On the 1^st of December, EPTO participated to the International Symposium “The Role of State Institutions in Overcoming Anti-Gypsism in Europe –Potentials in Civic Education and Awareness-Raising” in Berlin. The event was co-organised by the Open Society Foundation, the Schwarzkopf Stiftung Junges Europa and hosted by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Anti-Gypsyism remains a burning question in Europe today. Roma people, Sinti, Gypsies, Travellers are still facing massive stereotypes and difficulties in having an equal access to education, housing and employment. Discrimination is multiple, both at the individual and institutional levels.

Through panel discussions and workshops, participants had then the opportunity to share and listen to the concerns and best practices coming from multiple state and NGOs representatives in regard to civic education and awareness-raising against Anti-Gypsyism in Europe.

As EPTO, we met and felt inspired by the numerous activists addressing the issues on a daily basis. We also advocated for engaging more young people from Roma and non-Roma communities in taking their responsibilities in the creation of more serene and cooperative environments. We hope peer education could be one of the tool to overcome hatred against those communities.