Italy · Roma · NGO / Association
Roma Onlus
Romà Onlus is an Italian non-profit founded in 2008 by Roma and Sinti community leaders together with educators, mediators, and cultural professionals — making it an organisation rooted within the communities it serves. Based in Rome and operating at local, national, and European level, it works to promote the social inclusion, education, and cultural empowerment of Roma, Sinti, and other groups at risk of exclusion through participatory youth work, intercultural mediation, mentoring, and pathways to employment and higher education. Romà Onlus actively counters antigypsyism, hate speech, and institutional discrimination while also preserving and celebrating Romani language, history, and cultural heritage. Project partners gain access to over 15 years of experience in European project management (CERV, Erasmus+, EACEA), non-formal education, intercultural dialogue, and community-based youth work — delivered by a team with direct lived experience of the issues at hand.
Who they work with
Fields of expertise
In their own words
About the organisation
Romà Onlus is an Italian non-profit (APS) founded in 2008 by Roma and Sinti community leaders together with educators, cultural mediators, and audiovisual professionals. Based near Rome and active at local, national, and European level, it promotes the social inclusion, education, and cultural empowerment of Roma, Sinti, and other groups at risk of exclusion through participatory youth work, intercultural mediation, mentoring, and pathways to employment and higher education. A founding member of TernYpe International Roma Youth Network and Phiren Amenca, Romà Onlus brings over 15 years of experience in European project management (Erasmus+, CERV, EACEA) and a unique perspective as an organisation rooted within the communities it serves.
Activities and experience
Romà Onlus works across five interconnected areas. In non-formal education and youth work, it delivers school workshops, intercultural and anti-racism laboratories, mentoring to prevent dropout, and support for access to higher education. In anti-discrimination and advocacy, it runs awareness campaigns, civic education, and monitoring actions targeting antigypsyism, hate speech, and institutional discrimination, including contributions to CEDAW shadow reporting and Council of Europe training programmes. In remembrance education, it has coordinated and participated in EU-funded projects on Roma genocide memory (Samudaripen), growing annual commemorations from 70 to over 1,000 participants. In cultural heritage and arts, it promotes Romani language, gastronomy, music, theatre, and audiovisual storytelling as tools of emancipation and community self-representation. In employment and entrepreneurship, it has developed vocational training, job-orientation services, and a Roma-led social enterprise (Romano Hape). The organisation works through participatory methods, involving young Roma, Sinti, and migrants as active co-designers of all activities.
Projects they have run (18)
Erasmus+ Youth4
- RiR – Rooted in Remembrance2026–2027PartnerYouth workers mobilities
7-country training project transferring Dikh He Na Bister remembrance-education methodologies into community-based youth work, involving 37 youth workers from Belgium, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Spain, Poland and Germany.
- Porrajmos – Dik I Na Bistar2016–2017PartnerYouth mobilities
Seminars for Roma and non-Roma youth on Roma genocide and antigypsyism in Italy, Germany and Romania; youth delegation to Holocaust Memorial Day at Auschwitz.
- Roma Genocide – European Youth Remember2010–2014Coordinator
nnual remembrance and educational initiative growing from 70 to ~1,000 participants across four editions (2 August, International Roma Holocaust Memorial Day).
- Youth in Action programme2009–2014Coordinator
Multiple projects creating mixed Roma/non-Roma youth groups through training courses, international exchanges, and democratic participation.
CERV1
- MHE-Roma – Memoria Storica Europea Romanì2023–2025Partner
Promoting awareness of the forgotten Roma genocide (Samudaripen) through remembrance education and a multilingual theatre production.
Other programme13
- Life Long Learning – Grundtvig Partnerships2012–2014Coordinator
Two strategic partnerships for training adult-education operators working with vulnerable communities.
- Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative - EU EACEA / European Commisssion2013–2015Coordinator
EU-funded project delivering seminars and public events across Europe to strengthen historical awareness of the Roma genocide among young people.
- Training on Antigypsyism and Online Hate Speech - Council of Europe2017–2018Coordinator
Council of Europe – Roma Youth Action Plan · Implementing partner · Outreach, candidate mobilisation, and organisation of a Council of Europe training for young Roma and non-Roma on antigypsyism and hate speech.
- Dosta Campaign2010–2011Coordinator
Council of Europe / UNAR · National awareness events against prejudice and stereotypes toward Roma and Sinti.
- ROMED2013–2014Coordinator
Training-of-trainers pathway leading to Council of Europe-recognised trainer status in cultural mediation for Roma communities.
- Roma Empowerment and Democratic Participation2013–2014Partner
ERGO Network · EU-supported actions to strengthen Roma youth leadership and civic participation.
- Inclusive Volleyball – Sports, Health and Community2025–2026Coordinator
Regione Lazio – "Giovani Idee" · Lead organisation (with ASD Tor Lupara Volley) · Inclusive volleyball programme for 50 girls (10–30 years) in Fonte Nuova, combining sport, soft-skills labs, peer mentoring, intercultural workshops, and digital storytelling to promote social inclusion and girls' empowerment.
- Romano Hape2016–2026Coordinator
with Ministry of Labour · Youth entrepreneurship pathway resulting in Romano Hape srls, a social enterprise led by 7 Roma and migrant young people offering ethnic street food and catering.
- Scholarship for Young Roma2014–2026Coordinator
Fondazione Migrantes. Scholarship and mentoring support for Roma students toward secondary-school completion and university graduation.
- Dik Asun Taj Na Bistar – Youth in Action for April 8th2026–2027Coordinator
outh labs in schools, a 10-episode web series in Romanès and Italian, a social media campaign against antigypsyism, a remembrance exhibition, and a theatre performance for International Roma Day — all co-designed and delivered with Roma and non-Roma youth in Rome's VII Municipio.
- Cultural Mediation with fondazione Migrantes2020–2026Coordinator
School-based anti-racism and intercultural laboratories in Rome's municipal schools.
- Progetto Salute2020–2021Coordinator
INMP / UNAR · Promoting equitable healthcare access for Roma, Sinti, and Caminanti in the Rome metropolitan area.
- Svelta…@…Mente2018–2020Coordinator
Municipio VII Roma Capitale · Holocaust remembrance initiative for LGBT and RSC communities; permanent installation designed in collaboration with visual artist Valeria Catania.
Project experience
- Programmes applied to
- CERVErasmus+EYFESFESF+Creative EuropeNational grantsPrivate foundation grantsOpen Society Foundation
- Erasmus+
- Youth mobilitiesYouth workers mobilitiesYouth participation projectsCooperation partnershipsSmall-scale partnershipsErasmus+ Sport projects
- European Solidarity Corps
- Solidarity projects