Brussels, 03/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 1 October, the European Commission for the first time awarded prizes for Roma integration to civil society organisations from the Western Balkans and Turkey. Each of the seven prize-winners - one per country - received a prize of €14,000 - funds from the 2013 allocations of the programme for civil society facility under the Pre-accession Instrument. In total, 21 civil society organisations (three per country) were pre-selected from the 71 applications received. “The award's aim is to raise the political importance of integration of Roma as part of the enlargement process, to enhance the role of the civil society and to show the commitment of the European Commission to support Roma people”, said the Commission in a press release. In his speech, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle criticised the racism, discrimination and social exclusion to which Roma very often are subjected. He also criticised the perception that others have towards them.
For Albania, Roma Active Albania (RAA) was awarded a prize for its project increasing the capacity of Roma civil society actors and raising awareness about Roma women's issues. Citizens Association for the Promotion of Education of Roma-Otaharin won the prize for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a project promoting education. For Kosovo, The Ideas Partnership was awarded a prize for a project supporting the former beggar-women of Fushe Kosove to get back to work and their children back to school, and for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Centre for Integration Ambrela was a awarded a prize for a project supporting early childhood development. For Serbia, the mother-child educational project Hands of Friendship was awarded a prize, and for Montenegro the Center for Roma Initiatives' action against forced and early marriage in Roma and Egyptian communities won the award. Lastly, for Turkey, the prize was awarded to Sulukule Roma Culture Development and Solidarity Association for its art atelier project for children. (CG)