The Romani Cultural and Arts Company has recently completed a project for the Welsh Government’s “Anti-Racism Action Plan. Environment, Climate Change and Rural Affairs” which sought to have a dialogue with members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in Wales. The Action Plan, which has been initially published in June 2022, is dedicated to creating an anti-racist Wales by 2030 and in this stage sought to understand better the experiences of racism in the climate change, environment and food by ethnic minorities. Thus, a dialogue with Gypsies, Roma and Travellers was established hoping to make necessary changes that could make immediate and positive impact in the lives of members of these communities. The themes that conversations were based on were: Recreation, Local Environment, Food and Food Culture/Growing Own Food, and Leadership, Representation and Role Models. The research was headed by Aleksandar Marinov, and a written report was produced and submitted for the consideration of the Welsh Government at the end of October, 2023.
Dr. Aleksandar G. Marinov, “As always, it has been my pleasure to work with the Romani Cultural and Arts Company and complete a project for the Welsh Government’s “Anti-Racism Action Plan. Environment, Climate Change and Rural Affairs.” The Action Plan is dedicated to ultimately create a racist free Wales by 2030 and at this stage it sought to have a dialogue with members of Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities to understand their experiences in the areas of the environment and climate change, and make immediate and positive changes in their lives. I am delighted to have been involved in such an initiative and as a Rom, I am grateful to the Welsh Government for thinking in that direction and for being different.”