The initial conference of the Peer2Peer project was successfully carried out on Friday, 9th of July 2021. The Peer2Peer project, which is co-funded by the “Rights, Equality and Citizenship (2014-2020) Programme of the European Union, aims at preventing and combating school drop-out as a symptom of social exclusion, through a Peer to Peer approach relating Roma students, educational and local community as well as to provide the educational community with an inclusive schooling paradigm, based on an existing best practice, through the transfer of competences, skills, tools and methodologies. Based on a Peer to Peer approach, the Project aspires to connect Roma students, educational and local communities enhancing social cohesion, sustainability and resilience of the communities as a whole.
The Secretary General for Social Solidarity and Fight Against Poverty, Mr. Georgios Stamatis, welcomed the project and declared the opening of the conference. The Deputy Minister of Justice Mr. Georgios Kotsiras, the Director of Secondary Education Mr. Efthimios Alexandris and the Organising Coordinator of the 3rd Regional Centre for Educational Planning of Attica Mr. Ignatios Karaminas also addressed and welcomed the commencement of the conference.
Keynote speakers of the conference were Mr. Emmanuel Rantis, President of the Board of Directors of the Commercial Union of Greek Roma, Special Expert of KEMEA on social integration issues and Mr. Dionysios Vythoulkas, Director of the 2nd General High School of Agia Varvara.
In addition, representatives of the General Secretariat for Social Solidarity and Fight against Poverty, teachers, parents and students, representatives of Roma community associations and members of the general population participated in the conference.
The Peer2Peer project is implemented under the coordination of the Center for Security Studies (KE.MEA) in collaboration with Actionaid Hellas, the Association of Grek Roma Mediators and its Associates, the Municipal Public Utility Company of Agia Varvara and the Center for European Constitutional Law – Themistocles and Dimitris Tsatsos Foundation .
The project activities are expected to inspire young Roma students of primary and secondary education by an inclusive school culture to continue their studies. In addition, it is expected to empower and emancipate young Roma students and graduates rewarded for their choice to complete their education by being awarded the role of the Mentor for younger Roma generation. Finally, teachers and professors will be trained in Roma student inclusion practices. As a result, Roma students school drop-out will be reduced, increasing social cohesion and the resilience of local communities.