As part of Maria Papadimitriou’s researchbased practice, the EU-Roma project was an interdisciplinary joint venture of researchers, architects, artists and Roma communities from Greece, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Serbia and Romania. The two-year project consisted of field-research in the various countries, workshop/symposium-based knowledge and experience- exchange practices. The Building Together symposium was hosted by the artist at the University of Thessaly in Volos in April 2009. The symposium was combined with presentations by academics, artists and members of the Roma community. Furthermore, site visits to some Roma settlements, having meals with them and collaborating was a main element of the symposium. The Roma Culture lives in deep austerity and under pressure of the migrant identity imposed by government policies. Thus the rich culture of these communities is segregated from the society and the country. Papadimitriou, with her engagement in sewing workshops with women, in designing a children’s playground or in other practices of everyday life, created a comparative perspective within other cultures and forms. Her aim  was to reveal and sustain the richness, therelational everyday practices and the alternative social artistic knowledge of it. This project also generated further exchange through the efforts of the other partners: Lucy Orta, Gabi Scardi, Alexander Valentino and Catalin Berescu.

Pelin Tan