Roma Diplomacy

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

Roma Diplomacy: A Challenge for European Institutions?
Brussels, December 8 – 9, 2005

Organised by ERIO and DiploFoundation, with the support of the
European Parliament Officies of Jaroka, Wiersma, Mohacsi, Levai and Cashman

» Recommendations of Participants at the Roma Diplomacy Conference
» Letter Introducing Recommendations
» Conference Photo Gallery
» Leaflet
» Poster

AGENDA

Day 1 - December 8 VENUE: European Parliament - Room ASP A5G3
9.30 – 10.15	Official Opening Moderator: Ms Livia Jaroka - Roma MEP for Hungary (EPP-ED Group) Speakers: Mr Josep Borrell, President of the European Parliament Ambassador Bernhard Marfurt, Swiss Ambassador to the EU Mr Valeriu Nicolae (representing Rudko Kawczynski – President of the European Roma and Travellers Forum) Rev. Jean-Arnold de Clermont, President of the Conference of European Churches Ms Livia Jaroka – Roma MEP for Hungary, Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats Mr Graham Watson, Chairman of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
10.15 – 10.45	Presentation of the Conference Background Paper Moderator: Mt Ivan Ivanov, Director, European Roma Information Office Speakers: Prof. Andre Liebich, Chair of the Roma Diplomacy Advisory Group, Graduate Institute of International Relations, Geneva Mr Jovan Kurbalija, Roma Diplomacy Project Chair, Director of DiploFoundation Mr Valeriu Nicolae, Roma Diplomacy Project Coordinator, Deputy Director of ERIO
10.45 – 11.15	Coffee break - PRESS CONFERENCE
11.15 – 11.45	Welcome from European Parliament Moderator: Mr Valeriu Nicolae, Roma Diplomacy Project Coordinator Speakers: Ms Katalin Levai, MEP, Vice-president of the EP Legal Committee and member of the EP Human Rights Committee Mr Michael Cashman, Labour MEP for the West Midlands Ms Elly de Groen-Kouwenhoven, MEP for Netherlands, Group of the Greens/ European Free Alliance Mr Richard Corbett, Labour MEP for Yorkshire and Humber
11:45 – 13.00	European Parliament and Commission: Roma Inclusion in European Institutions: From Words to Deeds Moderator: Mr Andre Wilkens, Director, OSI Brussels Speakers: Mr Jan Marinus Wiersma, Vice-chairman, Socialist Group Mr Anthony Lockett, Head of Anti-Discrimination Unit, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Mr Colin Wolf, Head of Unit, DG Regio Presentations by Roma Diplomacy Participants
13.00 – 14.30	Lunch Break Lunch for Conference Speakers hosted by MEP Els de Groen, featuring the promotion of the booklet: “Roma: 15 million European Citizens”
14.30 – 16.00	The Role of Diplomacy and International Action in Curbing Antigypsyism in Europe Moderator: Prof. David Crowe, Elon University, and Mr Valeriu Nicolae Speakers: Mr Dan Donghi, Officer on Roma and Sinti Issues, OSCE ODIHR Mr Henry Scicluna, Coordinator for Activities concerning Roma and Travellers, Council of Europe Ms Beate Winkler, Director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia Ambassador Ion Jinga, Romanian Ambassador to Belgium Prof. Ian Hancock, Director, the Romani Archives and Documentation Center, University of Texas at Austin
16:00 – 16.30	Coffee Break
16:30 – 18:00	Roma Women in Diplomacy and Politics Moderator: Ms Maria Carlshamre, MEP (ALDE) Speakers: Ms Anne-Sophie Parent, President of Social Platform Ms Luisella Pavan-Woolfe, Director for Horizontal and International Issues, DG Employment and Social Affairs, European Commission Participants from the Roma Diplomacy programme

Day 2 - December 9 VENUE: Committee of Regions - Room B52
9:00 – 11:00	Public Diplomacy and Political Representation for Roma – Ways Forward Speakers: Mr Jonathan Hill, Head of UEFA’s EU Office Mr Michael Guet, Head of the Roma and Travellers Division, Council of Europe Participants from the Roma Diplomacy programme
11.00 – 11.30	Coffee Break
11.30 – 13.00	The Role of Civil Society and the Church in Facilitating the Transition to Equal Opportunities for Roma Moderator: Mr Ibrahim Ibrahimi, European Center for Minority Issues Speakers: Ms Donatella Rostagno, Conference of European Churches/Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe Ms Jagoda Paukovic, Senior Policy Advisor, Justitia et Pax Netherlands Ms Elly Rijnierse, Cordaid Participants of the Roma Diplomacy Programme
13.00 – 14.30	Lunch Break (Working lunch for members of Roma Diplomacy Advisory Boards)
14.30 – 16.00	Working Groups for Drafting Conference Recommendations Group Chairs: Prof. David Crowe, Elon University Prof. Andre Liebich, Chair of the Roma Diplomacy Advisory Group Ms Miranda Voulasranta, Roma and Travellers Division, Council of Europe Ms Zoe Gray, Minority Rights Group International
16.00 – 16.30	Coffee Break
16.30 – 17.30	Plenary Session: Presentation of Conference Recommendations and Concluding Words Speakers: Mr Vladimir Spidla - Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Mr Valeriu Nicolae, Roma Diplomacy Project Coordinator