On April 8, 2015, on the occasion of International Roma Day, the Montenegrin Representative Office of the Roma Education Fund organized a public event together with the Ministry of Education and participating Podgorica schools.
On April 8, 2015, on the occasion of International Roma Day, the Montenegrin Representative Office of the Roma Education Fund organized a public event together with the Ministry of Education and participating Podgorica schools. Held at the premises of KIC “Budo Tomovic,” Podgorica’s Cultural Center, the theme of the celebration was “beauty brings us together.” In celebrating this important day of Romani culture and pride around the world, six schools that have enrolled Romani children from Konik Camp were asked to present from either drama, art, music, dance, literature or film.
The day’s special guest, Minister of Education Mr. Predrag Boskovic, welcomed the audience and spoke in depth about Roma culture, the position of Roma in Montenegro, their culture and integration. In his speech, Minister Boskovic stressed that the government has taken a leading role among its neighbors in recognizing minority rights. He stated that this progress will continue, with specific actions planned to address the development of the Romani population in Montenegro.
The event, designed by Romani and non-Romani fifth-graders with the advice of university student volunteers, commenced with the Roma anthem “Đelem đelem,” after which pupils from each school presented their performances. Some pupils performed flamenco, modern and classical dance, and they then presented the most significant Romani writers, actors and singers who are popular in the region and internationally. Romani and non-Romani pupils worked together to hone their performances, and during the poetry reading Romani pupils recited in Montenegrin and their Montenegrin peers recited in Romanes.
The celebration was attended by representatives of various Montenegrin educational institutions, representatives of international institutions, ministries, diplomatic corps, parents of participating pupils and many others. The day’s program focused on learning about different cultures and developing awareness about multi-ethnicity and diversity in the context of an inclusive education system.
This program was made possible with the financial support of the project: Support to the integration and voluntary return of I/DPs and residents of Konik Camp – Phase II.
