Presentation of the first study which reveals the real face of Romanian migrants in the UK
On the 10th of February the " Below the radar- Responding to the needs of less visible communities " seminar was hosted in the Houses of Commons. The seminar presented amongst other topics the Romanian community living in the UK. 
The seminar was chaired by MP Meg Hillier, junior minister in the Home Office. UK was organized by the Runnymede trust, a charity which promotes ethnic and multicultural diversity in Britain. This event belongs to a Runnymede project of community studies which aims to identify challenges and problems faced by less visible ethnic communities in Britain. Runnymede trust acts as a mediator between the Policy-makers and ethnic minorities communities.

The event presented five community studies about British Moroccans, the Nepalese in Britain, South Africans in Multi-Ethnic Britain, Thai and life in Britain and Romanian Migrants in London. The five studies raise and debate certain issues of these communities and also present the specific relation the ethnic minorities have with the civil society. Each study was presented by a representative of the community who commented and questioned issues raised by these studies.
 " Living Tran nationally- Romanians in London " study was published by the Romanian PHD student Andreea Torre, who analyzed Romanian migrants in London and the networks through which these migrants build their lives in Britain.  Torre's study torn apart the fabricated myths of the British tabloid media of the Romanian migrants, which are too often presented as being uneducated, inclined to crime and unable to integrate in the society.  Torre spent a lot of time in the London Romanian community, interviewing ordinary Romanian workers and their so called Romanian representatives. Her study astonishingly manages to capture untold truths about the Romanian community. According to the study, unlike other members of ethnic minorities, the London based Romanians live surrounded by members of family. Their small families and narrow friends' circles define the actual community which they identify themselves with. The Romanians living in London do not feel represented by the existing community NGOs and do not seek help and information from them. These associations and organizations are very much culture orientated and are aimed at the old British-Romanian Diaspora which has isolated itself from the new Romanian economic migrants. Romanian newspapers and websites, satellite programs, the few Romanian restaurants and growing number of groceries along with the churches play though an important role in the lives of the Romanian migrants in London. 
During the panel discussions the presenters and many guests raised important issues regarding discrimination, racism, domestic violence and exploitation which are faced by the members of the less visible ethnic minorities invited to participate. Trough the junior Home Office minister, Meg Hillier, but also through different delegates which were invited to participate at this seminar, the specific common arguments of the ethnic communities will be transmitted to the British policy-makers. The presenters sent across a clear message: these less visible ethnic minorities live within small communities, but they are here, in Britain, to stay for a while. As a consequence the issues they face should not remain unlooked at. It is therefore essential that the NGOs working in the voluntary sectors in the interest of these communities, informing and actively supporting the integration process of these less visible members of ethnic minority communities in the multicultural Britain can access funds and can raise governmental support.  An important highlighted issue was the urgent need of ESOL classes which must be made available for the ethnic minorities. A vital step in the integration of these migrants in the UK is learning the English language, a tool which is essential for anyone wishing to speak up for himself.  The language barrier is a great disadvantage for the members of the small ethnic minorities, as those who do not command the English language are very often easily exploited.
The representatives of the London based Romanian newspaper, Roman in UK, invited to attend the seminar saluted the commendable initiative of the Runnymede Trust, which has a great significance for the Romanian Community in the UK.  It is worthy of note that the "Below the radar: Responding to the needs of less visible ethnic communities" seminar sets the first occasion, outside the discussions held in the UK in regards to the debate of keeping the restrictions of the labour market for Romanian nationals, on which the issues of the Romanian community are presented outside the closed Romanian circles, in the British Society.
Representatives of the Romanian Embassy in London assisted at the seminar.