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Description
The project Cultural Paths of Friendship aims to promote the integration of the Roma community in the municipality of Montana (over 5500 people) and to work to overcome stereotypes through cultural activities - cooperation and exchanges, discovering and promoting talent from an early age, to stimulate interest and professionalism. cultural activity and to offer new opportunities for the Roma community. The project envisages various activities such as the creation and operation of mixed art groups in three schools and one community center with a large common permanent art studio / arts center; Holding an annual art festival on April 8 with performances by Roma artists in various arts - music, fine arts, theater; Conducting a local study on the history and culture of the Roma in the region (Regional History Museum of Montana); Vocational guidance and support for receiving vocational education or vocational training for children and young people with artistic talents; Art campaign to overcome stereotypes in schools. The project''s activities will be integrated with the cultural and educational calendar of the Municipality of Montana.
Summary of project results
The main goal of the project is to promote the integration of the Roma community in the municipality of Montana and to contribute to overcoming stereotypes through cultural cooperation and exchanges, discovering and promoting talent at the local and regional level, affirming Roma as equal participants in cultural life. The specific objectives were to encourage the discovery and development of talent from an early age among Roma and to enable the professionalization of cultural activities in the community, to implement mixed cultural activities between communities at local and regional level and to support the presentation of Roma culture, knowledge, traditions and achievements to a wide audience.
The project activities included the establishment of art groups in six schools and at the Youth Home, conducting a pilot edition of the art-festival "Montana draws, sings and dances" with performances of Roma artists in various arts - music, fine arts, theatrical forms; conducting a historiographic and ethnographic study on the history, traditions and culture of the Roma in the region (Regional History Museum of Montana) and a campaign for their presentation in schools in the municipality, plus trainings, vocational guidance and support for vocational education or vocational training for children and young people with artistic talents. The project also included the conducting of an art campaign aimed at overcoming stereotypes in schools and among the general public in Montana.
The project involved Roma children with different talents, as it encouraged the discovery of talents by the teachers of the respective schools included in the project implementation. The talented kids were included in different small groups in the arts: "Dance", "Fine Arts", Applied Arts", where they were trained. The professional choreographers from the project partner "Sporid" Dance Group (Iceland) have visited the town of Montana and developed different methodologies for working with isolated communities. The target groups were Roma children, their families and the whole community.
Summary of bilateral results
Experts with Icelandic experience - two persons from the dance group "Sporid" visited the Youth House of Montana and within five days held dance sessions and trainings with children and youth from Roma background. The Icelandic partner dance group "Sporid" has also conducted online dance sessions with children in March 2023. The group works with professional choreographers, has experience in developing methodologies for working with isolated communities and is highly motivated to transfer its good practices to Bulgaria.