euroma

EU-ROMA is a 20-months project launching a European open confrontation on Roma housing issues and public space. It mobilizes and cross-fertilizes knowledge and experience from different domains like urban arts, architecture, humanities, sociology and human rights. EU-ROMA organizes 3-targeted actions:

Action1 performance a detailed state-of-the-art analysis of Roma living housing conditions. It investigates the space appropriation process and the needs for a stronger Roma social integration through the living qualitative dimension. High quality information material on different factors that impede or improve Roma sites will be issued. Action1 includes mapping activities to study, record and classify Roma housing needs, settlements territorial distribution and typologies. The action results in the development of a multi-lingual database. Videos, interactive maps, digital and innovative artistic forms are to be used for awareness rising and presenting research results.

Action2 Four intensive workshops in 4 EU cities lasting 8 days each. The workshops aim to integrate, exchange and disseminate diverse knowledge on Roma social housing in EU, through inter-cultural dialogue and collaboration. They are targeted for young students who will be active proposers for a urban planning and social-housing policy shift towards participative modalities. Each Workshop includes field-research and hands-on activities in selected Roma locations. Designed to stimulate adaptive methodology promoting the removal of social barriers and experimentation in fostering new methods and approaches. Students must encourage participation and integration of Roma groups into public space development activities. So as to increase their understanding of the methodologies for developing social housing, creating a user-centric and sustainable perspective. Presentations and critics with Roma communities, civil society and policy makers are foreseen to create debate surrounding the potentials of new building techniques; innovative, functional, constructive, energy-saving solutions and social networking approach for stepping-up Roma inclusive living spaces and context-based interventions. EU-ROMA Workshops will result in producing concrete action plans and suggestions for retrofitting and upgrading Roma sites.

Action 3 research trip to Belgrade. Central Belgrade will be the scene for the construction of 2 improved shacks. Recycling and waste material will be used for create decent, adequate and affordable houses in the public space.

Outputs: best practice exchange, web site and database, demonstrative modular and flexible urban interventions, catalogue and handbooks, maps and events.

EU-ROMA Consortium reunifies 4 organization from 4 different EU countries, of which 1 is a New Member,

Macedonia and Serbia, who will take part in several project activities.

The objectives of the project are:

•to promote transnational mobility of people working in and for the Roma cultural sector,

•to encourage the transnational circulation of better sustainable and inclusive housing solutions tailored to Roma people needs, preserving their cultural diversity and creativity

•to encourage intercultural dialogue and active inclusion of Roma within the European Social and Urban space

The project target groups are:

•Primary target groups: Architecture, humanities and art undergraduate students,

•Intermediate targets: Roma NGOs, Roma communities, Roma leaders/representatives will be part of the working teams and will participate in project implementation,

•Final targets: Social and Culture Administrations, Cultural intermediaries, EC, Policy makers, Urban planners, Architecture professionals.

EU-ROMA expected results are:

• Development of advanced integrated retrofitting solutions, development of least-cost methods for energy-efficient refurbishment of social housing, adapted to local cultural and economic capacities.

• Exchange of good practices on buildings skills and stakeholder involvement in order to improve the living conditions and standards of Roma people. We will produce a publication, video production in 4 languages.

• Improved knowledge of problems associated with the retrofitting of Rome camps in order to provide more appropriate solutions. One of the demonstration action is the creation of a permanent informative system that permit to manage a forum, the creation of a data-base and edit a multilingual DVD containing examples and emulation of successful inclusive housing solutions tailored to the Rome people.