Projects / Investigation of the ethnic and social characteristics of the Roma with preferred Turkish consciousness

The project is directed towards studying the major ethnic characteristics of Roma with preferred Turkish or Valachian consciousness in Veliko Turnovo Region. It will look for revealing the mechanisms and the degree of preferred consciousness, as well as compiling a detailed ethnographic map of Romani communities in the Municipalities of Veliko Turnovo and Pavlikeni. The project includes fieldwork in the two municipalities for collecting ethnographic data, interviews with formal and informal Romani leaders, observations on the religious and everyday life of the communities in question. All the collected data shall be edited and published in a book, a web page and a video film.

Dates: July 2003 - March 2004.

Grant organizations: Open Society Foundation, Roma Program, Sofia.

Partnering institutions: Veliko Turnovo District, St.St. Cyril and Methodius University of Veliko Turnovo.

Places of implementation of the project: Municipalities of Veliko Turnovo and Pavlikeni.

Target groups: Roma communities with preferred Turkish or Valachian consciousness in the two municipalities

Sustainability of the project: The project will contribute to revealing the mechanisms of loss of identity among the Romani groups mentioned above. The data will be used for improving the work of the National statistic center, especially when carrying out census. In addition the data collected can be used by different institutions and organizations involved in studying interethnic relations and preventing ethnic conflicts