Exhibitions, awareness activities staged on Roma Day

TIRANA, April 8 – Several art events and awareness activities were staged this week in Tirana to commemorate the International Roma Day.
The EU Info Centre in Tirana is featuring “Don’t look down on me,” an exhibition by photographer Artan Korenica which comprises some 30 photographs of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities from Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro.
“Don’t look down on me” is a project that Artan Korenica started in early 2011. After 12 months of photographing Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities from Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro, he was able to put together a beautiful exhibition consisting of both artistic and documentary pictures. Each portrays a human story and together they cover both genders and all age groups within these diverse communities.
The exhibition will remain at the EUIC until 14 April 2014 from Monday to Friday.
To celebrate International Roma Day and as part of the Roma week series of activities, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, through its Public Affairs Section and a Democracy Commission-funded project of the Institute of Romani Culture in Albania (IRCA) helped organize and support the Flash-Mob “I am Roma – I am an Albanian Citizen”, with the participation of 100 young Roma and non-Roma people in Tirana’s main square. The event was a plea for inclusion and tolerance, and a celebration of cultural diversity. The flash mob was followed by an open session at the Albanian parliament, where Roma youth presented their recommendations for the improvement of the employment, housing, and education of the Roma community. The celebrations concluded with the inauguration of the exhibition “My Place” by a young Roma visual artist, followed by a concert of young Roma musicians. These events featured the Ministers of Culture and Youth and Social Welfare, both of whom spoke at the events about the need for more inclusion. When speaking at the event, Charg顤’Affaires Henry Jardine noted “As we commemorate International Roma Day, let’s reaffirm our commitments to continue advancing tolerance, pluralism, and diversity, and the rights of the Roma minority communities.”