On Friday, November 7, at an official ceremony in Tirana, over 40 Roma university students were awarded REF’s Roma Memorial University Scholarship (RMUSP) for their continuing academic success.
On Friday, November 7, at an official ceremony in Tirana, over 40 Roma university students were awarded REF’s Roma Memorial University Scholarship (RMUSP) for their continuing academic success. By accepting their scholarships, they join for 2014-2015 a group of approximately 1,070 RMUSP recipients from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo*, FYR Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Turkey, all of whom are the legacy of REF’s ten-year effort to build a generation of young Roma active in all spheres of academic and professional life.
This second annual event in Tirana brings together students studying sciences and humanities in Albania with the explicit aim of creating a public motivational forum for them to share their experiences as well as provide the conditions for them to build the relationships that will follow them throughout their future academic and professional lives.
Hosted by Brisilda Taco, herself an RMUSP alumna and current member of Albania’s RMUSP selection board, the ceremony began with welcoming remarks from the Swiss Ambassador to Albania, Christoph Graf, who illuminated the student audience about the Swiss government’s continuing commitment to support Roma education in Albania.
Ambassador Graf remarked, “I express my support and deep appreciation for the Scholarship Program which motivates many young Roma people to pursue academic studies. I join hands with the representatives of Roma Education Fund in encouraging youth and children to seek for and continue quality education. I would like to see less gaps and more equality between Roma and non-Roma communities.”
Rector Dhori Kule of Tirana University, alma mater to a substantial number of REF’s RMUSP beneficiaries and hosting the day’s event, also joined in the welcoming remarks.
REF’s Program Officer, Szilvia Pallaghy concluded the opening minutes of the ceremony: “Standing behind you are thousands of less privileged children who still do not have opportunities to access quality inclusive education. You play a key role in active citizenship and must ensure that the door to social mobility remains open.”
Motivational speakers addressed all the students with their personal messages of how education is to be valued and considered as an important ingredient to achieve professional and personal fulfillment, including Meleqe Rrenja, the first Roma teacher in Albania; Skender Veliu, the head of Amaro Drom Organization; Isida Rrapi, a former RMUSP alumna; and Emiliano Aliu, the coordinator of the Romaversitas (RV) project funded by REF, in Albania.
After a break, with opportunities to speak with Albania’s mainstream press, students and speakers met again, this time in a closed session for an educational debate about the realities of the labor market.
Among the speakers fielding questions from students were: Enkelejda Lopari, advisor to the minister of welfare and youth; Zino Kore, head of Arsis Organization and a career advisor for Roma youth; Xhessika Korra, IRCA career advice coordinator, as well as more remarks from Meleqe Rrenja on career opportunities for teaching professionals.
The second session took an oblique look at Roma identity through the lens of prejudice and biased portrayal of Roma in the media. Among them were: Arben Kosturi , head of “Disutni Albania” and the first Roma journalist in Albania; Erion Kristo, lecturer at Marin Barleti University and Erion Xhaibra, a member of the Committee for Minorities in the Prime Minister’s Office.
A networking reception followed with music from the Brother Lufta Band and plenty of opportunities to share opinions among the speakers and students.
Marsela Taho and Szilvia Pallaghy also made a live appearance on the Wake UP breakfast show on Albania’s Top TV as part of REF’s effort to increase its visibility in Albania.
The gala series will continue with dates over the next three weeks in Iasi, Sofia and Belgrade. On November 7, REF also hosted galas in Skopje and Budapest.
Photographs of the event can be accessed here.
Background
The Roma Education Fund operates a proven pattern of interventions that begin with educational services for early childhood development in disadvantaged communities and continues with tutoring, mentoring, afterschool support and stipends to help Roma pupils complete primary and secondary school. REF additionally provides tertiary scholarship support to Roma students through four scholarship schemes for the last 9 years.
The REF scholarship program recognizes over 1,500 students each year to talented Romani students pursuing degrees in tertiary education. Including this year’s cycle, REF has successfully provided over 15,000 scholarships and continues to promote access of quality education to Roma through its related programs, slowly creating a pool of Roma graduates in all professional spheres.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
