Asociatia Divers

Diverse Association (Asociatia Divers) promotes since 2007 knowledge, acknowledgement and respect of diversity (cultural, ethnic, social, linguistic, religious, gender, etc.) expressed by fair implementation of human rights, democratic values, equal opportunities, non-violence, all supported by active citizenship. We strive for an inclusive, intercultural society based on European values while preserving social and cultural diversity, as developed over centuries with a special focus on issues associated with Roma and their communities. In order to accomplish the above objectives our multicultural team and several Roma volunteers implement the following multi annual programs along other specific short term projects: 1. Social Inclusion Center for Roma Persons The main goal of the center is to foster Roma person’s inclusion on the labor market and combat prejudices against Roma. We do this by informing, counseling and mediating workplaces and offering trainings. We also organize afterschool program for Roma children who are close to drop out from school and assist youth to reintegrate to school with Second Chance program and monitor their schoolperformance. Additionally we promote Roma cultural values through various cultural activities. 2. The NGO Resource Center in Mures County provides information, counseling and advocacy for NGO’s and organizes annually the NGO Fair “Together for the community NGO Fair” (in 2015 it was the XIIIth). The NGO Center works to create a professional network among NGO’s from Mures County, and facilitates the access of NGO’s from the county to national and international level networks. The NGO fair is one of the most important and by far the most visible, events organized by an NGO in our county. It is devised to be a meeting point where various organizations from various fields can meet and interact, present themselves and their yearly activities. 3. “Diversity – another chance for the future" - National school contest and intercultural camps for pupils. The contest is running in partnership with the Education Ministry. The 2015 (IXth) edition like the previous ones is a challenge for around 1000 pupils from all over Romania in which they enter in ethnically and gender mixed teams of 5. There is a theoretical part of the contest that results in a test from extracurricular fields as civic education, history, traditions and customs of minorities in Romania, and a creative artistic part where as a team the pupils have to present a short performance having as main theme how they perceive diversity in their community. The intercultural creation camp fosters understanding of diversity in a non-formal education setting where young people learn first of all intercultural communication skills while they participate in creative workshops. One of the results of this camp is the “Diversity” calendar. “ - Info Diversity – online resource center on diversity issues that promotes the knowledge and correct information about the minorities living in Romania, it also acts like a database holding specific information about the minorities (currently the webpage is under reconstruction). - Recently we are partners in 5 EEA Grants funded projects regarding fostering intercultural education and relations, early education for Roma children, social inclusion action plan for public servants, community center activities for disadvantaged youth, self development of Roma and disadvantaged children.