Roma community centre

Vilnius Roma Community Centre (RCC) was founded in July 2001 as a result if implementing the State Programme of Roma Integration to Lithuanian Society for 2000-2004. The aim of the Centre is to help Roma community to integrate into Lithuanian society. RCC organises its activities solving particular tasks:
-To change standpoint of the members of Roma community on the process of integration to the
society;
-To help Roma people to evaluate the problematic situation of themselves, showing the ways of
solving social and financial problems;
-To organise permanent occupation and upbringing of children and teenagers, using RCC
possibilities and space, to form and stimulate motivation of Roma children, teenagers, their parents,
families to education, self-education, self-upbringing;
-To preserve and foster Roma culture and traditions, keep Roma community as ethnic group from
assimilation and marginalisation.
Working 20 years directly closed to Roma settlement, where the criminal situation was very
dangerous, there was the RCC with the wide range of possibilities to organise occupation of children,
teenagers and youth. Now located almost in city centre, RCC becomes a meeting point for Roma
community from all over the country. Special measures are taken to strengthen community
initiatives. RCC coordinates its activities in dependence of the needs of Roma community. Wide
spectrum of social services is offered. RCC provides social and legal help.
There are different hobby circles for children and youth – languages, computer skills, music, art,
sport etc. Roma music group Roma de drom successfully performs all over the country.
The RCC is involved in several projects for Roma adults and children with an aim to improve their
quality of life. The arrangements of holiday both for children and their parents became traditional.
Roma Community Centre is a member of Lithuanian Human Rights Coalition, legal member of
European Network Against Racism, European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network.