A major part of our research work in preparation for the FINALLY course and training tools development was conducted in the Roma community of Aghia Varvara, a model municipality in the western part of Athens that has successfully assimilated many diverse groups of people including Roma. Far from fitting the profile of low education, unemployment and social exclusion,the Roma residents of Aghia Varvara have achieved middle class status in the time span of less than three quarters of a century. The education situation has also been steadily improving, especially in the last two decades with many young Roma graduating from high school and continuing their studies at University.  Already in the nineties, 13,34% of Roma men had graduated from nine year formal compulsory education system, unfortunately the corresponding percentages of women were far lower.

The welcome, that we received from young students, teachers, entrepreneurs, Community leaders and Roma Mediators, graduates of the European Training Program for Roma Mediators (ROMED), made us feel that the FINALLY project has the potential to have a long lasting effect in this and other Roma communities across the country.