Since July this year until October, volunteer teachers from 12 counties in Romania organized, with the help of children, events that encouraged the inclusion of Roma students in schools everywhere. "Let's say Mișto Avilean (welcome) to Roma children in schools" was the theme of all these events in schools. These consisted of exhibitions, shows, online meetings, which attracted a total of over 1,300 participants - parents, teachers, community representatives.
The initiative of the 17 events belonged to the Terre des hommes Romania Foundation, which in June proposed to teachers a contest of ideas, within the European project Mişto Avilean. Thus, 20 winners were to organize, with financial support for logistics, events to promote continuous and non-discriminatory education for all students, especially for the Roma ethnic group, in the spirit of the European project. Of these, 17 events came to life, under the guidance of the organizing teachers and in compliance with the pandemic prevention restrictions.
Children of all ethnic groups were the subject and the main characters in these various shows, created in order to prove that the school is a welcoming place, even a "cool" one. At the same time, each participating school tried to send a message (photo, video) of friendship to the schools in France and Spain: the children supported the Roma students, and the teachers encouraged their colleagues to welcome them with open arms.
Organizing teachers and their schools:
Daniela Tutos, Școala Creștină Privată din Cartierul Romilor ,Tinca (Bihor)
Corina Samoilă, Școala Gimnazială Homocea (Vrancea)
Mariana Șipoș, Școala Gimnazială Socond, Structura Stâna (Satu Mare)
Simona Valentina Cerda, Școala Gimnazială Nr.1 Polovragi (Gorj)
Gabriela Atănăsoae, Școala Gimnazială "Alexandru Ceușianu" (Reghin)
Ene Crenguța, Liceul Tehnologic ,,Constantin Filipescu'', Caracal (Olt)
Eniko Pop, Liceul Tehnologic "Petri Mor" Nuşfalău (Sălaj)
Livia Tuță, Şcoala Gimnazială Cerăt (Dolj)
Maria Crișan, Liceul Tehnologic, Jidvei (Alba)
Buda Lavinia, Școala Gimnazială Bonțida (Cluj)
Cercelaru Margareta, Școala Gimnazială “Nicolae Romanescu”, Craiova (Dolj)
Anca Irina Neda, Școala Profesională Valea Stanciului (Dolj)
Loredana Matei, Școala Gimnazială Avram Iancu Halmășd (Sălaj)
Gratiela Vișan, Școala Gimnazială “Mihai Viteazul” Boldești-Scăeni (Prahova)
Gavrilescu Ana, Tâmboiești (Vrancea)
Gherman Elena, Liceul Tehnologic "Vasile Sav" din Roman, structura Carol I (Neamț)
Molnar Kinga, Școala Gimnazială Porumbești (Satu Mare)
The Terre des hommes Foundation would like to thank all those who, in recent months, have voluntarily contributed to the organization of these events in schools, especially the volunteer coordinating teachers, who have shown great involvement. The whole effort was aimed at encouraging Roma children to feel welcome in schools everywhere and to attend classes even if they migrate or return to the country after a while. The Mişto Avilean project is funded by the European Commission through the "Rights, Equality and Citizenship (2014-2020)" Program.