The founder and the Publisher of the Periodical: The Roma Inclusion Office EDITORIAL of the Government of AP Vojvodina Dear Readers, Editor in Chief: Duško Jovanović You are reading the October issue of our magazi- ne, with the opening article on the ceremonial start Managing Editor: of the new academic year at the Preschool Teacher Aleksandra Mićić Training College “Mihailo Palov” in Vršac, and we pre- The Team: sent you yet another successful Roma woman entre- Dragana Rajić preneur and the project Mediation for Roma. Tijana Čubrilo Under the “NGO” section, we presented the Jovana Davidović European Roma Information Centre, a new non-gover- nmental organization “Romag” and the organization Correspondents: “The Power of Family”, which organized this year's Ferenc Koso Children's Week in Novi Sad. Roma Coordinators of APV The “Culture” section entails three articles, the Ivana Koprivica first being on public discussion entitled “Media and marginalized groups”, another on “Trifun Dimić Poetry Translation into Roma: Days” and the third one on the book by Trifun Dimić. Igor Dimić As always, the last article focuses on the famous Translation into English: Roma. This time it was about the actor Michael Caine. Jezički centar Life College Finally, we remind you that from now on, with credits to the Research and Education Center and to Technical Preparation and Printing: the Preschool Teacher Training College “Mihailo Palov” MONDO-GRAF, Novi Sad in Vršac, our publication can be also read in its elec- www.mondograf.co.rs tronic form at www.rec.org.rs/bilten/. Circulation: Your editorial board 1000 Address: Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 25, 21000 Novi Sad [email protected] www.inkluzijaroma.vojvodina.gov.rs Roma Inclusion Office ENCOURAGEMENT TO MUNICIPALITIES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE STATUS OF THE ROMA COMMUNITY IN VOJVODINA Signing the contracts The Provincial Secretary for WIthin the first Call, funds to Through the second Call, in Economy, Employment and hire Coordinators for Roma issues which the funds were dedicated Gender Equality Miroslav Vasin, in our province were awarded. to the development of local acti- today signed agreements with re- Local governments of Ruma, Inđija on plans for Roma in Vojvodina’s presentatives of local gover- and Vršac received per 240,000 local governments, the funds nments, to which the Secretariat dinars for this purpose, i.e. to fi- were approved for eight munici- has awarded funds through two nance the salaries of the Roma palities. The value of the Call is Calls intended for improving the Coordinators in the period of 6 million dinars, and the funds status of Roma. months, in their municipalities. were given to municipalities of 2 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina Roma Inclusion Office help resolve them. European level, as one of the “Today we signed an best-run regional policies in this agreement with three area in Europe. “At the moment, more municipalities on according to official data, there the introduction of pla- are more Roma students enrolled ces for the Coordinator at the University of Novi Sad than for Roma issues, which in all of Europe combined. The should contribute to the same goes for secondary schools. direct communication We focused our entire campaign between local gover- focused on education, housing nment and the Roma and employment. We have enco- community and the envi- uraged the establishment of ronment. Since we have many enterprises and craft already signed two con- shops, founded by the Roma”, tracts with the five mu- Miroslav Vasin presented to the nicipalities this year, we representatives of the media on now have 13 municipali- this occasion. ties in Vojvodina with Duško Jovanović, Director of Roma Coordinators, who the Roma Inclusion Office, con- provided direct commu- gratulated the beneficiaries of nication with their Roma the allocated funds for the cou- citizens. The provincial rage to enter into this, as he government bears the said, very complex task, which is cost of six the month sa- called the work on solving the is- lary for the Coordinators, sues in the Roma community, because of what we si- which is very difficult. Jovanović gned the contracts to- said that this is not a work that is day. We signed agree- now only concerned with Serbia ments on financing and its administration but gene- development of local ac- rally the whole of Europe. tion plans for solving the Director of the Roma Inclusion problems of the Roma Office stated that the core pro- community in the next blem of his community is that year with ten more mu- Roma are almost non-existent in nicipalities, in order to the institutions, from local self- create the conditions to -government to the republican help them and find out authorities. “The goal is to find the exact situation that educated young Roma as equal Ruma, Sremski Karlovci, Inđija, will make it easier to get to the partners, ranging from local go- Ada, Novi Bečej, Sremska best ways to help our Roma in vernment to state authorities as Mitrovica, Bač, Žitište and Vršac. each of the municipalities with well as in international and do- Provincial Secretary Miroslav which we have signed contracts.” mestic institutions, in addressing Vasin said that the interest was Provincial Secretary Vasin a number of issues and problems greater than the quota, noting reminded on the fact that for ei- that we have as an entity,” said that here, in addition to the fi- ght year in a row we have been the provincial government nancial issue, it was much more leading the policy with regard to Jovanović. important for the society to re- improving the situation of Roma, cognize these issues and want to which was recognized at the www.vojvodina.gov.rs The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina 3 Roma Inclusion Office CONCLUDING CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO THE PROJECT FOR IMPROVING THE EMPLOYABILITY OF ROMA WOMEN IN VOJVODINA Concluding Conference Provincial Secretary Miroslav Vasin, Director of the Roma Inclusion Office, Duško Jovanović and ambassador of Norway to Serbia Nils Ragnar Kamsvag, presented at the fi- nal conference on the project “Improving the employability of Roma women in five muni- cipalities in Vojvodina” in the provincial government, the importance and impact of the project on marginalized Roma community and the stimulus that is provided to Roma wo- men to start their own businesses. Gratitude On the behalf of donors, each newly formed company rece- ived 1,000 euros for the purchase of equipment necessary for the Director of the Office smooth start of work, in the form of computer equipment, tools, expressed special gratitude to machinery, spare parts, etc., as well as 130 euros for start-up bu- the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway for recognizing this pro- siness package. The obligation of the candidates is to continuou- ject and decided to help the sly operate for at least 12 months after they have opened their Roma community integrate into business and pay contributions for the compulsory social insuran- society in this way. Further go- ce. Ten companies whose owners and founders are Romani women als are to devise similar and were opened within the project. even better projects for the Roma community. significant efforts in providing pported a number of projects support to members of the that sought to improve the sta- Previous accomplishments Roma national minority in tus of citizens and to bring them Vojvodina. “Today’s very impor- closer to advanced processes”, Provincial Secretary Miro- tant activity is recognized by said Miroslav Vasin, who distin- slav Vasin said that the the European institutions. guished the success achieved in Provincial Government and the Norway, as a traditional friend the fields of housing and educa- Secretariat of Economy invest of our country has so far su- tion of Roma in Vojvodina. 4 The Roma Decade in AP Vojvodina Roma Inclusion Office Successfully implemented OFFICE FOR ROMA INCLUSION OF THE project Autonomous PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA STRATEGIC PLAN 2014−2017. Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway emphasized that this Socio-economic project holds the priorities for context which they advocate (economic development, entrepreneur- The European Co- ship, minority and gender equa- mmission defines social lity). “The only way to create a exclusion as a process better Serbia is to invest in eco- due to which certain in- nomic development. Therefore, dividuals or groups are we support a number of projec- at the margins of socie- ts related to the improvement ty and due to which of the economic situation, and they are not able to ful- the special focus is put on mar- ly participate in society ginalized groups. A umber of due to poverty, lack of our projects are related to basic knowledge and come, education, as well as parti- Roma in Vojvodina because it is education opportunities, discrimi- cipation in social networks and important that all stakeholders nation or other. The reversed pro- activities within the community. equally participate in society”, cess, that of social inclusion is As regards the society, this was said the ambassador. defined as a process which ena- evident even before the Decade bles those who are at risk of soci- of Roma Inclusion, which has rai- al exclusion to receive opportuni- sed these problems within the so- “This project is a mo- ties and means which are cial and political agenda, in exam- del that clearly delivers re- necessary for their full participa- ples of discrimination and the sults and our greatest sa- tion in the economic, social and inability to access institutions in tisfaction is to see that the cultural life and the achievement all aspect (education, emplo- project is well implemen- of a standard of life and level of yment, healthcare, housing) and a ted.