On 23-26 May, ERGO Network organised an exchange visit in collaboration with one of its members – Amaro Drom, located in Berlin. The visit team included representatives from seven member organizations, accompanied by three staff members from ERGO Network.
Amaro Drom is a youth organization that promotes political and social participation among Roma and non-Roma individuals. They aim to empower and mobilize young people through self-organization. Amaro Drom operates as a federal association with a strong network for exchange and support among state associations and other youth organizations in Germany.
During the visit, we were warmly welcomed by Mr Merdjan Jakupov, the director of Amaro Drom, and had dinner together on May 23. For many of us, this was our first opportunity to meet colleagues from other member organizations.
On May 24, the first day of the visit, we gathered at the Bildungsforum gegen Antiziganismus (Educational Centre against Antigypsyism), which shares the same building as Amaro Drom’s offices. The premises featured informative displays about the Roma Holocaust and the development of the movement for its recognition.
We were introduced to the work of Amaro Drom by four of their employees. Since it is primarily a youth organization, they focus on projects that educate young Roma about antigypsyism, its consequences, and effective ways to combat it. Through the “Kompetenznetwork Anticiganismus” project, they have established six new youth groups that transformed into associations and joined the Amaro Drom network. They also provide training for young Roma and Sinti leaders and organize national and international youth exchanges. Additionally, they raise awareness about antigypsyism among the majority of society through workshops in schools. Amaro Drom also uses platforms like TikTok to enhance the visibility of young and active Roma and Sinti, gaining 5,000 followers in just six months. They publish a youth magazine that shares the ideas and thoughts of young Roma and Sinti and run an Intercultural Academy for both the general public and the Roma community.
In Berlin, Amaro Drom aims to raise awareness among young people aged 18-30 about various human rights issues. They organize thematic city tours from alternative perspectives, including those of immigrants, street art, and Roma, followed by workshops on intersectionality and prejudices.
During the visit, we also learned about the work of the Bildungsforum gegen Antiziganismus. Their main focus is to document the history and current state of antigypsyism in Germany while educating the public. As a branch of the Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma Genocide Victims, the Educational Centre collaborates with Amaro Drom to counter the prevailing narrative that Sinti and Roma are mainly seen as criminals. They conduct training for various groups of civil servants, such as teachers and police officers, organize public discussions, produce publications, and raise awareness about antigypsyism.
The third organization we encountered was the recently established Registration and Information Centre on Antigypsyism (Melde- in Informationsstelle Antiziganismus, MIA). MIA is a civil society monitoring agency that systematically records and evaluates instances of antigypsyism in Germany. Their goal is to shed light on the manifestations and extent of antigypsyism in German society and promote awareness of the problem. MIA collaborates with associations, consulting and anti-discrimination agencies, other civil society organizations, and government institutions. They also offer qualification seminars on the topic and develop a category system for recognizing and reporting antigypsyism.
Throughout our visit, we engaged in discussions with our colleagues on various topics. We learned that there are no official figures for the number of Roma and Sinti living in Germany, as they are not recognized as a national minority. The estimated official number is around 60,000 Sinti and 100,000 Roma, but field reports suggest a minimum of 500,000 Roma, including immigrants from Balkan countries in Germany with the total population of 80 million. We also discussed the barriers faced by Roma in the German education system, which hinder their access to higher education.
It is important to note that all the organizations presented during the visit are funded by both federal and Berlin governmental budgets.
On the second day of the visit we visited the administrative offices of Amaro Foro. Since 2010, this organization has provided social counselling to Roma living in Berlin, particularly those from Bulgaria and Romania. They are also members of the Amaro Drom network and document and report incidents of antigypsyism through their project called Dosta, which started in 2014.
During our discussions with Amaro Foro, we explored the different treatment of immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania, as well as those who speak Turkish, which is even encoded in state law.
After lunch, we visited memorials dedicated to victims of antigypsyism. We first paid our respects at the memorial stone for the boxer Rukeli Trollmann, who was persecuted during World War II. Then we visited the Memorial of Jewish victims of the Holocaust, followed by the Roma and Sinti Holocaust Victims Memorial, situated near the German Parliament (Bundestag).
Everyone departed for their countries filled with excitement and inspiration. The exchange visit turned out to be a resounding success for our member organizations, providing us with a deeper understanding of the persisting antigypsyism attitudes in German society and the importance of combating them. We owe this achievement to the incredible hospitality and inspirational work of our host, Amaro Drom.
ERGO Network has plans to organize similar visits to other member organizations in the coming years. These events play a vital role in our work by allowing us to understand the challenges faced by Roma communities in different countries and learn about the innovative solutions being implemented by local organizations. By facilitating these exchanges, we foster a spirit of collaboration and knowledge-sharing that enables us to collectively address the issues affecting Roma communities and work towards positive change.
