The training program implemented with EU support, which allowed ten young Roma journalists from March 2012 to expand its knowledge about the European Union and social integration is worth continuing. This was the clear conclusion that the participants of the press conference held at the end of the program on 30th August 2012 in Budapest.

The purpose of the program financed with EUR 50 thousand in the framework of the Administrative Partnership Agreement signed by the European Commission and the Hungarian government was to promote the emergence of the knowledgeable community of Roma journalists, capable of credibly reporting about European affairs and social inclusion in order to ensure more appearance for these topics in the news media.

The experiences of the project - deemed successful by everyone - were assessed at the event held in the House of the European Union by Tamás Szűcs, Head of the European Commission Representation, Gábor Kaleta, Head of the Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Attila Sztojka, Deputy-head of Department of the State Secretariat for Social Inclusion of the Ministry of Human Resources and Ilona Móricz, the director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, which implemented the program. 

Tamás Szűcs praised the Roma Framework Strategy adopted during the Hungarian EU Presidency and also shortly presented the report of the European Commission published recently about the assessment of Member State Roma strategies, also the most important findings related to Hungary. Summarizing the results of the work done by the young professionals, who were selected for participation because of their journalist experience, Tamás Szűcs emphasized that the program created a community, the members of which understand the problems of social inclusion and European integration. The Head of the EC Representation expressed his hope that the young Roma journalists can become role models for their wider environment also. Tamás Szűcs also announced that in the fall, the participants of the program will attend a press seminar in Brussels organized by the European Parliament and the European Commission.

“A right step in the right direction” – this is what Gábor Kaleta said about the training program, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported with its unique means. He recalled that the ten young journalists were received for an informal discussion by Foreign Minister János Martonyi and Minister of State responsible for European Affairs, Enikő Győri. The Head of Department reminded that during the six months the Roma youth prepared close to 200 reports, articles, as well as radio and television pieces in the offices of the media partners involved, where beside the 100-hour class room and hands-on training , thy also worked 16 hours a week under the supervision of journalist and editor mentors.

Social inclusion is a question of humanity, but also the economic interest of the whole country, underlined Attila Sztojka, who highlighted the necessity of wide social cooperation and also alluded to the fact that the Hungarian Roma strategy was very well acknowledged by the European Commission.  Deputy-head of Department of the Ministry of Human Resources also pointed out the importance of the sustainability of similar training programs and also signalled that his portfolio is also taking its share by employing of the young Roma journalists at the State Secretariat for Social Inclusion.

Ilona Móricz said that when designing the program they were especially careful to combine classroom and practical sessions. Beside the knowledge obtained here, she also mentioned the several hundreds of publications, the contacts established while working in the newsrooms and the employment opportunities as the most important immediate outcomes of the program. She mentioned that several of the ten young Roma professionals received job offers from the media where they were on training or will be able to continue working in other fields of communication.

“I hope that the end is really only the beginning and that we can establish ourselves in this profession” – said Tibor Rácz at the press conference on behalf of the participants of the program at the press conference. He thought that the project had achieved its purpose because it raised awareness of the fact that there are also Roma working in the Hungarian press. “It would be good, if we could find more people like we were and if gates would open” – said Tibor Rácz.

At the end of the press conference Tamás Szűcs and Gábor Kaleta handed over their certificates to the young Roma journalists.

(eu.kormany.hu)