International Summit Launches Decade of Roma Inclusion

The International Launch of the Decade of Roma Inclusion was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on February 2, 2005. Participants included prime ministers from Central and South Eastern European countries, as well as World Bank Group President James Wolfensohn and Open Society Institute Chairman George Soros.

The Decade of Roma Inclusion, an initiative adopted by nine European governments and supported by the the Open Society Institute, the World Bank, the European Commission, and other partners, represents the first cooperative international effort to change the lives of Roma in Europe. Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, FYR Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovakia are the founding countries of the Decade, which will span 2005–2015.

A framework for Central and Eastern European governments to work toward Roma integration, the Decade will monitor progress in ending the severe discrimination and crippling poverty faced by Romani communities in the region. Each country will set a limited number of measurable national goals for improvements in four priority areas: education, employment, health, and housing. The details of these action plans will be determined by government representatives and Romani leaders.