EACEA roma6plus6 >> 6 municipalities >> 6 topics

The project Roma - six cities - six topics (R-6-6) is centrally dealing with a topic that is one of the major challenges to European societies - migration and intercultural dialogue. The six municipalities that are applying for this thematic network have put the target group of Roma into the discussion focus since it creates a huge challenge for municipalities to provide successful integration approaches and the need for exchange of experiences and thematic discussions is huge. In a number of different events and activities 6 thematic areas will be touched around the integration and support of Roma people from the perspective of a municipality. Economic and social factors will be analysed as well as wellbeing and living, health and education of Roma. During the number of events and discussions possibilities and examples of good practice will be presented and analysed how municipalities can support the integration of the target group on the levels concerned. With these approaches municipalities get innovative solutions for the improvement of participation of Roma citizens in municipal life and processes. The project will therefore also improve equal opportunities between all citizens on municipal level. Furthermore the project will also support actively the intercultural dialogue on a broad levels through public parts of events with broad public visibility, where living situations and challenges of Roma people can be experienced and mutual understanding and tolerance between European citizens can be practiced. The inclusion of presentations of Roma culture and history will allow awareness raising in all participating municipalities. The participation of six municipalities from six countries (one of it being a pre accession country) allows a broad discussion and presentation of a number of examples of good practice of integration and support of Roma population on the six thematic levels identified. The promotion of European values including tolerance and mutual understanding will be in the center of the project with different thematic and public events planned. The R-6-6 project does also enfold a powerful political dimension, on one hand resulting in the broad political support for the discussions and finding of solutions / good practice examples for the integration and support of Roma people in municipalities and on the other hand resulting in the building of a sustainable network between the partner municipalities for long lasting thematic relationships, new ideas and projects for the benefit of the target group. The transfer of experiences and results from the thematic events will be directly fed into policy making processes on local and regional level in all countries and municipalities involved. 

The municipality of Graz has vast and long lasting experiences in the organisation and implementation of transnational co-operation events and projects. In 2003 Graz implemented the European cultural capital year with a great success and besides this, the municipality of Graz organises hundrets of events per year to support the cultural and society life in the city. Especially within the field of European funded co-operation projects Graz has gained huge experiences during the last years from a number of co-operation projects implemented in the fields of environment, health, education, political debates and economic development. The department concerned with the organisation and implementation of the current project has rich experience with the development and implementation of EU funded projects over the last years and will be ensuring a smooth and target oriented implementation of the project and the reaching of the project objectives identified. On a political dimension Graz as capital city of the region of Styria (AT) has huge public visibility and impact and will use its potentials for ensuring broad public visibility of the project events and activities. Above all Graz has been awareded with the title City of Human Rights and is the only municipality in whole Europe to date, that is carrying this honour. Especially regarding the topic of the thematic network concerned with this project this fact will additionally support the public visibility and quality of the project implementation.

Starting from the City of Graz and the EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURS association the eco-social future- and leading-project "BIO-KNOBLAUCH-ROMANES" is a successful example of good practice for ROMA-families in Europe. This project is one important part and plays a very significant role within all six conferences.

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