Presentation of the “Beat your prejudice!” project
- Details
- Thursday, 27 October 2016 16:13
On 26th of October 2016, NGO Young Roma held press conference and presented new project - “Beat your prejudice!”. Project is implemented in cooperation with debate club “Agora” from Faculty of Political Science and funded by the Embassy of the United States - Podgorica, through Democracy Commission Small Grants Program. It strives to contribute to raising awareness on necessity of reduction of discrimination, racism and persistent negative cultural prejudices against Roma by working with young citizens of Montenegro.
Speakers at the conference were:
• Irena Marunović – Project Assistant of NGO Young Roma
• Mark T. Weinberg – Head of Public Affairs Section in the Embassy of the United States in Podgorica
• Samir Jaha – Executive Director of NGO Young Roma
• Andrej Šepelj – representative of the Debate Club “Agora” from the Faculty of Political Science
Project Assistant of NGO Young Roma, Miss Irena Marunović, said that project has started with the implementation in September of 2016 and will last till May of 2017. During this time, two types of activities will be implemented in Montenegrin high schools and universities.
“We estimate to target about 300 young people, 15-25 years old, from three Montenegrin municipalities – Podgorica, Niksic and Herceg Novi. Tackling youth of this age is very important if we want to break negative prejudices that exist in relation to Roma community, while we are still on time ”, said Marunovic in the PR Center.
According to her words, minimum of 50 students per school and faculty will be targeted and take part in different activities within this project.
“Our plan is to organize three university debates and three forum theatres in high schools. Activities will take place on three faculty units, but this doesn’t mean that only debaters from those faculties will have a chance to take part in debates. All interested debaters from Montenegro are more than welcome to support our project and become part of it.”
She emphasized that one of the activities planned is also a street performance for the International Roma Day.
Head of Public Affairs Section in the Embassy of the United States in Podgorica, Mr. Mark T. Weinberg, explained that this diplomatic mission awarded various organizations with more than US $250,000 through the Small Grants Program of the Commission for Democracy.
Representative of the Debate Club “Agora” from the Faculty of Political Science, Mr. Andrej Sepelj, said that debates and forum theatres are perfect forms for “attacking” different kind of prejudices.
“The main goal is to go into the core of the problem, change attitudes of young people or confirm them if they are positive”, said Sepelj.
Executive Director of NGO Young Roma, Samir Jaha, mentioned other project implemented by this NGO, with special emphasis on the project funded by the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro - “Strengthening capacities of Roma for public activism – United we reach more!”.
“We implement this project from February 2016 in cooperation with Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro and Coalition Roma Circle. Its aim is to strengthen capacities of young people and make them more interested in the matters of Roma inclusion”, explained Jaha.
First activity that will be implemented within this project is debate at the Faculty of political science, that will take place on 15th of November 2016.
