Within the framework of Phase 2 of the Joint EU-CoE ROMACTED Programme, and in cooperation with partners at the local and central level, International Roma Day was marked in Montenegro by numerous activities.

Europe House, in partnership with the European Union Delegation to Montenegro and the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, organised a round table entitled "Do you see me, man?". Participants in the round table discussed the position of the Roma population in Montenegro. The Head of the CoE Programme Office, Lejla Dervišagić, and the ROMACTED Focal Point, and Executive Director of the NGO "Young Roma", Samir Jaha, addressed the attendees as panelists, whilst ROMACTED facilitators and members of the Roma community also presented their views on the topic during the discussion.

With the support of facilitators, ROMACTED partner municipalities organised various activities to mark International Roma Day. The Municipality of Nikšić implemented a cultural and artistic programme in which the culture and tradition of the Roma were presented. Bar and Ulcinj municipalities jointly organised a football tournament in which competitive teams comprising members from the Roma and majority communities took part. An info session was conducted in Berane Municipality on this important date, using the opportunity to present the start of implementing the ROMACTED small grants.

In addition, at the invitation of the Council of Europe and the NGO "Young Roma", partner municipalities displayed the Roma flag on their buildings on the occasion of International Roma Day. In this symbolic way, they made a significant contribution to the overall efforts of the Roma in Montenegro to exercise their rights and obtain opportunities belonging to them, and at the same time, they helped show respect for their tradition. The buildings of the President and the Parliament of Montenegro were also lit up in the colours of the Roma flag. 

International Roma Day was also commemorated in the Capital City of Podgorica, a partner of ROMACTED, where a celebration was organised by the NGO "Civic Alliance", the support organisation for programme implementation in Camp Konik. The main activity was a football tournament in which around 60 children from the Roma and majority communities, from Camp Konik and other Podgorica settlements, participated. In total, about 100 children attended the event, as friends of the contestants came to support and cheer them on. The tournament was organised with the Office for Roma and Egyptians (Secretariat for Social Welfare - Capital Podgorica). The Millennium Bridge in Podgorica was also lit up in the colours of the Roma flag.