Amaro Foro e.V.

Amaro Foro is a transcultural youth self-organization of Roma and non-Roma, which is active in the field of youth work, adult education, social inclusion and arts and culture, including non-formal education, empowerment of young women, capacity building of young adults and youth leaders, and the promotion of volunteering, voluntary service and active citizenship. We believe in the mutual efforts to create trust and mutual respect between Roma and non-Roma youth.

Recognizing that stigmatization and marginalization constitute the root causes of social exclusion, Amaro Foro creates dialogue on all levels, and raises the awareness of society, media, schools and authorities about stereotypes, antigypsyism and discrimination. Moreover, Amaro Foro works for the social inclusion of migrants, especially Roma, from new EU Member States in Berlin through advisory focal point, as well as empowerment, enabling the people to address their own needs and interests towards local authorities to enjoy the full citizens’ rights and responsibilities. Amaro Foro e.V. is member of the youth organization “Jugendbund djo Deutscher Regenbogen LV Berlin”, of the national umbrella organization Amaro Drom e.V., as well as partner of ternYpe – International Roma Youth Network, and Phiren Amenca, the network of Roma and non-Roma volunteers and voluntary service organizations.

Since its creation, Amaro Foro has carried out international seminars for young Roma activists and young activists from other backgrounds. The aim of these seminars have been to contribute to the empowerment of Roma and non-Roma youngsters through capacity building, networking, offering them the possibility to learn other EU societies, where they could improve their knowledge on EU countries and their intercultural skills. Regularly once a year we are organizing a

international youth meeting were participants ( Roma and non-Roma) from different EU and non EU countries work together, developing European campaigns, doing music, theater and workshops on interculturality.

Since 2011, we have organized one seminar previously to the Festival Herdelezi which is the largest street festival on Roma culture in Germany and one of the largest ones in middle Europe. The outcomes from the seminar (theater, poetry and music performances) were

presented every time at the street festival.

Amaro Foro has as youth group through which it is attempted to contribute to their better inclusion in education systems and to their empowerment. In the youth group we offer a space for the youngsters where they can meet and exchange about their experiences. We organize e.g. workshops on Roma History, Roma identity, Antigypsyism, Roma resistance during the Nazi regime, educational opportunities for young people to political and social inclusion and leisure activities. The youngsters have the opportunity to be active in other countries in cooperation with our international partners.

Amaro Foro carries out campaigns against racism and anti-gypsyism and plays a key role in several anti-racist platforms at local, regional and national level. Since 2012 Amaro Foro has carried out a campaign attempting to foster awareness of anti-gypsyism in the society and in institutions in Berlin. Amaro Foro e.V. has a wide experience organizing trainings, seminars and conferences at national and international level, from developing the concept to coordination and implementation (contents, logistic and administration).

Amaro Foro works with different organizations world wide with a wide range of cultures, languages and so on and we are equipped with tools and sensitivity to work in such an international multi cultural project. The organization is composed by an international team of volunteers, trainers and office crew. We are working in an office in Berlin which enables us a good work flow within the team, work materials, and contact (internet, phone etc.) with our partners worldwide.

Amaro Foro works with and trains trainers with experience in multi cultural environment and conflict resolution. In the field of advocacy, the Amaro Foro´s main achievement is to have built up a structured relationship with the Berlin´s government (Senat). On a regular basis we provide the Senat with information on

developments around Roma communities in Berlin and formulate recommendations how to formulate improved policy measures targeting Roma. Furthermore, we keep as well regular contact with the local European Affairs office of the district of Neukölln and other institutions from the Berlin government responsible for fields of relevance for Roma communities.

Furthermore, Amaro Foro is running the largest social contact point for Roma in Germany which is funded by the Berlin´s government. It provides with advice on employment, education, health, housing and social security issues and support Roma in their affairs with the administration. A further activity we carry out is the Community Building project through which we support individual and organizations who are working in Roma issues. In the framework of this project we create two

different working groups: one youth meeting which is taking place every week, were the Roma youngster come together and sharing different ideas and suggestion what they want to do; one group of Roma women and Roma young women where they meet twice in a month and discuss different problem regarding health and education.

Since 2021 we started to work on increasing the capacity of adults and young people in using digital tools to access services and activities and we also implemented the project Digitalize funded by Erasmus plus.In this project we developed aset of online tools which to help iliterate people access services.