Publications Roma Heroes 2019 - 2021
Italy
Hungary
Romania
Spain
(Roma) Heroes in Theater Education and Everyday Life
LEADING ORGANIZATION
Independent Theater Hungary
COLLABORATING PARTNERS
- Rampa Presentina (Italy)
- The Roma Actors Association – Giuvlipen (Romania)
- A. C. para La I+D Independiente Del Teatro Profesional En Andalucía (Spain)
(Roma) Heroes in Theater Education and Everyday Life (2018-3-HU01-KA205-059854)
Coordinated by Independent Theater Hungary
(Women for the Future Association)
The project “(Roma) Heroes in Theater Education and Everyday Life” stems from European cooperation under the Erasmus+ educational program, involving organizations from different countries—Hungary, Romania, Spain, and Italy—that focus on educational and social interventions based on artistic expression, addressing inclusive themes related to Romani culture and artistic production.
The common denominator among these organizations is the support of Romani youth inclusion and integration through artistic and socio-educational projects. They promote the exploration of various forms of artistic expression (theater, music, circus, dance, visual arts, craftsmanship), which serve as the foundation for their different inclusive pedagogy methods. The shared goal is to help young people increase their self-awareness and recognize their own talents, potential, and ability to become active citizens capable of shaping their own futures, positively influencing their communities, and contributing to the society around them.
The meeting of the participating organizations was initiated by the leading organization, Independent Theater Hungary, during the “Roma Heroes Festival,” which they organize annually in Budapest. The international meetings in Rome, Bucharest, and Budapest, held as part of this project, have provided valuable opportunities for learning, exchange, and collaboration among the various organizations, fostering creativity, mutual support, and laying the groundwork for future collaborative projects on shared themes.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
We-four Romani theater companies working in the fields of art and education in Budapest, Rome, Bucharest, and Seville—bring theater and thematic workshops to the streets and open spaces of our cities. We will work on innovative methods such as outdoor theater, street performances, and themed city walks with storytelling. We will also publish a document on the principles and practical methodological proposals that we will use in our artistic and educational work, serving as an inspiration for other initiatives in these fields.
We will collect stories highlighting the role of Romani communities in the past and present of our cities, the importance of inclusive, diverse, and democratic societies, and the dangers of segregation and authoritarian regimes. Based on these stories, we will create theatrical performances that will be presented in public spaces, often directly related to the stories themselves. We will involve 4 young Romani and non-Romani artists from each country in the design and execution of the performances, offering them both national offline and international online training. The performances will act as multiplier events, reaching out to young people, as well as education and culture experts. The performances will be recorded on video to make them accessible to a broader European audience, future generations, and informal educational methods.
Additionally, we will engage 4 young Romani and non-Romani peer trainers in each country, who will also receive national and international training and contribute to the creation of the methodology. They will later help organize outdoor workshops, where performance videos and other digital tools will be included in the interactive sessions.
At the end of the project, we will publish the following:
- Principles – For the Development of a Collective Methodology
- Roma Heroes – Action and Transformation
These publications will serve as a basic manual and guide for the continuity and future development of the project, providing a working tool for the current actors involved. They will be available as open-source materials for organizations and trainers in the artistic and socio-educational fields who wish to include the Roma Heroes workshop in their activities.
THE PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY THE ERASMUS+ PROGRAM OF THE EUROPEAN UNION.