Major Challenges | Major change through Eastern block opening and EU accession, with new effects for the many national, linguistic and religious minorities. |
Main Interpretations | Governmental and legal promotion of cultural diversity and ICD, but without qualifying the terms. Strengthening the national minority protection system through improved legislation. Developing active European citizenship. Promoting ICD between generations. |
No general authority, no governmental promotion measures for cultural diversity, ICD and social cohesion and still no institutionalised consultative mechanism related to these issues or inter-ethnic relations at governmental level. With special importance for national minority issues:
Department for Inter-Ethnic relations (DIR) within the Ministry of Public Information
(http://www.dri.gov.ro/)
Governmental body coordinating at national level for the national minorities' policies, i.e. strategies for preserving, development and expression of the identities of individuals belonging to national minorities. Funding for inter-ethnic projects. Six regional offices, communicating and collaborating with local governments, county councils, local NGOs.
Policies: National Development Plan; present Government programme states preservation and free development of ethnic identity for all citizens belonging to a national minority.
EYID-coordination body:
Consultancy Centre for European Cultural Programmes (CCPCE) (http://www.eurocult.ro/en/index.html)
National implementation strategy http://ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/dialogue/strategies_en.html
The Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs
(http://www.cultura.ro/)
Promotes inter-religious dialogue and supports activities aimed at inter-confessional dialogue. Specialised division for national minorities, supporting book and cultural magazine publishing in minority languages.
Policies: National Development Plan states that the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs is to establish specific programmes to support the cultural and linguistic identities and the diversity of expression, cultural activities and artistic practices of minorities groups.
CCPCE (see above)
Responsible for the promotion of EU-Programmes dedicated to the cultural and media sectors.
Sibiu 2007 - "European Capital of Culture"
This title is seen as an encouragement for development and innovation through cultural action, enhancing feelings of pride and self-confidence among the population, improving social cohesion and promoting the city's European dimension - hence offering an opportunity for ICD.
Ministry of Education, Research and Youth
(http://www.edu.ro/)
Specialised division for national minorities, but no governmental position concerning the role of education for the promotion of ICD and the preparation of the individual for living in a multicultural/multi-ethnic society.
National Education Institute
Published the Catalogue of Counselling Services: schools are given the opportunity to organise an advisory service or a thematic conference, where a counsellor of the Institute presents the possibilities for encouraging interculturalism in school.
Ministry of Education, Research and Youth
(http://www.edu.ro/)
The National Authority for Youth
(http://www.e-tineret.ro/)
EX: Intercultural Forum on ‘Promoting Intercultural Dialogue between Generations', organised by the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs, in Bucharest, 2006. The working sessions of the Forum were devoted to youth issues.
In recent years, more events and projects with European funding assistance targeting the young generation have been implemented, all promoting tolerance and ICD.
National Agency for Sport
(http://www.gov-sport.ro/)
Agency subordinated directly to the Prime Minister. No ICD-related policies and tasks.
Council of National Minorities
Non governmental body, representing the organisations of the minorities living in Romania.
Ministry of Interior and Administration Reform
(http://www.mai.gov.ro/)
Actively involved in the process of legalising the civil status and identity documents for Romanian citizens of Roma ethnicity.
Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Family
Responsible for monitoring the implementation of the key priorities identified in the Joint Inclusion Memorandum. The implementation of this document is supposed to create the premises to ensure social inclusion for all disadvantaged groups.
Intercultural Institute of Timisoara (I.I.T.)
(http://www.intercultural.ro/)
Non-governmental institution pursuing the development of the intercultural dimension in the fields of education and culture and is actively involved in many of projects of the Council of Europe. Among its multiple activities there also figures cross-border cooperation, research, minorities' and antidiscrimination issues and, as a priority, Roma community affairs (using multiple approaches in order to establish equal chances). I.I.T. will be linked to the EYID-National Coordination Body by a special partnership contract.
National Council for Combating Discrimination
(http://www.cncd.org.ro/)
Set up in 2002, the institution addresses all forms of discrimination therefore there is a very close cooperation with the Department for Interethnic Relations.
National Agency for the Roma (created in 2004)
(http://www.anr.gov.ro/)
PLUS: Many national minority leaders act like promoters and models for ICD and co-operation between communities. Well known public persons became anti-stereotype promoters and models for the new Romanian society (Marko Bela, Hungarian; Varujan Vosganian, Armenian; Klaus Johannis, German).
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(http://www.mae.ro/)
Has developed an (external) migration strategy; Romania plans to contribute to the EU's capacity of providing credible answers to fundamental problems, such as drawing workforce from outside the Community, accompanied by social and economic integration policies, fighting illegal migration by avoiding the creation of an "EU fortress".
PLUS: Since June 2007, Romania holds the Presidency of the Human Rights Council within the UN and has hosted OSCE's Ministerial Conference on combating discrimination and promoting mutual respect and understanding (7-8 June 2007).
