MEET UP!

ABOUT THE EVENT

The MEET UP! „On the crossroads of history“ was an event for everyone who wanted to learn more about Romani culture and get creative with other exciting people. It was a youth MEET UP! for Ukrainian and German participants with and without Roma background.

The event took place 2021 an was dived into two sessions:

1. MEET UP! in Heidelberg/Mannheim, 22 – 24 Oct

About 15 young adults from Germany met in beautiful Heidelberg to learn more about the culture of Sinti and Roma in Europe together with experts. The programme included a visit to the Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma and the RomnoKher House in Mannheim as well as many exciting challenges, a city rally about Mannheim’s persecution history of Sinti & Roma and a theater input.

2. Online Theatre-Workshop, 4. – 7. Nov

In November we came together to share our experiences with the Ukrainian workshop group and create a little online theatre research performance. Thanks to simultaneous translation everyone could join even with little English speaking skills. In the end we managed to present some very inspiring stories of discrimination and empowerment the participants witnessed in their everyday lives.

WE OFFERED

  • 3 days workshop incl. travel costs, accommodation and meals in beautiful Heidelberg to exchange and learn

  • A great, innovative online theatre workshop you can join from home

  • You get to know great people and perspectives from Germany and Ukraine.

  • No participation fee

WE EXPECTED

  • Being 16 – 27 years old

  • Understanding some English

  • Having a smart device & internet access

  • Living in Ukraine or Germany

  • Interest in Romani culture, stopping discrimination and supporting empowerment.

  • We explicitly welcome applications from Rom*nja and Sinti*zze.

PROGRAMME HEIDELBERG

SASTIPE
– Fri, 22nd Oct

17:00 – Introduction round

17:45 – Programme presentation

18:00 – Dinner

19:00 – Where does our group stand?

20:30 – Evening free time

CROSSROADS OF HISTORY
– Sa, 23rd Oct

8:30 – Breakfast

9:30 – Warm-Up 
& Reflection

10:30 – Visit of the „Dokumentations- & Kulturzentrum Deutscher Sinti und Roma“

12:00 – Lunch break

14:00 – Following the tracks of Mannheim’s Sinti & Roma – Town rallye with Chana Dischereit, VDSR BW

15:30 – Coffee break at the RomnoKher House

16:00 – #BeCreative! Theatre Workshop with Iris Rüsing, VDSR BW

19:00 – Dinner

20:00 – Movie night – VDSR BW short movie

MEMORIES
– So, 24th Oct

8:30 – Breakfast

9:30 – Warm-Up & Reflection

9:45 – Input: Yesterday, today, tomorrow? Remembering the Genocide of Sinti & Roma with Frank Reuter, Uni Heidelberg

11:00 – Break

11:15 – Final reflection & Wrap-Up

12:15 – Outlook for the transnational workshop with Natali Tomenko, ARCA

12:30 – Lunch & Goodbye

GET SOME IMPRESSIONS

OUR PARTNERS

The Ukrainian NGO „Youth agency for the advocacy of Roma culture – ARCA“ has already initiated and supported numerous projects and cooperations at the European level on the topic of „Life of Sinti*zze and Rom*nja“. ARCA has particular expertise in the area of exchange about the history of persecution of Roma and Sinti.

The Association of German Sinti and Roma, Landesverband Baden-Württemberg e.V. comprehensively represents the interests and rights of Sinti and Roma in the state. As an educational institution, place of remembrance, cultural institution and civil rights advice centre, the state association is a dialogue partner for the minority, public institutions and civil society.

teamGLOBAL is a German-wide network of about 50 young volunteers aged between 16 and 27 offering peer-to-peer workshops on topics concerning globalisation and sustainability. The participants of the network develop individual and innovative methods and conduct a great number of workshops at schools and other youth workshops.

OUR FUNDING PARTNERS

In memory of the victims of National Socialist injustice, the Foundation Remembrance Responsibility Future is committed to human rights and international understanding. Today, it is one of the most important German foundations supporting international projects for reconciliation. The MEET UP! Youth for Partnership funding programme is financed with funds from the Federal Foreign Office and the Foundation EVZ.

The German Federal Agency for Civic Education is a federal public authority providing citizenship education and information on political issues for all people in Germany. The work done by the bpb centers on promoting awareness for democracy and participation in politics.