Towards an arts-based school:
Challenges and experiences for the inclusion of Roma children
WORKING GROUP / DISCUSSION PANEL
Athens International Conference “Theatre/Drama & Inclusive Education”
Athens 23 March 2025
Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network (TENet-Gr)
Language: Greek
Coordinator:
Katerina Kosti, Greek Language and Literature teacher and Drama teacher, Teaching and Laboratory Staff,
Department of Theatre Studies, University of the Peloponnese, Greece
Guests:
Matina Vavouli, Primary Education Teacher, Director of the 7th Primary School of Aspropyrgos Greece
Anastasia Chatzistefanou-Vafea, Director of Schedia, Center for Artistic and Pedagogical Training, Greece
Konstantinos Paiteris, President of the Hellenic Roma Association of Mediators and Associates, Greece
Eleni K. Papadopoulou MA Greek Language-Religion teacher, Head of 3rd Gymnasium Menemenis, Greece
Critical Commentators:
Avra Avdi, Greek Language and Literature teacher and Drama teacher Greece
Popi Kyrdi, teacher, member of the Board Children’s Rights Network Greece
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges facing the Greek educational community is the inclusion of Roma children, which often contradicts both the perception of the incompatibility of post-nomadic culture with school education and the centrally planned educational policies. The discussion revolves around questions related to this situation.
- Do Roma people trust school? Do they believe in the value of education?
- Is Greek school an attractive environment for Roma children? Does it also containRoma’s own practical approaches of knowledge?
- Do Roma children, when they come to school, find a space compatible with their identity, language and history?
- How can a relationship of trust be created between school and family? What do teachers have to do?
- Can an arts-based school provide a fertile space where all children will coexist, finding meaning and support for life?
The following text is the manifesto of the working group that emerged from the proposals of the participants after the conclusion of the discussion.
MANIFESTO
Anti-Gypsyism, the strongest social prejudice, is deeply rooted in all social groups, making the inclusion of Roma children in the education system one of the biggest challenges we face. Today, more than ever, a change of framework is needed to ensure the fair participation of all children in school, regardless of their social or cultural background.
Education must be the means to combat prejudice and exclusion, and art is the most powerful tool we have for this process. We envision a school where art acts as a bridge of communication and mutual understanding, strengthening collectivity, camaraderie, solidarity and equality. A school where students and teachers work together not only for learning, but also for creating a safe and supportive environment for all.
The creation of schools that integrate the arts into the daily educational process requires bold innovations, such as the implementation of flexible curricula that respond to the specific needs and social profile of students. The need for social solidarity and the welfare state is imperative. The school must become a place of welcome and openness, with extroversion actions that enhance the participation of Roma children and reduce exclusion.
For the Inclusion of Roma Children: Claiming the Self-Evident
The inclusion of Roma children requires a twofold struggle, within schools and in the wider society. Teachers need specialized training and experiential empowerment workshops, in order to understand the needs of Roma children and to assist in the fight against anti-Gypsyism. School communities must invest in the empathy, solidarity and cooperation of all sides, students, teachers, parents and social workers.
The presence of social scientists and mediators in schools, especially in schools with an intercultural profile, is essential to ensure that Roma pupils do not experience social isolation or stigmatisation. Institutionalized and established cooperation with mediators can make the school a real space for social inclusion and development.
Hate Speech and Anti-Racist Inclusion Training
Education is not limited to the provision of knowledge, but extends to the formation of a social consciousness that understands the destructive power of hate speech and racism. Education must provide the tools for understanding social discrimination and strengthen resistance to all forms of intolerance. The integration of the arts into education provides a unique opportunity to develop empathy, solidarity and social responsibility in students.
Opening to the Community: The Reciprocal Flow of the Arts
The school must open its doors to the community and integrate art as an integral part of social and cultural life. Through partnerships with non-profit organizations, universities and other social actors, we can implement targeted programs that will contribute to the social integration of Roma children and the fight against discrimination.
Art, as a means of expression and communication, can contribute to "entering one world into another", allowing learners to understand and enrich their worlds. Social workers, psychologists and mediators must be present in school communities, creating safe spaces for the emotional and social development of all children.
Demanding Change: School as a Community for All
We claim the obvious, a school for all children, where diversity will not be an obstacle, but a source of wealth and strength. Institutions must be adapted to the needs of all children and school must be a place of extroversion, social solidarity and participation. We resist exclusion and demand the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, demanding education to understand and combat racism and hate speech.
School should be the workshop where Roma children, like all children, learn to coexist, empathize and cooperate. Art is the tool, social solidarity is power, and education is the path to a fairer and more inclusive society.
Change starts with us.
Together, we can create a school for all, based on art and solidarity.
| Action Category | - Seminars - Workshops
- Conferences
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| Year | |
| Cities | |
| Facilitators | - Avdi Avra
- Kosti Katerina
- Βαβούλη Ματίνα
- Χατζηστεφάνου–Βαφέα Αναστασία
- Παϊτέρης Κωνσταντίνος
- Κύρδη Πόπη
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