IRIS Project

The IRIS Project -Roma Integration through Sport- had the objective of contrasting Roma stereotypes and their diffusion, fighting old and new clichés, whose persistence and diffusion are the cause of racist attitudes, discriminatory actions, and violent episodes against the Roma population.

Sport is a powerful integration tool and has been used in schools and sports associations to unite Roma and non-Roma children, regardless of their country of origin, family and sporting skills.

The target groups of the project were: Roma and non-Roma children aged between 10 and 18 in areas with a high concentration of Roma population; representatives of sports and non-sports NGOs working with children, Roma associations, parents' associations; representatives of local administrations, schools, ministries, public agencies for the defense of children's rights, media representatives. The target groups indirectly involved were ordinary citizens, who will receive information about the project of media and promotional material raising awareness on the issue of Roma integration in order to demonstrate that integrated Roma are equal citizens.

One of the main problems concerning Roma integration is early school leaving of Roma children. There is a high percentage of Roma children who leave school at the age of 10-12. One of the causes is the low motivation of parents to have educated children, the other can be traced back to the discrimination and bullying that Roma suffer from non-Roma peers. The IRIS Project has offered children the opportunity to get to know to overcome prejudices.

The IRIS Project also gave the young participants the opportunity to practice various sports: soccer, rugby-tag, archery, kin-ball, swimming, volleyball and team games. Through these experiences Roma and non-Roma have learned to be together, of different ages and different backgrounds. The participants met in the countries of the partner associations: Italy, Bulgaria, Romania.

Project started in January 2011 and concluded in December 2012

For more information on the IRIS project click HERE