Summit of Mayors on Roma : “Building mutual trust at the grassroots” – 22 September 2011, France

Opening speech by Keith Whitmore, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe

Dear mayors and regional presidents, dear fellow elected representatives and representatives of towns, cities and regions of our continent,

Dear representatives of Roma organisations and other civil society partners working for the inclusion of Roma,

Dear representatives of European institutions, associations and networks,

Excellences,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are here today because we cannot accept that on a continent that prides itself on inclusion of everyone, on justice and equal treatment for all, we still have a large population of Europeans that are marginalised and excluded from active participation in our society;

We are here today because we are alarmed about the worsening situation of Roma in Europe at the grassroots level. We are deeply concerned about the persistent discrimination and prejudice against Roma, who far too often are simply denied equal chance in life and equal access to education, employment, health care or housing;

We are here today because these problems have been festering for far too long, and because urgent action is needed at all levels of government to respond to this challenge.

Almost one year ago, a High-level Meeting of Council of Europe member states adopted the Strasbourg Declaration on Roma, which stressed the importance of local and regional action for Roma inclusion. It is indeed in our local and regional communities, in our towns, cities and regions where the problems related to the situation of Roma are the most tangible, and it is at local and regional levels where our action is the most effective, and where the most practical solutions can and must be found. Local and regional authorities are the first to face mistrust, prejudice and discrimination against Roma in their communities; they are also the ones responsible for implementing national strategies for Roma at the grassroots level, and tailoring them to the local needs.

Today, it is encouraging to see that more and more local and regional authorities are beginning to take action to address the situation of Roma, in order to bring all of their communities together. It is encouraging to see that a growing number of European towns, cities and regions are putting forward initiatives and implementing projects for Roma inclusion for the benefit of all the residents of their communities, and joining in networks to carry these activities forward.

We must support this action and make sure that it is sustained in the future and takes root across our continent. What we need is a genuine local and regional framework for co-operation at European level, a truly European alliance of cities and regions for Roma inclusion to coordinate these activities, exchange information and good practices, and help to strengthen the local and regional capacity for such action.

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has decided to convene a Summit of Mayors on Roma as the first step in the process of building this future European alliance. We are convinced that improving the situation of Roma is a shared responsibility of European institutions, national governments, local and regional authorities, civil society, the media, and Roma communities themselves. However, it is at the grassroots where this process must begin, by building mutual trust and enforcing non-discrimination and equal treatment.

Today, we have brought together the different stakeholders in the issue, in order to determine obstacles for Roma inclusion at local and regional level, share positive experiences and good practices, and reaffirm our political will and commitment to action in favour of Roma – in fact, in favour of all our communities, including Roma, because the result of this action must be a “win-win” situation and mutual benefit for all the residents.

We count on your active participation in the discussions during this Summit, and on the active stand of municipalities and regions in declaring their commitment to join a future European alliance for Roma inclusion. We expect that a core group of local and regional authorities willing to steer the process of building this alliance can be identified already today.

At the close of the Summit, we will agree a Declaration that will capture the spirit of this commitment. In less than a month, the Congress will also adopt a comprehensive set of recommendations for improving the situation of Roma, addressed to both local and regional authorities and national governments. We encourage municipalities and regions to use them as guiding principles in their action in favour of Roma.     

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are here together today because we care, because we recognise that the situation of Roma cannot be left unattended any longer. Let us join forces to make a difference.

It is a great honour for me to declare the Summit of Mayors on Roma open.