The project, called “Amaro Magipé”, aims to empower and involve women and young Roma in activities and trainings aimed to improve their socialization, skills development, access to information, violence prevention, psychosocial support, and empowerment. The project, which started in May 2023, is implemented by SolidarityNow, Lighthouse of the World, and the Cultural Educational Association of Roma Women, residents of Drosero Xanthi “The Hope”.
2nd of August, Remembrance Day
The first events implemented through “Amaro Magipé” will occur on August 1st and 2nd, to commemorate the Roma Holocaust Memorial Day. The 2nd day of August was recognized in 2015 by the European Commission as the Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, as on the 2nd of August 1944, 2,897 women and children of Roma origin were killed in Auschwitz camp. This Holocaust was forgotten and unknown to most of the world for many years and it was only in 1985 that Germany acknowledged that the persecution of the Gypsies in World War II, which cost the lives of more than 500,000 people, was aimed at exterminating their race.
“Amaro Magippe”, our project, on the side of the Roma
The phrase “Amaro Magipé” in Romani means our pride of our own work and achievement. SolidarityNow, in its 10 years of operation, stands by anyone in need and has always kept open lines of communication with Roma communities, associations, and clubs in Greece. With the aim of supporting Roma, SolidarityNow participates in the National Partnership 2021-2025 for the monitoring of the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Social Inclusion of Roma 2021 – 2030 and today, through the action “Amaro Magipé”, it proudly aims to identify mentors who will work in their communities, highlighting and solving chronic problems that plague the Roma. The geographical scope of the project include the settlement of Peleka in Katerini, Dendropotamos, and the Municipality of Pavlos Melas in Thessaloniki and Drosero in Xanthi.
The inaugural Roma Holocaust Memorial Event will take place on Tuesday 1st of August in Katerini and on Wednesday 2nd of August in Dendropotamos.
The events are organized in cooperation with the Municipality of Katerini, the Municipality of Ampelokipoi-Menemeni, the Roma Annex of Katerini, and the Roma Annex of the Municipality of Ampelokipoi-Menemeni. Participation is free of charge.
Detailed Programme
Tuesday 1st of August, 12:30
Ekavi Conference and Cultural Centre – 10, 7th Merarchias Street, Katerini
“Anti-Gypsyism & Social Representations: from the Middle Ages to Auschwitz and the Allattini factory of today” Urania T. Rapti, Psychologist, NFE trainer
“Storytelling through art and literature: the case of the Roma Holocaust in Europe”. Akrilenia Kappou, Iphigenia Anastasiadis, members of the Action Group for the Social Integration and Empowerment of Roma
Narratives by children of Peleka – Music – Exhibition of photos from the Roma concentration camps 1939-1944
Wednesday 2 August, 19:30
Agios Nektarios KAPI – Roma Annex Odysseos Androutsou 2, Dendropotamos
“Anti-Gypsyism & Social Representations: from the Middle Ages to Auschwitz and the Allatini factory of today”, Urania T. Rapti, Psychologist, NFE trainer
“The Roma holocaust in education”, Angelos Hadjinikolaou Teacher
Narratives of children of Dendropotamos – Music – Exhibition of photographs from the Roma concentration camps 1939-1944
Buffets with gypsy recipes – discussion about the gypsy cuisine
SolidarityNow is a non-profit organization founded in 2013 to respond to the needs and ensure the rights of the most vulnerable groups in society. The organization’s vision is to improve people’s lives and empower them to claim a more just and inclusive society. From 2013 to date, SolidarityNow has supported through its actions and programs (housing, psychosocial support, legal aid, interpretation, education, child protection) more than 350,000 vulnerable people to claim a life with dignity and prospects.
The Youth Center “Lighthouse of the World” is a place of protection and creative employment for the youth of Dendropotamos. Through its constant and uninterrupted struggle, it has not only highlighted the problems of the region but has found innovative solutions in areas such as education, health, and employment. The “Lighthouse of the World” is constantly by the side of all those who need it and illuminates the path to development and evolution. https://farostoukosmou.com/el
The Cultural and Cultural Association of Roma Women of Drosero Xanthi “The Hope” is a Non-Governmental Organization founded in June 2006, on the initiative of 20 Roma women.
The desire and need of these women were to create an institution through which they could express themselves collectively as Roma women, with rights and obligations within Greek society. https://drosero.eu/
The Action entitled “Amaro Magipé: Actions for the Empowerment of Women and Young Roma” implemented under the project Small Grant Scheme 1 “Empowerment of Women and Young Roma” of the Program “Social Inclusion and Empowerment of Roma” benefits from a grant of 199.909,69€ from the EEA Grants (Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2014-2021) and from national resources, representing the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway to a green, competitive, and inclusive Europe.
The project entitled Amaro Magipé benefits from co-financing of 199.909,69€ from the EEA Grants (European Economic Area Financial Instrument 2014-2021), represents the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway for a green, competitive and inclusive Europe, and from national resources.