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1. Intercultural awareness

2. Young people's rights

3. Key initiatives to safeguard democracy and prevent radicalisation leading to violent extremism

Intercultural awareness

European Funds were used in Romania to promote intercultural awareness in schools in multi-ethnic communities, especially in communities with significant Roma population. The projects were financed through the Human Capital Operational Programme under the Priority Axis dedicated to schools and education until 2023). However, these projects for intercultural education are not monitored as such (intercultural awareness and education). Therefore, they are not reported separately from other projects aiming at reducing school drop-outs and early school leaving.

The formation of a conception of life, based on humanistic and scientific values, on national and universal culture and on the stimulation of intercultural dialogue is among the objectives of Romanian education system according to the Law No. 198/2023 of preuniversity learning. The same law provides that the framework plans of high school education include "Jewish History. The Holocaust" and that the national offer of optional subjects of secondary and high school education also includes "History, Slavery and Deportation of the Roma" as an optional modular school subject.

The Romanian Interethnic Relations Department is implementing and financing projects promoting intercultural awareness. Most of these projects include cultural events, sports events (until 2020) and documentaries produced. The main target group of these projects is not young people, but young people can be targeted together with other age groups. In 2017-2018 a civic education programme for intercultural dialogue - "I'm from a Minority so I Count" - was implemented in schools targeting young people. About 120 young people took part to the lessons.

Young people's rights

The Romanian Youth Summit serves as a major platform for dialogue, providing the framework and opportunities for large-scale debates on youth rights and youth policies. The first Youth Summit in Romania took place in Timișoara in November 2016, bringing together youth NGOs alongside representatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Education, and the Romanian Presidency. Since then, the summit has been held annually in the city designated as the Romanian Youth Capital.

The Romanian Youth Capital is a national programme inspired by the European Youth Capital model and supported by civil society, businesses and the Ministry responsible for youth. A city is designated each year to host a series of activities focused on youth engagement. The flagship event is the Romanian Youth Summit.

Additionally, during its 2019 Presidency of the Council of the EU, Romania promoted solidarity and cohesion by advancing policies on anti-discrimination, gender equality, citizen and youth engagement, and by supporting initiatives to combat hate speech, misinformation, and social and economic inequalities.

Moreover, in December 2019, the two largest youth NGOs in Romania (the Romanian Youth Council and the Romanian Youth Forum) co-organised with the Ministry of Youth and Sports the Forum for Youth Rights. The event generated a “Declaration for Youth Rights”, important for the development of the youth strategy after 2020.

Key initiatives to safeguard democracy and prevent radicalisation leading to violent extremism

The governmental action most closely aligned with the objective of preventing radicalisation leading to violent extremism is the active involvement of the Ministry of Youth and Sports participation in the “No Hate” campaign of the Council of Europe, implemented in 2016.