Gold for Roma Integration

We are European Number One

The gold Civil Society Prize awarded by the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels was accepted yesterday by ETP Slovakia – Centre for Sustainable Development.

This year, the EESC awarded two silver prizes – one to the Czech organization IQ Roma servis and the other to Reverend Archimandrite Athinagoras Loukataris from Greece.

The prize also involves a financial reward, 15 000 € going to the winner and 7 500 € going to each of the winners of the second prize.

The winning project Building Hope helps motivated young families from segregated Roma communities to build their own homes legally and from their own savings and microloans.

The Civil Society Prize has been awarded since 2006 to non-governmental associations and personalities who significantly contribute to supporting European identity and integration.

Awarded this year were the initiatives aimed at Roma integration.

81 organizations from all over Europe applied for the prize, only 8 of them reaching the final eight. The international Jury was chaired by EECS President Henri Malosse.

Official report about the three winners for the 2014 Civil Society Prize on EESC website

Photography source: EESC