Berlin-Brandenburg Regional Association of German Sinti and Roma
In 1978, the "Cinti Union Berlin e.V." was founded in the federal state of Berlin as part of the general civil rights work of German Sinti and Roma. The name was changed to "Landesverband Deutscher Sinti und Roma Berlin-Brandenburg e.V." in 1994. Otto Rosenberg (1927 - 2001) co-founded the Berlin-Brandenburg Regional Association of German Sinti and Roma and was its chairman for many years.
The Socio-Pedagogical Counselling Centre at the Berlin-Brandenburg Regional Association of German Sinti and Roma has been funded by the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Science since 1989. Its geographical scope covers the entire city of Berlin.
The Socio-Pedagogical Counselling Centre represents the rights and interests of minorities vis-à-vis the political and social institutions in Berlin and Brandenburg to ensure their social equality and integration into society.
It provides counselling to minority members so they can exercise their rights under the Federal Indemnification Law, the Berlin Law on the Recognition and Support of Persons Persecuted under National Socialism on Political, Racial or Religious Grounds, the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and assists them in asserting any claims based on these laws.
[The Socio-Pedagogical Counselling Centre provides individual casework and mediates between public authorities and minority members with regard to family matters as well as school and educational difficulties.]
Community activism and cooperation with other institutions and initiatives promote social networking. Through continuous information and public relations work, the regional association fosters understanding between the minority and the majority society. This includes the organisation of scientific seminars and conferences on the history and culture of the Sinti and Roma with the aim of reducing prejudice, as well as the production and dissemination of publications on such activities.