The final conference of the European Union and Council of Europe's joint program "ROMACTED II: Promoting Good Governance and Roma Empowerment at Local Level" concluded in Istanbul on Dec. 12.

The event brought together over 200 participants, including high-level representatives from the Council of Europe, the European Commission, local mayors and officials, Romani community leaders, civil society organizations and program facilitators from the Western Balkans and Türkiye. The gathering served as a platform to reflect on the program’s achievements, share insights and discuss strategies for sustaining its positive impact in the future.

The conference began with welcoming remarks from Hallvard Gorseth, head of the Anti-discrimination Department at the Council of Europe, who emphasized the significance of anti-discrimination efforts in the region. Laurent Guirkinger, first counselor of the European Union Delegation to Türkiye, highlighted the EU’s ongoing commitment to supporting initiatives that foster inclusion and empowerment. Tomislav Zigmanov, minister for human and minority rights and social dialogue of Serbia, praised the regional cooperation fostered by the ROMACTED Program, while Resul Emrah Şahan, mayor of Şişli Municipality, underlined the importance of local-level engagement in improving the lives of the Romani community.

Enrica Chiozza, head of the Sector for Civil Society, Social Inclusion and Human Capital Development at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), spoke about the EU’s efforts to support Romani communities in Türkiye and the Western Balkans. Claus Neukirch, director of program coordination at the Council of Europe, provided a comprehensive overview of ROMACTED II’s key accomplishments and its role in advancing human rights and inclusion across the region.

In an interview with Daily Sabah, Neukirch shared his thoughts on the closing conference, describing it as an "excellent event" and acknowledging the positive atmosphere created by the participants. He emphasized that the key to the success of the program was not only the work done with Romani communities but also their active participation in the process. "The Roma themselves identified the needs and priorities of their neighborhoods," Neukirch said. "They worked alongside Roma-led organizations and facilitators, many of whom were also from Roma backgrounds, to engage with local authorities and implement projects that had a real impact on their daily lives."

Neukirch then reflected on the history of the program, saying: "Well, this entire program started back in 2017. It's a joint program with the EU, and it really worked on empowering local disadvantaged communities by addressing several layers. And one is that it worked with the individuals, but it also worked with the communities. But more importantly, it worked in a way that we were not only working with the Roma communities and the individuals as beneficiaries but that we brought them into the program as being active participants. So, the Roma themselves identified the needs and the priorities of their neighborhoods. Then they worked, supported by Roma-led and also all pro-Roma civil society organizations. And the ROMACTED local facilitators, which to almost 80% were also from Roma backgrounds."

He also highlighted the program’s role in empowering Romani communities to engage in dialogue with local authorities: "We’ve helped the Roma become active citizens, influencing decision-making and bridging gaps with local governments and non-Roma communities, which is a small step toward overcoming segregation."

Regarding youth involvement, Neukirch noted that while ROMACTED II didn’t specifically target youth, other Council of Europe initiatives focus on Roma youth. "Community centers can offer youth a space to engage, but their effectiveness depends on how municipalities use them. These centers can be a concrete support for youth, fostering participation in local governance," he said.