The integration and promotion of Roma communities is one of the greatest challenges in the Danube countries of south-eastern Europe and a central task of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. Around 80% of the 12 million European Roma live in Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia, especially in the poorer and more remote areas – in some cases still under inhumane conditions and more or less openly discriminated against. The regions on the Upper Danube, such as Baden-Württemberg, are also affected by poverty migration. In principle, it is also about combating the causes of this migration in the long term by improving the living conditions of the Roma in their countries of origin.

In 2015, the European Danube Academy launched a multi-part Roma inclusion program entitled “DUNA ROMANI LUMA (The World of the Roma on the Danube)”: a long-term intercultural and intergenerational education project that integrates several areas of action and has been successfully implemented to date. At its core, it is about lifelong skills development and the associated forms of dialog between Roma and non-Roma. The project is financed by the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry; other partners include the Council of Danube Cities and Regions, the Baden-Württemberg Foundation and the City of Ulm. The aim is to establish a sustainable project platform to promote training and employment for Roma communities.

As part of this project, a student exchange program between the Gandhi-Gymnasium in Pécs/Hungary and the Anna-Essinger-Gymnasium in Ulm has been taking place since 2017 (a continuation of the program had to be put on hold for the time being in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic). In 2019, an exchange program between the renowned Rajkó Music School in Budapest and the Ulm Music School took place for the first time.

With a focus on cultural dialog between Roma and non-Roma to break down prejudices, a Sinti and Roma culture week called ROMNO POWER FESTVAL took place in Ulm from September 13 to 21, 2019. It was organized by the European Danube Academy in cooperation with the Baden-Württemberg State Association of Sinti and Roma and was held under the patronage of Minister President Winfried Kretschmann. With concerts, readings, films, discussions, many encounters and numerous participants, the diversity of the culture and living environment of the Sinti and Roma was conveyed – as a conscious contribution against racism, hatred and right-wing populism in our society. Consequently, an advice center of the Baden-Württemberg Sinti and Roma Association was set up on the premises of the EDA in September 2020.

Detailed information with many photos about DunaRomaniLuma and our project partners can be found on our
project website

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