Roma rights are violated every day in Europe. Roma workers are refused jobs, their children are refused places in school. Roma community is often considered marginal and traditional, therefore they are more likely to suffer
social exclusion.
In reality, the Roma can be considered to be the first European people, since they “broke” European borders a long time before any international treaty or Convention existed. They travelled all around Europe enriching their culture with that of the visited countries, enriching European cultural heritage at the same time.
 

The Council of Europe is Europe’s guardian of human rights, its duty being to make sure everyone’s rights are respected. “Dosta!” is therefore an awareness raising campaign aiming to fight the discrimination which Roma suffer from because of widespread anti-Gypsyism.
 

Italy: “Immigration policy must be based on human rights principles and not only on perceived security concerns”, says Commissioner Hammarberg presenting a special report

Strasbourg, 29.07.2008 – “Concern about security cannot be the only basis for immigration policy. Measures now being taken in Italy lack human rights and humanitarian principles and may spur further xenopohobia,”. With these words, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, published a report based on his special visit to Rome 19 and 20 June. The visit took place following a series of anti-Roma and anti-Sinti protests, which were occasionally very violent, and the rapid adoption or preparation of legislation, which notably aimed to introduce further controls of the freedom of movement of Roma and Sinti, the criminalisation of irregular immigration and additional restrictions on immigration.

Dosta! Campaign Photo Competition

The Dosta! campaign is inviting photography, art and design students, as well as amateurs from Ukraine and Moldova, to participate in the Photo Competition : set your mind in motion and make a creative statement through photos breaking down stereotypes and prejudices against Roma.
 
The Photo competition aims to promote successful photos, by giving visibility to the work of the selected participants through the Dosta! campaign website.

A jury composed of Council of Europe/European Commission and Roma experts in the field will select the best photos. Contributions will be judged according to their creativity and originality, as well as their capacity to convey the Dosta! campaign messages.

Theme

Participants are asked to create a photo that promotes the main Dosta! campaign messages: Go beyond prejudice, discover the Roma!

Eligibility

Dosta! Campaign Poster Competition

The Dosta! campaign Poster Award recognise creative and innovative initiatives of Associations, Art Academies, Schools, Artists and Amateurs to break down deep-rooted stereotypes and prejudices towards Roma.
Set your mind in motion and make a creative poster for diversity, against discrimination.
 
The Poster competition aims at promoting successful Posters, by giving visibility to the work of the selected participants as well as to present it as example of good practice.

A jury composed of Council of Europe/European Commission and Roma experts in the field will select the best photos. Contributions will be judged according to their creativity and originality, as well as their capacity to convey the Dosta! campaign messages.

Theme
Participants are asked to create a posters that promotes the main Dosta! campaign messages: Go beyond prejudice, discover the Roma!

Interview by Sergio Nava - Radio 24 (Italy-Italian) - realesed by Thomas Hammarberg, Commissioner for Human Rights, about the law by decree on security matters in Italy.

(News bulletin of 13h, 16/05/08)

Anti-Romani Speech in Europe’s Public Space - The Mechanism of Hate Speech
Henry Scicluna 1

Introduction

Hate speech can take various forms, ranging from offensive remarks to incitement to violence. In the case of Roma, hate speech covers the whole range of abuse and follows a pattern distinct from ordinary abusive speech against any given group. Whether it is a minor insult or an outright incitement to killing, the purpose of the perpetrator is the same: To exclude and eliminate Roma from society. What is noticeable in most countries is a constant and systematic escalation in the gravity of hate speech rather than sporadic incidents.

Council of Europe and Lilian Thuram unite against racism

On 13 May at its Paris meeting, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published its ‘Unite Against Racism’ declaration, in the presence of French international footballer Lilian Thuram. The declaration, supported by a video message from Secretary General Terry Davis, was issued ahead of the Euro 2008 football tournament. The commission wants the event to demonstrate a commitment to combatting racism and racial discrimination in football and set out guidelines for tackling the problem in national football leagues.

Declaration by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI) on the occasion of Euro 2008

“Unite against racism”

Paris, 13 May

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe:

Strasbourg, 07.05.2008 – Improving the living conditions of Roma citizens by safeguarding their basic human rights, promoting access to services and supporting their participation in social and political life and further empowerment are the priorities of a joint Council of Europe/European Commission awareness-raising project to be launched in Moldova and Ukraine on 14 May.

The project,  entitled “Empowering the Roma communities and fighting against anti-Gypsyism”, will provide training on the monitoring and evaluation of Roma national policies for  government officials, but also training for teachers and anti-trafficking mediators from Moldova and Ukraine.

The project will also include the launch of Dosta!, an awareness-raising campaign promoting Roma rights which has already been successfully carried out in five countries in South Eastern Europe  with the support of the authorities and Roma communities.