Who is here? – WIR SIND HIER!

“WE ARE HERE!” is the title of the five-year transnational educational programme against antigypsyism by RomaTrial e.V.. But who are “we” anyway?

Our project wants to create a new understanding of “we”. Due to experiences with (the) antigypsyism, far too many Roma* and Sinti* in Germany know what it means to be excluded from the “we”. Many hide their identity, do not feel safe in society, in school and at work. This must finally come to an end!

Estera

I stand up for the Roma and take part in various anti-discrimination projects. I want to encourage other Roma youth to show themselves!

Estera

Peertrainer in Berlin

David

Today the Roma are still discriminated by society and its system, even though we live in a democratic state.

David

Peertrainer in Berlin

Elisa

Political development and education of young people is important to me, so I give workshops in the field of xenophobia and antigypsyism. I believe that I can better deliver my messages through art and culture, which is why I also perform theatre in the group "WIR SIND HIER!".

Elisa

Peertrainer in Berlin

Naomi

I play Forum theatre and am involved in many Roma projects.

Naomi

Peertrainer in Berlin

Wortwolke

Antigypsyism is a form of racism that opposes Roma *, Sinti *, Kale *, Kalderasch *, Lovara *, Lalleri *, Ursari *, Beasch *, Manouches *, Ashkali *, Aurari *, Romanichals *, Droma *, Doma *, Gypsies *, Travelers * and other people who are stigmatized with the "Z-Word".

Ali

I am happy to be a part of WIR SIND HIER! since 2022. The project offers the opportunity to strengthen young Sinti* and Roma*, to build support networks and to make antigypsyism visible. As a social worker and project leader, I would like to support the young people in the sense of a partisan acceptance in their life design, as well as in the perception of their political effectiveness. Through the project we want to go into the communities and make low-threshold offers for participation. In addition, we want to interest professionals and young people in the diverse history of the Sinti* and Roma*, sensitize them to antigypsyism, and deconstruct stereotypes. In the context of this work, I will critically reflect on my role as a gadjo and member of the majority society and not only hear the perspectives of the Sinti* and Roma*, but also actively bring them into all areas of the work.

Alexander „Ali“ Rönisch

Project Manager

Veronika

For me, WIR SIND HIER! made a dream come true: A program that enables continuous work for five years has enormous potential - we have the chance to accompany young people for five years and strengthen them in their development into active, critical and creative members of civil society for five years. We can build long-term partnerships with dozens of schools and youth institutions and help shape educational work on the ground in the long term. And above all, we can form solid networks nationwide, reflect together on the educational work against antigypsyism in Germany and consider what should change so that Roma* and Sinti* finally experience equality and justice, and not only in the field of education. Because education against antigypsyism is still a shameful deficit of the education system - but fortunately WE ARE HERE, and we make sure that this finally changes.

Veronika Patočková

Scientific co-leader

Hamze

When I started working for equal rights for Roma* and Sinti* several decades ago - actually still as a child - I would have wished for exactly such a project as WE ARE HERE! - a project that, from the very beginning, has embraced intersectional perspectives and self-empowerment, and that creates a place where people can grow together, inspire each other, and work together on the vision of a just and solidary society. And where at the same time a space is created to enter into exchange with non-Roma* and to communicate our perspective - not only that of the oppressed and discriminated, but also that of the fighters and survivors.

Hamze Bytyçi

Project initiator and chairman of the association

Merle

My name is Merle and I am your contact person for workshops and trainings. Furthermore, I am active in different areas of the project "Wir Sind Hier! In our workshops, the peer trainers give other young people insights into their experiences with antiziganism - and into their struggle against it. It is important to me to support this struggle. I am happy to help create lively spaces where encounters and exchanges take place on a personal level. So that we learn that racism is a problem that concerns us all!

Merle Weißbach

Coordination of educational offers, coordination of the youth group Brandenburg

Valentin

I have been involved in the "We are here!" project as a youth group coordinator for Saxony since the beginning of 2022.
Within my family environment, I was born in Romania, antigypsyism was the first racism that I learnt as a small child and that was clearly felt throughout society. In the course of my politicisation, I developed a historical and social interest in how National Socialism came about, what its social preconditions were and how it continues to shape or society at various levels to this day. So far, I have worked in the field of political education with young people and multipliers as well as in memorial education at former sites of persecution.

The "We are here!" project is a wonderful opportunity for me to support people from the affected community with my knowledge and experience in an empowering setting.

It is simply the best feeling to experience the teenagers and young adults on stage, as speakers in front of political decision-makers or as workshop leaders with the peer group!

Valentin Ardelean-Kaiser

Project coordination Saxony

Andreas

I am responsible for many creative and technical issues at WIR SIND HIER. Be it the website, social media, online streams, podcasts, audio and video recording outdoors or in the studio, concept development and coordination for online and print formats. In all of this, I want young people to share their confident voices and their many narratives, to make their social and political point. The essence of the WIR SIND HIER project is that the peers* create real encounters at eye level and thus act as an example for society as a whole.

Andreas Fertig

Management for online, media, print

We are a diverse group of people who ...

… share one goal: Where “we” is not a question of origin, skin colour, sexual identity or gender identity! In a world in which diversity is taken for granted and disadvantage is part of history.

We are a team ...

… from RomaTrial e.V., a transcultural self-organisation of Roma* and non-Roma*. Since 2012, we have been fighting against antigypsyism and for new spaces in society to amplify voices of Roma* and Sinti*.

And above all, we are also ...

… young committed Roma* and Sinti* from Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony who are trained as peer trainers against antigypsyism as part of the project. We are multipliers who work in (extra-)school education. We address other young people on the topics of antigypsyism and other (or “further”, then “other(s)” does not come twice) forms of discrimination. We make the invisible visible, confront others with it and claim our place in society, our rights and our freedom.

Our message is: "We are here!"

Educational programme against antigypsyism

We bring a lot of theoretical and practical knowledge that we want to share. We are curious about you, your experiences and your knowledge. Share it with us!

Who are you?

A young person who wants to get to know other people who are active against (the) discrimination of Roma* and Sinti*?
A member of an organisation or an activist in the field of anti-racist education and interested in sharing knowledge?
Staff member of a school or youth institution who would like to receive further training in the field of antigypsyism?

Then contact us! For questions and enquiries, please contact us at post@wer-ist-hier.de