European Environmental Bureau and ERGO Network invite you to the conference on “Environmental Justice for Roma Communities, Leveraging the EU Strategic Framework”
The conference aims to be a starting point in addressing environmental racism against Roma in EU Member States and Enlargement Countries as a priority policy concern under the national Roma strategic frameworks and specific national policies and measures regarding the environment, housing, health, employment, social protection, and education policies.
Date and time:
The conference will take place on 12 October 2023 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania and also in an online format.
Objectives:
- Raise awareness about Roma and environmental racism in EU Member States and Enlargement Countries, together with relevant stakeholders (policymakers, academia, public authorities, civil society organisations, etc.).
- Identify targeted policy measures to address environmental justice and antigypsyism issues in Pata-Rât, Cluj-Napoca as well as broader policy measures applying to other European countries and situations.
- Facilitate networking and exchanges amongst civil society on Roma environmental issues.
In addition to the conference, we are also organising a separate workshop with civil society on the 11th.
Agenda Conference
Thursday, 12 October 2023
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 09:30 Section 1: Opening of the Conference
Moderator: Mr Diego Francesco Marin, Policy Officer for Raw Materials and Resource Justice, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
- Dr Nicolae Ajtai, Dean, Babeş-Bolyai University
- Ms Patrizia Heidegger, Director, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
- Ms Gabriela Hrabaňová, Director, ERGO Network – online
- Mr Dragoş Pîslaru MEP, Romania / Renew Europe, Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
09:30– 10:15 Political messages from EU and national policymakers
Moderator: Ms Isabela Mihalache, Senior Advocacy Officer, ERGO Network
- Ms Linda Greta Zsiga – Testimony from Pata-Rât
- Mr Peter Pollák MEP, Slovakia / European People’s Party (video message)
- Ms Claudia Kovacs – Ministry of Investment and European Funds -Romania
- Mr Petrica Dulgheru – Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee break
10:30 – 11:15 Section 2: Environmental Justice and Common Basic Principles
Moderator: Ms Patrizia Heidegger, Director, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
11:15 – 12:00 Parallel working groups (2 groups)
Group 1: What should the EU do to monitor the situation of Member States more efficiently? What should the EU do to provide a better framework for environmental justice?
Moderator: Andor Urmos
- A – What are the steps to take?
- B – Who are the actors that should be engaged?
Group 2: What should local and national governments do to improve environmental justice (housing, access to services, etc.)?
Moderator: Isabela Mihalache
- A – What are the steps to take?
- B – Who are the actors that should be engaged?
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch break– Address: Restaurant Hotel Premier, Str. Donath, No. 100, Cluj-Napoca (https://hotelpremier.ro/en/)
13:45 – 14:00 Reports from the parallel working groups
14:00- 15:25 Section 3: Environmental justice and EU policies: EU Roma Strategic Framework and the European Green Deal
Moderator: Mr Diego Francesco Marin, Policy Officer for Raw Materials and Resource Justice, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
- Mr Olimpiu Bela Lăcătuş-Iakab, Association for Inclusion, Transformation and Social Innovation
- Ms Enikő Vincze, Desire Foundation, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Dr Jekatyerina Dunajeva, Assistant professor at Pázmány Péter Catholic University
- Mr Andrey Ivanov, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
- Ms Anne Scheinberg, Springloop Cooperatie
- Mr Dan Pavel Doghi, DG JUST, European Commission (online)
- Questions: 15 mins
15:25–16:30 What are the EU and Member States doing to ensure environmental justice?
Moderator: Ms. Isabela Mihalache, Senior Advocacy Officer, ERGO Network
- Ms Elena Iordanescu, Ministry of European Funds, Romania
- Mr Simion Beldean – UBB Cluj Napoca – (Increasing the safety of water and food consumption in Roma communities in Transylvania)
- Mr Daniel Grebeldinger, ERGO Network / Nevo Parudimos, Romania
- Mr Andor Ürmös, Bridge EU – Environmental justice in Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania
- Mr Georgios Tsiakalos – Human Rights Lawyer-Pro Bono Publico
16:30–16:45 Coffee Break
16:45–17:45 The role of municipalities – What are cities doing to ensure environmental justice for Roma communities?
Moderator: Mr. Daniel Grebeldinger, member ERGO Network / Nevo Parudimos, Romania
- Vasile Galbea – Researcher Pat Rat
- Mr Virgil Bitu, UK/RO –The ignorance of policy makers towards Roma communities and the inability of the Roma population to access public services.
- Mr Adriatik Hasantari – Roma Active Albania
- Mr Asib Zekir – Redi – North Macedonia (online)
17:45 – 18:00 Section 4: Conclusions
Moderator: Ms Lorena Doghi, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
- Ms Patrizia Heidegger, Director, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
18:00 End of the conference
19:00 – 21:00 Dinner reception / Youth Center from Cluj, Strada Iuliu Maniu, Nr 1.
Registration:
If you are a relevant non-governmental organisation or institution and are interested in attending, please register HERE: Leveraging the EU Roma Strategic Framework Tickets, Wed 11 Oct 2023 at 12:00 | Eventbrite
For more information about ERGO Network’s work on environmental justice, please contact Senior Advocacy Officer Isabela Mihalache.