On Friday, October 24 in Bratislava, 85 Roma university students were invited to attend REF’s Roma Memorial University Scholarship Program (RMUSP) gala ceremony in recognition of their continuing academic success.
On Friday, October 24 in Bratislava, 85 Roma university students were invited to attend REF’s Roma Memorial University Scholarship Program (RMUSP) gala ceremony in recognition of their continuing academic success. By accepting their scholarships, these students in higher education join this year’s group of nearly 1,070 RMUSP recipients from Albania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo*, FYR Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, all of whom are the legacy of REF’s ten-year effort to build a generation of young Roma active in all spheres of academic and professional life.
At this second event of REF’s 2014 gala series, Swiss Ambassador to Slovakia and REF’s distinguished board member, Alexander Wittwer, opened the event, remarking, “For us in Switzerland … education is one of the cornerstones of our society and a good education is the basis for being able to make choices for the future. This is one of the reasons why Switzerland supports REF.”
Ambassador Wittwer concluded his remarks on students’ participation in RMUSP: “You commit yourself to a noble cause and you are part of a new generation. By being successful, you show leadership and serve as an example to others of how to shape the future.”
Norman Thatcher Scharpf, Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy to Slovakia, then briefed the audience about two internship programs that are available to Roma students: on International Day of Roma (April 8), two young Roma can spend the day with Ambassador. Additionally, the embassy has a two-month internship for Roma students every year, reflecting the United States’ commitment to fight discrimination against minorities in Slovakia.
Stela Garaz, REF Program and Studies Officer, also presented this year’s developments and policies within the Scholarship Program. She also reminded the finalists, “Standing behind you are thousands of less privileged children who still do not have opportunities to access quality inclusive education. You play a key role in active citizenship and must ensure that the door to social mobility remains open.”
During a short break for refreshments that signaled the closure of the public event, the diplomatic corps and students exchanged their experiences and aspirations.
This year’s RMUSP beneficiaries then adjourned for a closed afternoon session that highlighted the experiences of RMUSP student speakers like Robert Hamburgbadzo, a young Roma student and journalist at the ROMA media center HIRI, and Marek Berky, who is currently studying Applied Economics. Joining them in a wide-ranging discussion on the rights of Roma women as well as larger questions of Roma identity (Romanipen) were: the activist Andrea Buckova; teacher, study hall instructor and REF grantee Istvan Vavrek; and Stanislav Daniel, former REF colleague and NGO professional.
Stanislav Daniel said, “Young students should not be satisfied just with their diploma and go back to their villages to be a social worker. The young Roma students should believe themselves and go further. Study, grow and inspire, because they are the future leaders of the Roma community, which should be united in Slovakia and all around.”
Milo Suchomel, one of Slovakia’s best Roma jazz saxophonists, and the pianist Gabriel Jonas provided musical interludes during the occasion.
The Roma Education Fund would like to extend its thanks to all the students, participants and distinguished guests who made this event at the Dunaj Cultural House such a rewarding experience for all.
Journalists from SME, Uj Szo, Siti, Slovak Roma TV HIRI and RTVS also covered the event, the TV coverage of which can be viewed here at the 25th minute.
The gala series will pause before resuming for simultaneous events in Budapest, Tirana and Skopje on Nov 7, with Iasi, Sofia and Belgrade following later in November.
To access photographs of the event, click here.
Background
The Roma Education Fund operates a proven pattern of interventions that begin with educational services for early childhood development in disadvantaged communities and continues with tutoring, mentoring, afterschool support and stipends to help Roma pupils complete primary and secondary school. REF additionally provides tertiary scholarship support to Roma students through scholarship programs for the last 9 years.
The REF scholarship program recognizes over 1,500 students each year to talented Romani students pursuing degrees in tertiary education. Including this year’s cycle, REF has successfully sponsored over 15,000 beneficiaries with its scholarship programs and continues to promote access of quality education to Roma through its related programs, slowly creating a pool of Roma graduates in all professional spheres.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
