive rejects all racism and sexism.
6. The curators pledge to ensure that their work meets the highest stan- dards of quality, and that their interaction with contributors is honest and accurate. No artist is to be included in the Archive against their ex- pressed will. When it comes to the online-publication, personal and authorship rights (so far as known) as well as licensing rights and copy- rights are to be strictly observed.
7. The curators also pledge not to use, or allow to be used, their skills or expertise for purposes that go against the goals of the archive, or for personal advantage or gain.
8. RomArchive is committed to Romani ownership as well as to the full participation of Roma.
9. The selection criterion for inclusion in the archive is the artistic quality of an artifact or its significance to cultural history.
10. Stereotypical or otherwise offensive representations8 of Roma may only be presented in the archive with contextualization or deconstruction of the content, in order to avoid additional harm or violation. This applies equally to art produced by Roma themselves.
11. RomArchive is fundamentally aimed at a wide audience, with broad access. Access for users will be free of charge.
12. RomArchive is not associated with any political party or association, and will respect the principles of transparency in all its activities.
13. RomArchive collects and presents artefacts and narratives in the origi- nal different dialects of the Romani language. When translating into the Romani language, an international academic Romanes will be used.
8 Racist or stereotypical representations can be divided into three distinct forms: racism that is obvious and personal; careless, unconscious or conscious use of stereotypes; and a deliberate (risky, provocative) artistic strategy for dealing with racism and stereotypes.
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Collection Policy
21 March 2017
1. RomArchive respects the diversity among Roma9. All sections will try to prevent homogenization and essentialization of the Romani identity by covering as many artistic expressions as possible. Artists will not be included in RomArchive against their will.
2. Agreement on a common appellation for all Romani communities: »Roma« (en), »Sinti und Roma« (ge). These terms do also include those who lay claim to being Roma. If other appellations are used, either by outsiders or as self-identifiers, they will be contextualized in the presentation.
3. The diversity of Romani artistic approaches: Romani arts and cultures will be represented as a component and contribution to national and regional cultures in Europe and beyond. RomArchive does not intend to be self-segregating. The archive’s collection will focus on not only well- known, but also lesser-known Romani artists. Artistic excellence, not just ethnic background, will be the key selection criteria. The focus of the collection will be on quality, not quantity. The selection will be left to the judgment of the individual curators.
4. Roma as historiographers; the archival focus will be on Romani self- representation. Work containing obvious and personal discrimination may only be included in the archive with contextualization and critical commentary. This applies equally to art produced by Roma themselves.
5. Putting the background of RomArchive curators in the context of their curatorial work fosters the construction of Romani artistic and cultural productions and critically reflects on the established hierarchy of non- Romani and Romani perspectives.
6. Respect for gender perspective. Where necessary, gender perspective should be emphasized in the piece’s description.
7. RomArchive respects authorship and licensing rights, personal rights and copyright.
8. All languages are welcome. Presentation and contextualization of the objects will be translated into Romani, English, and German at minimum.
9 The term »Roma« is used to encompass the wide diversity of the groups covered by RomArchive: on the one hand a) Roma, Sinti/Manush, Calé, Kaale, Romanichals, Boyash/Rudari; b) Balkans: Egyptians and Ashkali; c) Eastern groups: Dom, Lom and Abdal; and, on the other hand, groups such as Travellers, Yenish, and the populations designated under the administrative term “Gens du voyage«, as well as persons who identify themselves as Gypsies.
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9. Peer reviews shall be used within and across all sections during the collection process as much as possible.
10. During the collection process, all sections will, whenever possible, create space for Romani artists to reinterpret their work, as well as for interaction with other curators and artists. They will get involved in with current debates, will oppose the colonial point of view, create space for critical thinking, and cultivate emancipatory potential vis-a-vis fixed white perspectives.
11. All archive material should be accompanied by contextualization.
12. The target groups of RomArchive are the Romani as well as non- Romani public, educators, scholars, organizations and individuals, survivors and their families, and institutions, in particular those dealing with arts and culture.
13. The material acquired by the curators for RomArchive will become part of the archive.
14. The curators shall meet the highest technical requirements regarding the digitization. If, in exceptional cases, these requirements cannot be fulfilled, the ultimate criteria for selection are the artistic quality and the historical relevance of the item.
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EUROPEAN ROMA INSTITUTE FOR ARTS AND CULTURE (ERIAC)
AN EXPLAINER
WHAT IS EUROPEAN ROMA INSTITUTE FOR ARTS AND CULTURE?
The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture e.V. (ERIAC) is a joint initiative of the Council of Europe, the Open Society Foundations, and the Roma Leaders’ initiative – the Alliance for the European Roma Institute. ERIAC is an independent association registered under German law on June 7, 2017 in Berlin, Germany.
ERIAC exists to increase the self-esteem of Roma and to decrease negative prejudice of the majority population towards the Roma by means of arts, culture, history, and media.
ERIAC acts as an international creative hub to support the exchange of creative ideas across borders, cultural domains and Romani identities. ERIAC aims to be the promoter of Romani contributions to European culture and talent, success and achievement, as well as to document the historical experience of Romani people in Europe. ERIAC exists to be a communicator and public educator, to disseminate a positive image and knowledge about Romani people for dialogue and building mutual respect and understanding.
WHAT DOES THE ERIAC DO?
The ERIAC’s office in Berlin serves as the headquarters to support the large network of Roma individuals and organizations working in the fields of arts and culture.
ERIAC as an international hub strives to promote activities of hundreds of Roma organisations, intellectuals and artists to form multilateral initiatives and regional alliances, and to connect them with the policy makers and leaders of the different national and European levels. The front office in Berlin gives space to a contemporary art gallery and an educational program which is open to the public and welcomes individual visitors and visitor groups.
ERIAC has three core functions:
• As a creative hub, ERIAC supports the exchange of existing and creative new ideas and materials across cultural borders, cultural domains and Romani identities, in order to document the historical experience of Romani people in Europe. ERIAC is the promoter of Romani contributions to European culture and talent, success and achievement.
• As a communicator and public educator, ERIAC disseminate as positive image and knowledge about Romani people, and uses public spaces for dialogue, such as schools, mainstream cultural institutions and media.
• As a policy advisor ERIAC provides expert advice in its areas of competence, when required by the Council of Europe, its member States and other partners.
WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING ERIAC?
ERIAC’s vision is grounded in six founding principles, which define the Institute’s establishment, core functions, governance, structure and membership:
• Respect of the dignity of Romani people and Romani identity • Diversity and plurality of Romani identities and cultures • Romani leadership with the support and co-operation of non-Roma • Engagement and contribution of Romani organizations and individuals in the establishment and ongoing activities of the Institute • Political autonomy and non-partisanship, openness for collaboration with public authorities and political institutions as partners • Highest quality standards in the domains of arts and culture, as well in as its own operational performance.
WHY IS THE INSTITUTE ESTABLISHED IN BERLIN?
The German government has offered to host the Institute, showing in this way its support for Roma cultural inclusion. The location of the headquarters of the Institute in Berlin places Roma arts and culture in the center of Europe, in one of the most culturally vibrant European capitals. Berlin symbolically represents a place where cultures and identities of Easter and Western Europe converge. Germany is also a place which counts with a diverse Romani population – both that of historically present Sinti national minority as well as immigrant Roma originating from the Balkans of from countries of the CEE. Finally, Germany has played a leading role in the recognition of the Roma Holocaust during the Second World War. The German government is a great partner in rebuilding the Roma cultural legacy in Europe.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT THE INSTITUTE IS LED BY ROMA?
Roma representing themselves, and being able to define who they are (and who they are not), is the best way to break prejudice and stereotypes. It would therefore be inappropriate to establish an institute on Roma culture, history, language and art without Roma leadership. If Roma intellectuals and artists are not allowed to lead the Institute, the result would be that Roma would be denied ownership of the Institute — and they would distance themselves from similar initiatives even further in the future. This does not mean the Institute is open to Roma only. The Institute invites the participation of non-Roma; everyone supporting the basic principles will be able to join the ERIAC as staff, partner, associate member or contributor. Within the Institute, Roma leadership translates into a governance structure that gives Roma a strong role in decision-making and management processes. In fact, Roma leadership is one of the core founding principles. Beyond securing the Roma ownership of the Institute it is also about a paradigmatic shift. Roma participation has become one of the buzz words of all Roma inclusion policies and initiatives over the years, however, Roma were rarely given the power to lead.
HOW IS THE ROMA COMMUNITY AND OTHER ROMA ORGANIZATIONS CONNECTED WITH THE WORK OF THE INSTITUTE?
ERIAC is envisioned as a membership-based organization, bringing together Roma and non- Roma individuals and organizations, with relevant and demonstrated competencies and experience in the field of arts and culture and who are committed to ERIAC’s founding values.
Associate members have key roles in building the resources of ERIAC’s, engaging in creative exchange and co-production, taking ownership of ERIAC’s initiatives and engaging in its decision-making. Associate members have full access to ERIAC’s information and knowledge resources, collections, archives and database. All associate members have the right to vote during the General Assemblies and can nominate members to the Barvalipe Academy.
ERIAC is open to all formal or informal groups, organizations and individuals who support ERIAC’s mission and are ready to contribute to implementing ERIAC’s empowering vision. In accordance with ERIAC’s founding principles, the associate membership is based on contribution in terms of financial, intellectual, material and creative resources, in order to strengthen ERIAC’s impact. The annual associate membership fee is regulated through internal rules.
ERIAC’s associate membership are organized in four thematic sections, to which associate members should commit:
• Arts and Culture • History and Commemoration • Research and Publication in the Fields of Arts and Culture • Media and Information in the fields of Arts and Culture
What is the structure of ERIAC?
The Pakiv Board is the highest-organ of ERIAC. The Board oversees the work of ERIAC, safeguards its values and approves the financial and activity plans. It is composed of 5 members, 3 permananet and 2 elected by barvalipe.
The Barvalipe Academy is the agenda-setting and strategic body of the Institute which has an advisory and inspirational role, in order to fulfill ERIAC’s objectives. The academy is composed of 15 memebers with 7 memebrs nominated by Pakiv and and 8 memebrs elected by associate memebrs through thematic sections.
Associate Members can be both Roma and non-Roma. They register and are categorized according to their thematic interests. Associate memebrs are invited to participate in the general assembily and are offered to voice their opinions and vote for 8 memebers in the Balvalipe Academy.
ERIAC Secretariat leads the ERIAC headquarters in Berlin. The day-to-day operations as well as ERIAC’s office in Berlin are run by the executive director and an international team of experienced, professional and dedicated staff members.