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A Voice For the Voiceless

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The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Fellows > Past Fellows and ... > Summer Interns 2003 > Kimberly Birdsall...

Kimberly Birdsall And DZENO Association (Czech Republic)

Kimberly is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University. She is concentrating in US Foreign Policy, with coursework focusing on Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution.

Kim chose to intern in the summer of 2003 with Dzeno Association, which is working to develop an independent Roma media and information service in Eastern Europe. Most national minorities are well integrated in the Czech Republic, but the country’s Roma still suffer widespread discrimination, even though they account for as much as three percent of the total population. Roma are excluded from the mainstream of society and political life, have low educational levels, and find it hard to obtain institutional assistance, employment, and health care. The prejudice and discrimination persists, even as the Czech Republic prepares to enter the European Union.

Kim at the Dzeno offices.

The Dzeno Association was established in 1994 by Ivan Vesel, a prominent Roma activist with over 15 years experience in the field. Mr.Vesely is currently acting Media Commissioner for the International Romani Union.

Under Ivan, Dzeno has won respect inside and outside the Romany community as a highly capable, independent Roma media outlet and advocate for the Roma community. Dzeno publishes Amaro Gendalos, a monthly Romany socio-cultural magazine. It also broadcasts Radio Rota, an Internet station offering traditional and modern Romany music, news, and events in the Czech, English, and Romany languages. Between November 2002 when it first went on air, and the summer of 2003, Radio Rota increased its audience over 600 percent (from 30 to 200 visitors daily.) It is managed by Iveta Demetrová, who has extensive experience as a media manager.

Ivan Vesely, co-founder of the Dzeno Association, and Roma rights campaigner

Among its many projects in the Czech Republic, Dzeno has organized a successful media course for Roma journalists and a conference aimed at improving the portrayal of Roma in the media. Known as the INTRINSIC project, this was conducted in partnership with the Minority Rights Group in the UK. Dzeno has also managed courses for potential Roma leaders under a project known as PASSPORT.

Dzeno’s major project in the summer of 2003 involved the creation of a Romany Information Service, linking Romany media and information outlets in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. The project allows for the exchange of information and articles between the three countries, and their placement in major Romany publications and on Dzeno’s website.

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“I were to change anything, I wish I would have had a bit more advance knowledge about the Roma and how the EU accession process works.”

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Like the other interns, Kim prepared a summer work plan soon after she arrived.

It was clear from the start that Dzeno needed a native speaker of English who could translate, update the English sections of the website, and communicate with the representatives of the EU, UN, and other international bodies. This turned out to be Kim’s main job. But she also took on several projects on her own initiative:

a) Fundraising: Using information provided by the EU and my own research, I compiled a list of various donors. Many of Dzenos previous partners and donors, such as OSI, are cutting funding for the Czech Republic because they will enter the EU next year. The main source of EU funds – Phare – has changed its requirements and may not provide Dzeno with sufficient funds to operate at its present level, let alone expand.

I left Dzeno with a list of probable donors and sponsors to apply to, with deadlines and instructions on how to complete them. I created an inquiry letter for the Ford Foundation and the German Marshall Fund. The inquiry letter and other forms, i.e. descriptions of Dzeno, associated activities etc., can be used as basic templates for future attempts.

b) Medienhilfe. At the World Bank Conference, we met representatives from Medienhilfe, which is instituting a new Roma Media Network, and will help Dzeno in their goal of establishing a broadcast radio station in the Czech Republic by 2005. Dzeno is well on their way to this goal, and I believe they will be able to accomplish it.

I completed a Medienhilfe request for funding assisstance until the end of the year, and the large program application for the 2005 radio station project. These templates can now be used to apply to other donors for this same initiave. We also hosted reps. from the organization here at our office, and completed additional information for their file.

c) The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). I completed the project application for the European Information Network on Racism and Xenophobia (RAXEN), which collects data on these issues, including Roma, at both the national and the European level. This application was approved, and Dzeno will be the National Focal Point for the Czech Republic. Dzeno is required by the EUMC to collect, coordinate and disseminate information, and coordinate with the other EUMC bodies.

d) The World Bank. I attended the World Bank/OSI meeting on Roma in an Expanding Europe, in Budapest at the end of June. This conference was a good networking platform and an opportunity to draw attention in the mass media for the issues that Roma are facing in Europe. It was a good personal experience that provided me with a greater scope of knowledge about the Roma and an understanding of how European and international bodies deal with the issue.”

Kim’s work with Dzeno did not stop with her internship. During the summer, she helpd Dzeno to submit an application for NGO accreditation with the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Much to everyone’s delight, this was awarded late in the summer. It allows Dzeno to attend and speak at UN human rights meetings on behalf of Roma – the first time the privilege has been granted to a Roma media group.

Ivan designated Kim as one of the representatives for Dzeno‘s NY office, which means she can attend UN meetings as a representative of Dzeno. She hopes to attend, network for Dzeno and submit a report to Ivan on the proceedings. Through the meetings, Ivan hopes to get some recognition for Dzeno and get a feel for how the UN works.

Summing up, Kim writes:

• My summer gave me experience and skills that I will use in the future. I had to do a lot of research, and this helped me to gain a broad base of knowledge about the Roma, the EU, and small media organizations. I had never done fundraising before, and used Internet research to teach myself how to find potential donors and complete inquiry letters and project proposals.

• All in all, the internship went well. Ivan and Jakub were both quite helpful in getting me the information I needed and good at directing me when I was stuck.

• If I were to change anything, I wish I would have had a bit more advance knowledge about the Roma and how the EU accession process works. And of course, it takes a long time to understand the structure of Dzeno, what their goals are, and what they think are priorities at the moment. Future interns with AP partners should learn from the 2003 group. We can be a valuable source of information.

 

• Read Kim's blog
• Email Kim
  
• Email Dzeno
• Visit the Dzeno website.

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