17.06.2007 THE ROLE OF INTERNET IN THE FORMATION OF A NON-TERRITORIAL ROMA NATION

ERIO participation in "Roma and the Media" seminar within Khamoro Festival
The international two-day seminar "Roma and the Media" has been held on 1-2 June 2007, in the framework of the 8th World Roma Festival Khamoro 2007 in Prague, Czech Republic. The event has been attended by journalist from the most important Roma media from all over Europe and distinguished journalist who have succeeded in majority media. The aim of this seminar was to give the space for discussion and exchange of experiences from projects of the participating countries.

The two-day seminar was held in a Czech, English and Romanes and was divided into the following sections: Role of the media in society, Existence of Roma TV channels, Internet Roma media and servers, Collaboration with majority media, international agencies and television channels, Financing of Roma media at present and in the future.

Mr. Valery Novoselsky, ERIO representative, presented the report entitled "The role of Internet in the formation of a non-territorial Roma nation", where the effects of the Internet on the establishment of Romani virtual nationhood and the role of the Internet in the performance of Roma public diplomacy have been examined.

THE ROLE OF INTERNET IN THE FORMATION OF A NON-TERRITORIAL ROMA NATION

Presentation of Valery Novoselsky for the seminar on “Roma and media” within the frames of International Khamoro Festival, 1-2 June 2007

Since the fall of an Iron Curtain in 1989 the Internet as the new tool for internal communication and for public diplomacy had its vital impact on the further development of a non-territorial Roma nation. Consequently, this role should be analyzed in the context of the development of an international Roma movement. We should also observe the way on how Internet communication and web resources have contributed to the emergence of Roma nationhood on international scale and how they function as the platforms for conducting diplomatic, political, cultural, and media relations of Roma communities.

The goals for the development of Roma communities require Roma activists, experts, and practitioners actively to use public diplomacy tools to make the public aware of Roma community concerns. The guidelines suggested for the strategy of Roma public diplomacy focus on constructing relationships with other communities and defining areas of shared interests. The means for practical implementation of such strategies are identified and connected with the skills required for Roma pubic diplomats to handle information, conduct research, and make effective presentations. In a view of such tasks the integration of the Internet in the conduct of Roma public diplomacy is essential, timely and supportive.

The Effects of the Internet on the Establishment of Romani Virtual Nationhood

Modern communication technologies transform the modes of social interaction and networking. The spread of the Internet is generating virtual communities in which like-minded individuals interact with each other across space and time. The Internet is a global tool that promotes creating relationships, building alliances, and sharing of texts and graphics. It provides the possibility of an emergence of virtual communities, where participants are able to involve themselves and implement their own sense of ethnic togetherness. These trends inescapably affect internal and external communications of Roma communities, the Roma movement, and Roma-related policies on a pan-European and an international scale.

The sense of awareness, solidarity, and identity of existing virtual communities is stimulated and strengthened in the process of online communication. This is more so, in the case of Roma communities dispersed around the world. The Web allows these communities, on the one hand, to surpass their separation and their forced displacement (e.g., Roma refugees from ex-Yugoslavia) and, on the other hand, to mobilize and form themselves culturally, socially, and politically. This unification is facilitated through communication in the relation of actualities and in the reconstruction of shared historical experiences.

Thus, Roma communities have a number of positive factors due to the World Wide Web; the Web serves as the source of information on diverse topics related to ethnicity, as the tool for communication and coordination from local level up to the format of public diplomacy, as the “show-window” for community image-branding, lobbying, and promotion of culture. The World Wide Web offers a variety of services, such as formats for presentations, software for processing communication, collection and dissemination of information, forms for subscribing to membership and for contributions, and programs to facilitate discussions and to apply leadership functions. In this regard, the role of already existent websites of Roma non-governmental organisations and cultural associations is vital.

Other services offered by the World Wide Web allow for more interaction, rather than simply the broadcast of information. For example, the Roma Virtual Network (hosted on Yahoo Groups, moderated via an e-mail address romale@zahav.net.il on another server) now functions globally. Started in Israel in July 1999, today it operates across all continents, offers up to 20 articles daily in English, Romani, and other languages (taken from the Roma Daily News, Romano Liloro, Roma Rights, Romane Nevipena, Mundo Gitano), and an electronic database. In the database, upon request or member subscription, one finds a variety of links, files, articles, and photos on a diversity of topics. Maintained by the editor in cooperation with the dozen of volunteer correspondents as a non-profit organisation, it has become a “dwelling place” for many of its members. One may find other virtual public venues as well, e.g., the International Roma Women Network (irwn_members@advocacylists.org, started in Finland in 2003) or USTIBEN (ustiben.2@ntlworld.com, started in the UK in 2002), and chat-enabling forums and, to lesser extent, blogs for the exchange of ideas. Beside websites, most of these fora create a space of Romanotan (an imaginary Romani country) on the Web and help to develop an ethnic identity within a virtual Roma nation.

Beside the great role of such Roma media agencies like Dzeno and Romea, we can not disregard about the role of European Roma Information Office (ERIO). This organization is the main Roma advocacy organization, which is using the Internet as the tool to inform, to unify, to educate and to organize Roma people with the aim to combat anti-Roma racial discrimination, to raise the awareness on the problems faced by all Roma communities and to advocate for their own rights.

Roma websites in ethnic mobilization and cross-cultural communication

Many Roma websites such as those of the Romano Centro, Patrin, the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC), and the European Roma Information Office (ERIO), whose primary audiences are activists from Roma communities and organisations that live in their respective localities, promote and adopt a sense of community. In providing actual information and making analyses of local and international events, at the same time these websites embody very specific notions of community that include sharing the same space and time. These sites encourage a sense of community, as do their sponsoring organizations, and seek to defend community interests when confronted (especially relevant to the ERRC site).

The use of the Web in cross-cultural communication and overcoming ethnic ghettoisation is shown in a number of simple and visible facts. In particular, any Romani website usually contains texts in at least three languages: Romani, the language of the country of residence, and English, as an international language. A mixed Roma and non-Roma staff usually performs the web-design. The work of the organisation that hosts the site usually takes place in cooperation with non-Roma non-governmental organisations or governmental structures. Photos often show both Roma and non-Roma supporters and participants of events. The description of educational projects contains a number of visible points depicting a harmonic collaboration with non-Roma. The lists of sponsor organisations and institutions speak for themselves.

This trend also occurs when important governmental documents in relation to ethnic minorities are discussed on the website. Usually representatives of a number of other ethnic minorities contribute in online discussions. Inter-ethnic dialogue also occurs in signing a petition in support of someone or in support of a joint cultural event or festival. This kind of activity is prepared via web announcements, calls for applications, and virtual communication. As a result, information on Roma community activity and movement is easily conveyed to an audience that is ready to adopt such information, contribute to the exchange of ideas, and participate in community life.

Due to its relatively easy access and low cost, some Roma have taken the Internet as an emancipatory tool to open channels of information exchange and to create an innovative political space. Representatives of an ethnic minority are now able to make their views public and claim their identity through the Internet. Web communities have enabled Romani people to develop relationships that are often concurrently inter-cultural and cross-cultural. However, due to the significant rate of poverty, language barriers, and illiteracy among Roma, the digital divide is still very apparent. Thus, Roma communities have an urgent need for their own Internet centres and institutions to train local technical experts who can provide ICT support for non-profit organisations and advocates.

The role of the Internet in the performance of Roma public diplomacy

Modern means of electronic communication constitute the most obvious structural change of the environment in which public relations activists operate. Media diplomacy and public diplomacy need to be seen as complementary to each other. Accordingly, interaction with the media should be the focal point of the daily work of a public diplomacy practitioner.

It has become standard practice for the modern Roma activist to consult on a regular basis the websites of different national and international news agencies. As well, every activist is familiar with the homepages of all organisations and institutions relevant for his or her work. Roma activists today network with colleagues around the world, relying on easy access to important, up-to-date, web-based information. Internet access increases the amount of information that one must process, sort out, and place into a knowledge system.

While information gathering has become easier, information management has become more applicable. New electronic procedures need to be established and elaborated. Roma information and knowledge managers need to be educated and adequately positioned in the management structures of Romani non-governmental organisations. Websites need professional development and maintenance and they should assume an important function in the representation of a Roma non-territorial nation.

New developments, such as the link between foreign and internal politics, the extension of the spectrum of issues dealt by ministries of foreign affairs, and the communication revolution, have taken public diplomacy to the forefront of international attention. Thus, a Roma public diplomacy practitioner should act as an international communicator and mediator of positions of his or her own community for all sections of the non-Roma audience. He or she must build up a stable network of contacts in all areas of society with a view to active involvement in shaping public opinion in Roma and non-Roma environments. He or she also must concentrate on in-depth analysis and drafting recommendations for action.

Conclusion

Through the practice of sharing information and knowledge online, dispersed Roma communities are becoming aware of their common heritage and are willing to integrate through the notion of a unified non-territorial nation. This process has gone further since already established Roma virtual networks have became influential international actors in the field of public diplomacy and public affairs.

Presently, many Roma activists work and study in an inter-cultural environment, where they actively communicate with colleagues from other ethnic communities and nationalities. Because of this communication, the task of interacting with non-Roma representatives becomes more important than ever for the Roma ethnic minority. Since non-Roma perceive young and educated Roma activists as public diplomacy officers representing their community, activists should act as international communicators and mediators of the positions of their community to their non-Roma audience.

The role of the Internet is important in maintaining communication and coordination in this trend. It helps the timely dissemination and discussion of sensitive information on relevant issues. Roma activists need to use a strategy for public diplomacy that builds relationships, understanding other community needs and cultures and identifying shared areas of interest. Roma public diplomacy can achieve a set of objectives: helping others to think about Roma issues; creating positive opinions regarding the Roma community; encouraging others to see the Roma community as a destination for relationships and research; and enabling public and political support for Roma community concerns.

Recommended Roma links:

http://www.dzeno.cz - Dzeno Association, Czech Republic.
www.ertf.org - European Roma and Traveller Forum.
http://www.erionet.org - European Roma Information Office.
http://www.romea.cz - ROMEA Association, Czech Republic.

Non-Roma organizations working on Roma issues:

http://www.fsgg.org - Fundacion Secretariado Gitano.
http://www.errc.org – European Roma Rights Center.