News

Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs prised AMALIPE Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance with its prestigious Intercultural Achievement Recognition Award for the project for decreasing the drop-out rate of Roma at school “Every Student Could be a Winner”.

In letter signed by Marcus Bergmann, Minister, pl. Head of Department for Scientific Cooperation; Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue is explained that “independent jury composed of seven experts chose “CIDT Amalipe” to be among the three IAA Recognition Award recipients, as your introduction of an intercultural concept to the Bulgarian education system represents an impressive approach of preserving and renewing the cultural identity of the Roma community while at the same time impacting significantly on intercultural dialogue and understanding”

“We hope this award will contribute to facilitate the organisation of your International Children Roma Festival "Open Heart” and will further strengthen your promising initiative in the future”  is written also in the letter.

The project “Every Student Can Be a Winner” aims at preventing dropout of Roma children in compulsory schooling age. Project activities are also intended to solve the problem of the large number of absences, low grades in school, the relatively small percentage of Roma students continuing their education in secondary schools (high schools) and high school graduates, lack of participation of Roma parents in school life and school structures management. The project steps on the rich experience of Amalipe for the introduction of  Roma folklore and culture subject in the school curriculum and the program for reducing dropout of Roma children from school, which was implemented within a 3 – year period in over than 170 schools throughout Bulgaria. The project is supported by Trust for Social Achievement Foundation. More information about the project could be found at: http://www.amalipe.com/index.php?nav=projects&id=79&lang=2