Samir Alija, 31 years, living in Rome (Italy), born in Serbia
Short abstract: His case is not only a best practice of integration in working environment, but something more: civic engagement and human rights promotion
Born in Serbia, lived in Germany, now living in Rome where he built his family. He knows and speaks four languages (English, Italian, Serbo-Croat and German). After his school graduation (secondary level), Samir Alija aimed at gaining skills in social research, training, cultural mediation: objective was to build bridges between Roma and non Roma communities and overcome the mutual distrust that separate communities. He followed courses of multicultural integration and started working with cooperatives and NGOs as cultural mediator and social operator in schooling projects for Roma children organized in Rome city, entering into contact with different, particular situations. Currently he works for Ministry for Internal Affairs as cultural mediator, acting as mediator between Roma communities and Italian institutions. In 2011 he participated on behalf of its own community to Summit of Majors on Roma organized by Council of Europe to stress the concept of importance of social inclusion of Roma people.
He represented Roma communities in various meetings and press releases with public authorities and non profit bodies, for example at Italian Chamber of Deputies (2016), headquarter of Sicilia Regional Government at Rome (2016), Italian Senate (2011).
He currently works for Consorzio Innopolis in PAL project as expert too. He contributed to prepare training contents for Roma youngsters in the fields of self-entrepreneurship and employment and contributed to training needs analysis. He founded New Romalen Association, with other Roma guys, of which is President.
Samir Alija case is a story of success we want to make known. It represents not only a case of a Roma guy who studied and undertook training and working paths. It can be a positive sign because Samir is a person who could combine work and civic engagement, transforming his job into a social ‘mission’. On the other hand, nevertheless, Samir is affected by discrimination (for example his troubles for finding a house, reflecting the more general discrimination and difficulties that Roma people have for housing): his story is not a miracle but a normal story of efforts, commitment, successes and failures.
Samir can be a good practice also for Roma youngsters because he is guided by the will of promoting and defending Roma culture and tradition. We know that one of the most negative consequences of social exclusion of minorities is the loss of their identity and culture. Samir represents a young generation of Roma guys who are proud to be Roma, but they are also open to meet people of different culture and tradition and willing to work for Roma full inclusion in the societies where they live, reflecting the deeper meaning of European Union. Furthermore a cultural mediator as Samir plays a key role for both the sides: Roma people have a person who represents them at institutional level, public institution and mainstream can have a key to enter into an environment (Roma communities) that non Roma people don’t know very well and mostly filtered by stereotypes.
“Not more aid-based approach, but enhancement of educational and training activities and policies, knowledge and practice of rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Where there are actual resources and opportunities for training and educating young people, I believe strongly in the capacities of Roma people”
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