PAIRS Shkodra – Round table: “We make the difference: The power to decide what happens with the Roma in our country”

Malteser Albania, the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth and the Local Economic Development Agency – TEULEDA, as partners of the project “Effective Programmes for the active Integration/Inclusion of the Roma in South-East Europe” (PAIRS), financed by the European Commission through Transnational Cooperation Programme for the South-East Europe, held on 16 Dicember 2013, in Shkodra, the national round table: “We make the difference: The power to decide what happens with the Roma in our country”; PAIRS – Support for Programming 2014 – 2020.

This second round table, after the one organized in Elbasan, which is organized considering the main objectives of the PAIRS project to reduce social exclusion of Roma in South-East European countries, exploring and using the best practices of civil society organizations and local public authorities, as well as reflecting lessons learned from these approaches in future policies and programs which will be implemented at national and regional level, with a broader participation of representatives of civil society organizations and public administration.
The discussion of the round table was focused on main fields of Roma inclusion, as they are defined in the European Programme 2014 – 2020:

1. Infrastructure and housing
2. Employment
3. Health
4. Inclusion and Social Protection
5. Education
6. Cultural heritage

There were around 43 participants in this round table, Mrs. Denada Seferi  from the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth; Mrs. Blerina Zoto from the Roma Secretariat in the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth; Mrs. Valbona Tule from the Social Services; Mrs. Amela Bushati from the Office of Public Health; Mrs. Erjeta Laçej from the Education Directory of Shkodra; representatives of the Region, Municipality and Prefecture of Shkodra, State Policy, Schools with majority of students from Roma and Egyptian Communities, Education Directories, Roma organizations, civil society organizations, experts on Roma issues from the administration / local and national authorities and other interested people or people who are dealing with Roma issues.
After the introduction of the Project “PAIRS – Effective Programmes for the Active Integration/Inclusion of the Roma in South-East Europe” examples of best practices were given by representatives of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth; by Malteser Albania on Education and by Romani Bax on Community Building.
The round table was concluded with an analysis on the results and recommendations of this meeting, which will be presented at the end of the round tables, at the meeting which will be with hold with the representatives of all participating countries in the PAIRS Project.