The National Roma Centrum from Kumanovo participated, for the second time, on the jubilee 10th Roma festival “Open Heart”, organized by the Center for interethnic dialogue and tolerance “AMALIPE” from Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria.
The manifestations started on June 7th with the exhibition of crafts and craftsmen from Bulgaria, Macedonia and Romania in the art gallery “Boris Denev”. The moderators from the centers for support of the communities from Macedonia, together with volunteers, presented objects made from leather (leather craft), wrought iron items (blacksmiths craft), ropes and reins (rope crafts) and traditional Roma wedding costumes (sewing craft).
The participants from Bulgaria and Romania promoted the craftsmen who make knives, iron items, knitted baskets, decorative furniture, wooden and copper items and many more.
The opening of the festival was on 8th and 9th June, in the park Marno Pole in Veliko Tarnovo. The festival opened with the Roma hymn “Dzelem, dzelem”, interpreted by Tehamana Skenderovska from Macedonia and Galja Mladenova from Bulgaria, accompanied by the musical group from the primary school “Brakja Miladnovci” from v. Miladinovci. The mayor of Veliko Tarnovo, Mr. Daniel Panov, saluted the 1500 participants from 100 schools.
Ten students from the primary school “Brakja Miladnovci” from v. Miladinovci (municipality Ilinden), led by their professors Jovce Petkovski and Galina Stevanovska, presented a mixture of Roma songs and dances from Macedonia.
Besides the musical part of the festival, the participants could enjoy many workshops, exhibitions and creative activities.
The participation of the National Roma Centrum on the Festival is part of the planned activities in the project “Promotion social inclusion of young people in marginalized rural Roma communities” which is being implemented in the v. Miladinovci, municipality Ilinden.
The project is financed by the European Commission and it is being realized in partnership with CIDT “AMALIPE” from Bulgaria and “Pro Europa” from Romania.
[post_gallery]