For this week, the CEU Weekly interviewed Cristina Marian, a CEU student from the Roma Access Program (RAP). In the interview, Cristina answers questions about her origins, and the way she found out about RAP. She also explains her opinion about the main challenges and the possible policy solutions regarding the disadvantaged situation in which many Roma live in Hungary, emphasizing the lack of will and commitment from governments’ side to change the situation of Roma, and the absence of Roma from the political life in Hungary…Can you please tell us more about your own life story? Where exactly in Moldova are you from? How is the community where you grew up?
I am from Chisinau, Moldova. I was born in an extraordinary family with unique values and moral qualities. I come from a mixed marriage, my mother being a Roma and my father a Russian-Romanian. But my soul is surely Roma, and it’s great to feel it! I grew up in a community which was discriminating Roma simply because of being Roma, without making any harm to the others. More than that, being a successful Roma, talking about my mother’s example, a successful artist in Moldova, you face outrageous attitude, envy and obstacles.
I have a law background and I’ve been working for more than five years at Roma National Center in Moldova, coordinating the Human Rights Department. During my work activity, I could clearly see how spread the phenomenon of discrimination towards Roma is, from one side, and how Governments deny the existence of discrimination, on the other side. And this makes the things more complicated when it comes to fight such practices and to establish justice for your people.
How did you find out about CEU and the Roma Access Program (RAP)? 2. Why did you decide to apply for a preparatory Program for MA admission? What are your future plans after RAP?
I found out about CEU in 2006 when one of my friends was in the same program (RAP) at CEU. In 2009 I applied for a summer school organized by the Legal Department and I was impressed of the quality of the studies offered by the university. Therefore, I decided to continue my studies here and as a first step I considered Roma Access Program in order to gain proper skills for the master degree. Being in RAP, I have realized how important this decision was, because I’ve got such useful knowledge in the domain of Human Rights jurisprudence and acquired the necessary skills for more advanced studies. RAP is a success for me because I succeeded to be accepted in the Human Rights- LLM program for the next year. The master course will develop my knowledge in professionally addressing the human rights issues during my future work related to Human Rights infringements towards Roma.
About the RAP program, please tell us what do you like the most and what do you think it can be improved?
First of all, I think RAP is a great project designed to bring promising young Roma from different countries around Europe and to strengthen their capacities in order to become future leaders in academia, other sectors and to support the advancement of Roma at national and international level. And this makes it fascinating. Being in your home country, you know just about the Roma from there, one Roma culture. Coming to RAP, you can see how similar we are, having the same sentiment of Romani spirit but also the diversity within the group.
Talking about the academic aspect of the program, I’m very thankful for the Human Rights tutoring classes from which I’ve learned a lot, acquiring the necessary knowledge for the master program and having already a well defined view and goals for my future work. Also I like that even if we are in RAP, we are part of CEU life, participating together with the students in its social events, auditing master classes, etc.
From your perspective, what are the main challenges and the possible policy solutions regarding the disadvantaged situation in which many Roma live in Hungary (it could be replaced with your own country/Europe)?
Talking about the challenges I would refer to two aspects: there is lack of will and commitment from governments’ side to change the situation of Roma, which would considerably improve and the socio-economic situation of the country and integrate Roma. That’s why the made laws are not efficient and functional. Another challenge is the absence of Roma from the political life, thus, being excluded from the decision-making process, and consequently from the enjoyment of basic human rights.
Thanks a lot Cristina, is there any final words you would like to tell to our audience?
I would like to thank RAP for the given opportunity to follow my path and make me more dedicated in working for the Roma cause!
My message for the audience is to stand against the extreme right wings parties who spread anti-Roma sentiment, violence, and hatred towards Roma.
Thank you!
Cristina Marian, Roma Access Program, class of 2012
0 comments:
Post a Comment