Between 17^thand 19^th November 2014 representatives of the National Network of Health Mediators participated in the second work meeting from the Regional Pilot Programme “Health Mediation among Roma Community” within the project “EQUI HEALTH - Fostering Health Provision for Migrants, the Roma and Other Vulnerable Groups” implemented by the International Organisation for Migration.

   The Network was presented by Diliana Dilkova (member of the Management Board of NNHM), Sabire Ramadan (member of the Management Bord of NNHM and Health mediator in Septemvri Municipality), Katya Kirilova and Antoaneta Eftimova (Health mediators in Blagoevgrad Municipality). Coordinators of intercultural and health mediation, (health) mediatoras, representatives of different institutions from Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Macedonia and Croatia also shared their experience.

   The representatives from Belgium, France and Romania presented in details the mediation models in their countries. Two site-visits in Roma settlements were organised. The guests had opportunity to visit working centre of non-governmental organisation Foyer in Brussels, which is developing successful intercultural approach of mediation for years. Belgium mediators, including our Bulgarian colleague Biser Alekov, told us about their work with migrant-children and their families to attract them to school and education.

   In Lille, France, the non-governmental organisation AREAS works in several settlements, where migrant Roma people live, coming mainly from Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Slovakia, Croatia. Bulgarian Health mediators met Bulgarian Roma families and discussed with them theirdifficulties - limited living space (big families are living in trailers), poor sanitation (one source of water for 150-200 people), remoteness from the town centre, etc.

   The third day of the work meeting was dedicated to discussing the impressions of the participants from previous days and for exchanging of new ideas for joint work. The main idea is the developing of European network of mediators, where mediators from different counties would be able to communicate through the Internet. This would be very helpful in work with migrants, especially when it is necessary some documentation to be provided or there is a need of information.

   In 2015 more meetings will be organised to discuss issues related to the ethical code, training programmes, selection criteria for mediators, opportunities for advocacy before European commission about support for this new  network.

   All activities under the pilot initiative “Health Mediation among Roma Community” were filmed. Meetings, site-visits, impressions and work of Bulgarian Health mediators will be presented in 20-minutes film, which has to show before European institutions and all communities the importance and necessity of Mediation programmes on European and state level.

   The trailer of the movie could be seen here in Bulgarian and English.

More information about the first work meeting, held in Bulgaria (June 2014), could be read here.