Gipsy Eye Student Association

Contact

Address: Brătești village, Stolniceni-Prăjescu commune, Iași County
Website: www.gipsyeye.com
Facebook: Gipsy Eye
E-mail: gipsyeye2008@yahoo.com
President: Ionuț STAN
Email: gipsystan@yahoo.com

Overview

The Gipsy Eye Association (“Romani Eye”) was founded in 2007 at the initiative of six young Roma people. Currently, the Association consists of members and volunteers, both Roma and non-Roma, coming from different social backgrounds: students, high schoolers, as well as young people who could not enjoy education.

The Association carries out its activity in Iași, Pașcani, and in disadvantaged communities around these cities. We chose this name because we believe that through the “Romani eye,” the rest of the community will be able to see the true, positive, and constructive face of the Roma, and will be able to feel and understand what a Roma person feels. The atmosphere in the encampment, traditions, and the true values of the Roma people, transposed through models of young Roma who work and build a healthy life, will be brought to the attention of the general public by the association’s volunteers. Our slogan is “Step Beyond Prejudices” (“Treci dincolo de prejudecati”).

The purpose of the Association is to improve the image of Roma people in society by promoting Roma culture and tradition. We work directly with young people and disadvantaged communities, building bridges over prejudices, and we accomplish this goal best through our numerous successful projects, through which we manage to make ourselves seen and heard in communities. Our volunteers benefit from training in various fields such as: Human Rights Education and Civic Education, Fight against discrimination, Advocacy, etc., by participating in both national and international courses, conferences, and workshops. Also, our volunteers have the opportunity to learn about Roma history, the Romani language, and with the help of the Gipsy Eye dance troupe, they can also learn beautiful Roma dances.

Projects

• Hearts for Hearts Club (Clubul Inimi Pentru Inimi) – a club where we work non-formally with children from disadvantaged backgrounds, predominantly Roma. This club is located within the School of Cozmești Commune, Iași County. Our volunteers help beneficiary children with homework, and then carry out various activities based on non-formal education. The club is open from Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00.
• European-level youth exchanges – taking place multiple times a year, each project having a theme and an activity program. Within these youth exchanges, volunteers have the opportunity to meet young people from different countries and social backgrounds, improve their foreign language communication skills, etc. The duration of these projects is generally one or two weeks.
• Organization of multicultural events, through which Roma culture and tradition are promoted. The most recent event was titled “Multiculturalism – Unity through Diversity” (“Multiculturalitate- Unitate prin diversitate”), which took place in Moțca Commune. This event was attended by volunteers and members from several associations and organizations, as well as authorities from Iași County.
• Promotion of Romani dance by participating in various interethnic festivals in Iași and across the country.

Registrations

For registrations, we invite you to write to us at the e-mail address gipsystan@yahoo.com