In partnership with Roma communities, Europe must open real access to education and participation

Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset made the following statement marking International Roma Day 2026:

Across Europe, Roma communities still face discrimination that has no place on a continent built on equality and the rule of law. International Roma Day is a moment to name that reality and to honour the rich culture, resilient history, and enduring contribution of Europe's largest minority.

Roma exclusion in Europe is not accidental. It is the result of barriers that persist in schools, housing, work, and public life. The barrier is access, not talent. When those barriers are allowed to stand, democracies become weaker, more divided, and more vulnerable to hatred and manipulation.

The Council of Europe has long helped build the standards and judgments needed to confront these injustices. What matters now is enforcement and measurable change.

The momentum behind the New Democratic Pact for Europe, together with the Council of Europe's new Strategy for Roma and Traveller inclusion 2026-30, gives us an opportunity to move from principle to practice. Democratic renewal in Europe will mean little if it does not include those who for too long have been pushed to the margins.

This April the Council of Europe once again hosts "Opre Roma!" Month, celebrating Roma history, language, and culture across Europe. Visibility matters. But it must be matched by action.

I call on all member states to translate commitments into practice: to fully implement Council of Europe standards, act on our monitoring bodies' recommendations, and work in genuine partnership with Roma communities and local authorities. That means opening real access to education, social rights, justice, and participation.

This day calls on us to confront the injustices of the past, reject discrimination in the present, and build a future where Roma culture is celebrated, Roma rights are protected, and Roma participation is guaranteed. The place of Roma in Europe goes to the heart of what our democracies are, and what they are willing to defend.

Ahead of International Roma Day, we recommit to a Europe where Roma can live in safety, enjoy genuine opportunities, and be fully recognised as part of our shared European future.

The Council of Europe is fighting discrimination: here's how

Secretary General Alain Berset