PAKIV

PAKIV’s mission was to strengthen Roma civil society, to ensure the realisation of the democratic, social and economic rights of the Roma, and to promote awareness and understanding of intercultural diversity in Europe.

In 1993, following an initiative we launched jointly with the Freudenberg Stiftung and Romani CRISS, the PAKIV European Roma Fund programme was established with the support of the World Bank. Its aim was to set up local foundations in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe which, in a similar way to ours, would serve the cause of local Roma civil society.

Between 2001 and 2003, young Roma from Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia took part in the programme, undergoing intensive training in leadership and community development, followed by six months at a folk high school in Denmark where they studied non-profit management, project planning, communication, organisational development and community organising methods. Following this, the group spent months in the four post-socialist countries, familiarising themselves with Roma integration initiatives, in preparation for taking on a role in Roma integration programmes themselves.

As a result of the programme, a new generation of Roma civil society activists with their own ideas has emerged. The programme has also contributed to increasing the visibility and advocacy capacity of Roma communities.