On 27.01.2023 the General Secretariat for Social Solidarity and Fight against Poverty, as the EU National Roma Contact Point (NRCP), held a Conference within the project “ROMA PLATFORM (2020)- Development of the National Platform for Consultation and Dialogue on Roma issues of the National Contact Point for the Roma”.
The conference is one of the meetings of national scope foreseen in the context of the implementation of the project “ROMA PLATFORM 2020 – Development of the National Platform for Consultation and Dialogue on Roma issues of the National Contact Point for the Roma”, which was approved and is being implemented by the General Secretariat in the framework of the European program REC-RDIS-NRCP-AG-2020 – Call for proposals limited / restricted to National Roma Platforms (GRAND AGREEMENT NO: 101008467).
The aim of the Conference is, on the one hand, to inform the interested parties regarding the policies and actions implemented at the European and national level, in the context of the implementation of the National Roma Inclusion Strategy, and on the other hand, to exchange good practices and opinions and to promote dialogue and positive standards regarding the target group.
Representatives of the competent EU institutions for Roma issues, representatives of national, regional and local government, university institutions, representatives of Roma branches and Roma mediators, representatives of Civil Society active in Roma inclusion issues, as well Roma organizations from all over Greece were attended.
At the conference, the General Secretary of Social Solidarity and Fight against Poverty, Mr. Georgios Stamatis, initiated the meeting, giving the floor for welcome speech to the Secretary General for Employment Development, Eleni Gioti , the Secretary General for Demography and Family Policy and Gender Equality, Kalypso Goula, the Head of Unit at European Commission responsible for Greece and Cyprus of the EU Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) Patrick Paquet, the Head of Roma and Traveler Section, Council of Europe Eleni Tsetsekou, the President of the Panhellenic Confederation of Greek Roma “ELLAN PASSE”, Vassilis Pantzios, the President of the Union of Greek Roma Mediators Konstantinos Paiteris, the Policy Officer of the European Commission Department responsible for Roma issues (EU DG JUST), Lavinia Banu, and representatives of national authorities as well as from Civil Society Organizations.
The topics, which were discussed, concern both the presentation of implemented policies and actions for the Roma social inclusion, as well as the tools used for this purpose. In addition, representatives from Roma associations as well as civil society organizations presented and discussed their activities and good practices.