By: Nevena Šarenac
The EU Delegation to BiH and Special Representative of the EU to BiH, the OSCE Mission to BiH and World Vision in BiH organized today in Sarajevo a conference at Art Kino Criterion to mark 8 April, International Roma Day.
The Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Fletcher Burton recalled that International Roma Day has been marked since 1971, and added that the OSCE has been actively engaging in issues that affect Roma people.
According to him, the Roma community, on the one hand, demands respect for its unique identity, and on the other hand seeks equality before the law.
“The activities of the OSCE Mission to BiH are reflected in the balance of these two principles. It is necessary to ensure for Roma people equality before the law and respect for their cultural richness”, said Burton to journalists before the start of the conference.
He stressed the need to eliminate discrimination, and of the necessity of the integration of Roma in political and social life, as well as in decision-making.
He noted that the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the OSCE, with the support of the EU and the US, is implementing projects for young Roma experts.
“We insist on equality before the law and respect of the cultural identity of Roma people”, said Ambassador Burton.
The Head of the EU Delegation and Special Representative of the EU to BiH Peter Sorensen addressed journalists and said that the EU Delegation to BiH offers economic support to Roma, and issues that face them are being addressed at a political level.
“I am pleased that today we are included today in marking International Roma Day”, said Sorensen.
The National Coordinator for Roma to BiH Hedina Sijerčić congratulated all members of the Roma community in BiH today, stressing that the implementation of a national action plan for education, housing, health and employment are implemented, but is not sufficient.
She issued an appeal to all educated Roma to become active and raise awareness to Roma people to be proud of who they are.
The President of World Vision BiH Aida Šunje indicated to the projects that this organization is implementing within the framework of assistance to the Roma population in BiH.
“One of the projects is ‘Return to School: Second Chance for Children from Poljice’, in which we try to integrate Roma children in school and in the wider community. Our organization is implementing a program of raising awareness on HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, as well as identifying patients with tuberculosis and their treatment. We have been implementing this health program since 2010 and until now, we have identified 100 people afflicted with tuberculosis and ensured their treatment’’, explained Aida Šunje.
Nazif Mujić also pointed to the problems of the Roma population in BiH. He won the award for best actor at this year’s film festival in Berlin for his role in the movie by Danis Tanović called “Epizoda u životu berača željeza”. After his address, a short documentary film was shown on Roma youth experts who work in the OSCE Mission to BiH.
The conference began with a performance by participants from Poljice, where World Vision BiH is implementing the project “Return to School: Second Chance for Children from Poljice”, and followed by a performance by a ballerina from the Bosnian National Theatre in Zenica Dragana Seferović.
At the end of the official part of the program there was a panel discussion on the topic “Life of Roma in BiH”, and among the panelists was the Head of the EU Delegation to BiH and Special Representative of the EU to BiH Peter Sorensen, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Ambassador Fletcher Burton, Ambassador of the US to BiH Patrick Moon, National Coordinator for Roma in BiH Hedina Sijerčić and the Head of the Health Care Program at World Vision BiH.
An art exhibition by Roma children from Poljice took place at the end of the program.
