International Roma Day – La Multi Ani!

Being an Ambassador is a great job. In the last two years, I’ve steered a battleship, driven a sports car, travelled all over Romania and met some wonderful people. But the day I enjoyed most was July 27, 2011, when the British Embassy marked a year to go to the London Olympics by holding a street party in Ferentari. I had enormous fun that day, playing drums on the stage with Damian Draghici, enjoying an amazing display of street dance and theatre, being beaten soundly at football, shooting hoops with Romanian basketball stars. And I have stayed in touch since with the children from School 136. I’ve joined sessions of their after-school club, watched their dance team compete in festivals in Bucharest, joined them for a flash mob dance in the Old City to mark the opening of the Paralympic Games, had them over to my house to perform a Christmas routine . One of the group, Nicoleta, took my job for a day last November for ‘Ziua Stafetei’, and proved to be a true Ambassador in the making.

One reason I find these kids so inspiring is because they are succeeding against the odds. They live in one of the most deprived areas of Bucharest. They have to contend with all sorts of challenges that most other children never have to deal with. They suffer from poverty, and from discrimination. And yet they are confident, determined, full of energy and talent and potential.

My hope for this International Roma Day is that they will fulfill their potential. That they will have role-models to show them it’s possible. Given the chance, they have a huge amount to contribute to society in the future. Giving them that chance is the challenge for society. I posted some British and Romanian ideas on how to meet the challenge on this blog last week. Now is the time to put ideas into action. Let’s do it!