The associations’ duties in protecting the ethnic groups

Along with the globalization and the modern, cosmopolitan tendencies, the trends of preserving the culture and the authenticity of some ethnic groups have become more and more significant. In order to deal with the daily pressure of complying with the masses, these ethnic groups need not only to be protected but also to be encouraged.

It is a known fact that the vagueness of defining cultures allows their characteristics to be blend with one another and the cultural background to be cosmopolitan. According to the French historian Jacques Le Rider, the lack of definitions and clear demarcations create an extremely fertile ground, encouraging rich and various gatherings. In opposition to this view was the Nazi regime during the World War I, which tried to restore one particular identity through racist behavior and institutionalized violence, according to the UNICEF website.

In Romania, more and more topics related to the nature of such ethnic groups come about on the public agenda, either related to specific festivals and customs or important debates related to the rights of these groups and activities aimed at protecting their identity. The Romanian Associations set up campaigns to draw attention, to raise awareness and to inform on the target group they protect, by setting up commemorative events and marches, by launching cultural centers, becoming more and more active in the media and the social life.

Therefore, the project “Cultural Agora @ Your library” collaborates with such associations in order to reach the members of ethnic minorities and encourage them to share the story of their community, their family or their own, so that the memoir of the culture will not perish, being instead integrated in a county library, available to everyone who is willing to gain knowledge of it.

In this respect, the leaders of the “Agora” Project have established partnerships with the “Amare Rromentza Association” and the “Carusel Association” in Bucharest, discussing now with associations from three other cities involved: Braila, Sibiu and Cluj-Napoca.

The story of Mrs. Delia Grigore, President of  “Amare Rromentza Association”, can be found by accessing the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/agoraculturala/videos/vb.1546594375621842/1729988773949067/?type=2&theater

Cultural Agora @ Your Library is a project implemented by ANBPR in affiliation with Jazzmontor AS Norvegia and REPLIKA Cultural Association, financed through the SEE 2009-2014 Grants, the PA17/RO13 Programme “The Promotion of diversity of culture and art within the European heritage” (www.fonduri-diversitate.ro) in Romania.