(Strasbourg) A new institute has been unveiled in Berlin today “to establish an artistic and cultural presence for 12 million Roma people in Europe, bound to show the real face of Roma people”. This has been told by the Council of Europe, which goes on with a notice: “The new European Roma Institute for arts and culture (Eriac) is based in the German capital and will be led by Roma artists, activists and intellectuals”. It has been unveiled by opening an art show, “the stars of which are Roma artists from eight countries, thus expressing the will of the new Institute to create a space for Roma thinkers and artists who are underrepresented in Europe’s prevalent culture and art”. The executive director of the institute, Timea Junghaus, stated: “The European Roma Institute for arts and culture will be the venue of Roma people’s personal expression; an expression that will probably challenge prejudices and beliefs that have been held for a long time. If we think that nowadays just one of the 10 thousand works made by Roma artists in the state collections is on display in the European permanent exhibitions, this gives us an idea of how badly things need to change”.