FERYP: 20 years investing in Roma youth
It is time to take a break in our journey, pause for a minute and look at the road behind us.
In its two decades of existence, FERYP has succeeded in becoming a reference for Roma organizations by defending Roma rights and advocating for more inclusive European societies. But our success is based in the compromise of the European Roma youth as a key of change.
FERYP started as an informal group in 1997, participating in activities organized by the Council of Europe and then, the founding members registered the organization as an international association in 2003, in Strasbourg, France.
Once FERYP was established, we became in the first Roma youth organization at European level, working closely together with prominent Roma youngsters eager to participate and to raise their voices in European societies. Through the years, FERYP has continued to make sure that Roma youth makes a real difference to the lives of Roma communities across Europe.
Now, after 20 years of activities, we can proudly take a look at the past and to see how many current Roma leaders and activists, such as Livia Jaroka, Denis Durmis, Orhan Usein, Pedro Casermeiro, Marina Vasic, Shejla Fidani, Ostalinda Maya... among many many others, participated in our activities, and now are holding relevant positions in their countries, or at European level, working in institutions and international organizations.
We believe that an organization that is proud of its past, can better build the present. Yes, I said "present". Many times, young Roma have heard that "Roma youth is the future", a burden that we have carried during many years. Today, Roma youth represents the greatest asset of Roma communities around the world.
In these moments of celebrations, I cannot forget those "crazy" Roma activists that in the nineties were taking a step forward and wonder: Why not?
Why not to have a youth movement within the Roma movement? Why not to advocate in front of European institutions to target Roma youth specifically? Why not to create specific policies and programs to promote Roma youth participation in European civil society?
It is in these moments when I have to remember the courage of Alexandra Raykova, Demetrio Gomez, Dominique Steinberger, Ramiza Sakip and some others. The courage to voice the aspirations of many young European Roma in a moment that Roma youth was not a relevant actor in the Roma movements.
Currently, thanks to those "crazy" activists, we have a say in European institutions such as the Council of Europe or the European Commission, where we can advocate for our rights from a youth perspective.
These are only the first twenty years. We, the people that today form FERYP, have a more difficult task, if possible. In this so changing European society, the racism, anti-gypsyism and populism, are bulldozing the pillars of democracy, and it is our responsibility to still struggling for our rights, still working as our predecessors did it, and as our successors will do it.
Two decades is a long time. I'm honoured and humbled of having met so many young Roma leaders and capable activists eager to better the society, and I can assure that in the decades ahead, FERYP will deliver more and better work in the areas Roma youth need most.
We believe in making a better society. We believe in still training more young Roma and giving them the opportunity that FERYP gave to us.
We believe that all of this can be done with real generosity of spirit and action.
Thank you all for the twenty remarkable years of warmth, friendship, and support. We absolutely couldn't have done it without y'all, nor can we take the next steps without your help.
And now yes, we can resuming our journey again because some others will come, with new ideas and approaches, with different scenarios, but there is something that I would like to ask to the next generations: keep moving, guys; keep alive the FERYP spirit.
Happy anniversary.
Juan Ramon Flores President of FERYP