The workshops served to define the values, governance, and next steps for a European platform that seeks to strengthen the representation and advocacy of LGBTIQ+ Rromani people.
La Fragua Projects recently participated in a series of workshops to advance the relaunch of the Roma LGBTQ+ Platform, an initiative launched several years ago by ARA ART with the goal of creating a space for collaboration, representation, and advocacy for LGBTIQ+ Rromani people in Europe. The meeting brought together organizations and activists from different countries to lay the groundwork for a new phase of the platform and define how it will continue to develop in the coming years.
During the workshop, participants worked to identify the values and mission that will guide the Roma LGBTQ+ Platform, as well as the main issues it will address in the future. In addition, the participating organizations discussed its internal operations, including which organizations will be eligible to join the platform, how the process for admitting new members will work, and what governance and decision-making mechanisms will ensure democratic and representative participation.
This collaborative effort also made it possible to agree on the next steps to consolidate the platform and strengthen its capacity to build alliances, share experiences, and promote advocacy efforts in defense of the rights of LGBTIQ+ Rromani people.
The relaunch of the Roma LGBTQ+ Platform presents an opportunity to strengthen a European network that helps raise awareness of the realities faced by LGBTIQ+ Roma and to foster collective responses to the discrimination and exclusion they continue to face in various areas of society.
Images: ARA ART
Author: La Fragua Projects