Directorate of Communication - Summit of Mayors launches kick-off group for European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma inclusion

Strasbourg, 22.09.2011. – In a final declaration adopted by the 1^st European Summit of Mayors on Roma in Strasbourg, participants from 47 Council of Europe member countries confirmed their determination to take sustained further action to improve the inclusion of the Roma population. “To this end, we support the proposal to establish a European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma inclusion”, concluded the Summit which was organised by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe in co-operation with different partners.

A kick-off group including six European cities and regions (Aubervilliers/France, Kavarna/Bulgaria, Malaga/Spain, Region of Madrid/Spain, Heraklion/Greece and the 5^th district of Bucharest/Romania) was created to build on this Summit and to prepare the establishment of this new European network at grassroots level.

The Summit of Mayors which brought together 300 local and regional politicians, representatives of Roma organisations, territorial administrations and civil society as well as European institutional partners referred to the persistent exclusion and discrimination of Roma in local and regional communities across Europe. This was made evident by continued marginalisation and lack of access to education, housing, healthcare and employment. “This is also fuelled by prejudice, mistrust and even hate speech. We are deeply concerned about this situation which is worsening and needs to be urgently addressed”, the participants in the Summit declared.

In view of the future European Alliance of Cities and Regions for Roma inclusion, the Summit called on municipalities and regions to work on ways of implementing the relevant recommendations by the Council of Europe and, with regard to territorial policies, particularly those of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.

“We reiterate our firm belief that the future of European democratic society requires the inclusion and participation of all Europeans, including Roma, in democracy-building and the full life of their communities with all the rights and responsibilities this entails”, the Summit concluded.

More information (including final declaration)

Communication Unit of the Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities
Tel: +33 (0)3 90 21 49 36
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 27 51
congress.com@coe.int
www.coe.int/congress

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