The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture opens in Berlin

Romani Rose, Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, 8 June 2017, Berlin © Central Council of German Sinti and Roma

On 8 June 2017, the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) was opened in the Foreign Office in Berlin. The ERIAC was jointly founded by the Council of Europe, the Open Society Foundations, and an alliance of Sinti and Roma activists. Romani Rose, Chairman of the Central Council, emphasised in his speech the importance of the institute: “Again and again, there are days that we later come to define as historically significant. But today, we know that the public presentation of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture is such a historic day. With this institute, the Sinti and Roma contribute to the culture in our respective home countries as well as to European culture – finally, we must say – we are on the way to the centre of our society.”