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:
Thursday, 12 October 2023
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 09:30 Opening of the Conference
Moderator: 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
- 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: Isabela Mihalache, Senior Advocacy Officer, ERGO Network
- Ms Linda Greta Zsiga – Testimony from Pata-Rât
- Mr Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment (tbc)
- Ms Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality (video message) – tbc
- Mr Peter Pollák MEP, Slovakia / European People’s Party (tbc)
- Mr Romeo Franz MEP, Germany / Group of the Greens & European Free Alliance (tbc)
- Mr Nicolae Ștefănuță MEP, Romania/ Group of the Greens & European Free Alliance (tbc)
- Mr Mircea Fechet, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests, Romania (tbc)
- Ms Simona Bucura-Oprescu, Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity, Romania (tbc)
- Mr Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca (tbc)
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee break
10:30 – 11:15 Report launching and Common Basic Principles
Moderator: Ms Patrizia Heidegger, Director, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
- Mr Diego Francesco Marin, Policy Officer, European Environmental Bureau – Launch of new EEB report on environmental justice
- Ms Isabela Mihalache, Senior Advocacy Officer, ERGO Network – Assessment of the national Roma strategic frameworks from an environmental perspective
- Intervention from researcher (tbc)
- Speaker to be confirmed – Presenting the Common Basic Principles on Environmental Justice for Roma Equality, Inclusion and Participation from the civil society organisations’ workshop
- Questions: 15 mins
11:15 – 12:30 Parallel working groups
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch
13:30 – 14:00 Reports from parallel working groups
14:00- 15:25 Environmental racism and EU policies: EU Roma Strategic Framework, European Pillar of Social Rights, 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
- Mr Andrey Ivanov, EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) – tbc
- Mr Szabolcs Schmidt, Head of Unit, DG JUST, European Commission (tbc)
- Ms Marta Garcia Fidalgo, Adviser Roma integration, DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (tbc)
- Ms Katerina Ivanković-Knežević, Director for Social Rights and Inclusion, DG EMPL, European Commission (tbc)
- Ms Otilia Ciobanu, Policy Officer on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), DG REGIO, European Commission (tbc)
- Ms Réka Horváth, Head of Unit, RECOVER Task Force, European Commission (tbc)
- Questions: 10 mins
15:25– 16:30 What are the EU and national governments doing to ensure environmental justice?
Moderator: Amana Ferro, Senior Policy Officer, ERGO Network (online)
- Ms Patricia Bezunartea Barrio, National Roma Contact Point, Spain (tbc)
- Ms Andrea Bučková, National Roma Contact Point, Slovakia (tbc)
- Ms Cecilia Văduva, Ministry of European Funds, Romania (tbc)
- Mr Daniel Grebeldinger, ERGO Network / Nevo Parudimos, Romania
- Mr Habit Hajredini, Director of the Office for Good Governance, Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination, Office of the Prime Minister Republic of Kosovo (tbc)
- Mr Andor Ürmös, Bridge EU – Environmental justice in Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania
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: MrDaniel Grebeldinger, member ERGO Network / Nevo Parudimos, Romania
- Mr István Szilárd Tasnádi, Vice-Prefect, Cluj local government (tbc)
- Mr Alin Tișe, President, Cluj County Council (tbc)
- Mr Petrică Dulgheru, Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (tbc)
- Dr Zuzana Havírová, Roma Advocacy and Research Center, Slovakia (tbc)
- Mr Virgil Bitu, UK-RO: The ignorance of policymakers towards Roma communities and the inability of Roma population to access public services (tbc)
- Mr Adriatik Hasantari, Roma Active Albania (tbc)
17:45 – 18:00 Conclusions
Moderator: Ms Lorena Doghi, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
- Ms Patrizia Heidegger, Director, European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
- Ms Gabriela Hrabaňová, Director, ERGO Network
18:00 End of the conference
19:00 – 21:00 Dinner reception / cultural event (tbc)
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.