EU Delegation building lit in colours of Romani flag
The Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports marked the International Roma Day by organising a sports competition called "Games without Borders." Teams from seven primary schools in Podgorica, which also include Roma students, competed in interesting games in the sports hall of the Primary School "Božidar Vuković Podgoričanin." Along with good fun, the competitors also learned inclusion, tolerance, and sportsmanship.
The motto of the European Union is "united in diversity" and celebrating diversity is a very important part of what it means to be a European, said the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Riccardo Serri while opening the event, adding that the Roma community and Roma culture are largely part of this European diversity and history. Unfortunately, discrimination and hatred towards the Roma population have also been largely part of European history, Serri said.
“Roma are often under attack because of their background, skin colour or any determinant that does not meet with the approval of the majority. On the other hand, the attitudes of the majority towards these vulnerable groups are most often the product of prejudice and do not correspond with reality. That is why today, on International Roma Day, but also every day, we must make the fight against prejudice, discrimination, and hatred towards the Roma a priority. Promoting knowledge, tolerance and respect for diversity that unites us must be our priority,” Serri said.
The priority must be to break down the boundaries that divide us, both physical and mental. Borders are created by adults, but children can break them, Serri concluded.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports is constantly working to improve the conditions for Roma education and increase the enrolment and completion rate of primary education, which is in line with the Poznan Declaration. Every year, more and more children and young people from the RE population enrol in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges, said Safet Kalac, Director General of the Directorate for Education of Minorities and National Communities.
"Last year in September, the Government of Montenegro adopted the Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma and Egyptians for the period 2021-2025. The vision of this document is reflected in the need for full affirmation and inclusion of the RE community in the social, cultural, economic and political life of Montenegro," said Kalac.
On behalf of the host school, the principal Jelena Popovic addressed the audience, saying that the school teams compete with each other, but that in the end they are all winners.
"Only this way will our efforts have a higher meaning, because that is how ingrained stereotypes that obscure our paths to a better tomorrow are overcome," Popovic said.
After the games, while the judges and the jury collected the points and ranked the teams, Roma activist Elvis Berisha gave a lecture to the gathered boys and girls about the tradition, culture, and duration of the Roma population in Montenegro.
The host team won the trophy and medals, the elementary school "Božidar Vuković Podgoricanin.” The winning team also received books as gifts from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports. The second and third place were taken by the teams of primary schools "Savo Pejanović" and "Vuk Karadžić." However, in the end, all participants are winners of the “Games without Borders,” including teams from the primary schools: "Oktoih," "21. May,” “Vladimir Nazor,” and “Marko Miljanov.”
In addition to organising the "Games without Borders" competition, the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro marked the International Roma Day by illuminating the building of the Delegation in the colours of the Romani flag.
