The Roma Initiatives Office (RIO) of the Open Society Foundations has opened a call for organizations interested in running a Barvalipe School to provide a creative experience for Roma university graduates interested in progressing from academia to public leadership. Proposals are invited from Roma NGOs in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Spain, and Turkey for projects providing opportunities to rebuild Roma dignity and pride, as well as develop competence, confidence and self-reliance among Roma university graduates between the ages of 25 and 35.
Lead applicants should be Roma NGOs registered in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Spain, or Turkey. RIO defines a Roma NGO as an organization in which at least 50 % of the membership (in the case of associations), the governance body, and the senior management openly declare their Roma ethnic origin.
Applicant organizations should have the necessary experience to run such a project and should also have a history of undertaking programs aligned with the objectives of Barvalipe. Organizations registered in non-eligible countries, international organizations, universities, and other relevant institutions may be partners in a project; organizations may also participate in more than one proposal.
Proposals should explain how the applicants’ ideas will support groups of Roma graduates with articulating a collective Romani narrative, building a sense of collective purpose, and developing leadership confidence. Concept papers must be submitted online; applicants may also submit a brief video in addition.
