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Why this forum? Upside down What is often called the "Roma problem" if often described in tems of why the Roma are a problem as opposed to the real problem which is the impacts, upon the Roma, of discrimination and exclusion exercised by governments, institutions and people over the period of some 650 years. Need for focus There are just three basic things which can open the way to effective Roma emancipation towards a freer and happier life. These are unimpeded access to: useful basic education for their children post school and adult training employment with adequate income All of these require dedicated investment. Roma are excluded from these positive provisions as a direct result of governmental and institutuonal law breaking related to the maintenancee of segregated education with inadequate educational provisions which severely limit access to training and better jobs. Letting the Roma exercise self determination People who have a better education can undertake training and gain employment which provides a higher real income. This allows them to manage their family diet and health, have access to better clothing and housing, to plan their families and their futures. In such a situation they are better able to contribute to society and therefore justifiably, in the eyes of all, benefit from what society has to offer. Under such circumstances Roma can make freer choices as to whether they want to indulge in their own culture and history in the form of music, language and literature. Government policies proactively prevent Roma from exercising a free choice in these matters including the levels of participation and managing effectively their relationship with others in society. This forum This Forum will concentrate on the fundamental and practical issues which can help the Roma gain independence and freedom of choice based upon the points raised above. These are the form and scope of necessary investment for appropriate: education training employment Sustanability The objective of the forum is to identify, describe and propose sustainable solutions. This means that all solutions should be structured to generate sufficient income internally so as to become free from future dependency on "outside" contributions. Is this forum limited then? No, any additional issues can be raised but strictly within the context of the aim of this forum of specifying appropriate forms of investment for education, training and employment for members of the Roma community.