#erdine

An international group of 40 Roma students launched romareact.org, a new online platform to mobilize Roma communities with a breath taking flashmob where girls and boys strip off stereotypes publicly.

Roma youth had enough of being perceived as beggars, thieves, fortune tellers even though there is an increasing number of Roma graduating from universities.

'Make the Change!' is the call to action message of the flash mob, that refers to an urgent need to help Roma raise from poverty and successfully engage with the non-Roma.

They occupied downtown Edirne in Turkey at 1pm last Saturday and set up the first Roma flash mob ever in the history of the country. 

The crowd got frozen too, it was something they have never seen before. Roma belly dancers, fortune tellers, beggers and an alcoholic invading the crowd suddenly get frozen. Music unfreezes them again and then they change into lawyers, nurses, engineers showcasing through their own personal stories the need to make a change.

Reactors --as ERGO Network in charge of the initiative calls the young agents of change-- also want to demonstrate the struggle the educated young Roma have for being different in both the Roma as well as the non-Roma world.

RomaReact.org is celebrating the success of the young educated Roma by setting up events in their own communities and providing international visibility for them.

The Olympics may have ancient roots but here's a sport that can boast competition with a continuous history of some 650 years. Later this month wrestlers from all over Turkey will meet in the annual Kirkpinar tournament held in Erdine, Turkey.

Wrestling is tough, but in my opinion this has to be the toughest style around. Wrestling outdoors on grass sometimes in matches lasting up to 55 minutes in the blazing sun of the Turkish summer. A real test of skill, strength and courage.