Roma seminar at Corvinus University

Key experts in the field of Roma studies and representatives of important NGOs met at Corvinus to discuss questions related to the research of PAL – “Fighting discrimination and anti-Gypsyism in education and employment in EU” project.
Participants of the meeting were Marius Taba Research and Advocacy Manager of the Roma Education Fund), Annamária Orbán university professor of Budapest University of Technology and Economics), Flóra László board member of Uccu Roma Informal Education Foundation, Iulius Rostas Fellow at the Central European University). Andrew Ryder (Associate Professor Corvinus) led the conversation centred on questions dealing with the success factors of Roma inclusion policies and how to evaluate and upscale good practices.
Experts exchanged their wide range experiences about Roma programs, new initiatives and pilots. Iulius Rostas mentioned that Roma migration inside the EU is an important factor, since nowadays large numbers of Roma live in countries like the UK. He thinks it is important to examine what the consequences of migration are, and how member states treat temporary residents: do countries treat new residents as foreigners or as European citizens.
Flóra Laszló underlined that focusing on mainstream society can be more important than just focusing on Roma society. Important questions are for example how teachers’ approaches towards Roma children and how employers could become more open to employ Roma workers.

Annamária Orbán raised the point that although micro-enterprise is in a pilot phase in Hungary it is rather successful. Most projects in micro-enterprise are private and EU funded projects like Polgar Foundation, Autonómia Foundation, Kiút program.
Marius Taba listed good practices all over Europe, like educational initiatives in Spain, or Greece achieving significant results in housing projects, all over Romania there are plenty of pilots – all these practices can be used as a set of facts to give numbers to politicians for decision making and to prompt policy change that will further inclusion.