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Training in advocacy and effective advocacy campaigns before municipal institutions took place on September 6 and 7 in Stara Zagora. Roma women from the so-called “Mothers centers” all over Bulgaria took part in the training. It was organized by Integro Association within the project “Mother centers – effective way for empowering Romani women” supported by Roma Participation Program of OSI – Budapest

The lecturer Deyan Kolev presented the main stages of every advocacy campaign – strategic planning, coalition building, media campaign and negotiations. He paid significant time and attention for presenting also the practical techniques that have proved themselves as efficient and effective. D. Kolev provided many concrete examples from successful and unsuccessful advocacy campaigns initiated by Roma NGOs insisting that being active is a certain precondition for achieving positive change. “We have to stop complaining and start advocating for our interests and rights. We should believe in our opportunities to change the policy through well-organized campaigns and should try to do it: otherwise nothing good will happen in the field of Roma integration.” – underlined D. Kolev.

In the end of the training the participants developed ideas for own advocacy campaigns that would be implemented until the end of 2008. “I am inspired. I learn many things and I want to change generally the activity of our Mother center. We will show to the broad public our work and will require the municipal administration to begin working effectively for all children and mothers without skipping Roma neighborhoods.” – shared one of the participants after the training.