Category Archives: Czech Republic

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Social Inclusion in Czechia

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Social Inclusion in Czechia

The Ministry of Regional Development is preparing organizational changes that, according to information from the Seznam Zprávy server, could actually mean the end of the Social Inclusion Agency. Since 2008, it has been helping municipalities solve problems in socially excluded localities.

According to information from Seznam Zpráv, the current Department of Social Inclusion is to be merged with the Department of Housing Policy. In practice, this could mean a fundamental limitation of the activities of the Agency for Social Inclusion, which currently employs around a hundred employees and operates directly in the regions, where it helps municipalities prevent social exclusion.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Memorial Service

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Memorial Service

ROMEA TV broadcasted a live coverage of a memorial service in Prague’s Ruzyne on Tuesday, March 10, at 3 p.m., commemorating the Roma and Sinti Holocaust victims. The memorial service took place at the former forced labor camp, from where Roma and Sinti were deported to the Auschwitz II – Birkenau extermination camp in March 1943.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Movies and Roma

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Movies and Roma

An interview with Nick Ferenc, a Romano actor. On social media, he breaks down prejudices and humorously breaks down stereotypes that he himself struggles with. In the podcast Hlas Heroine, he describes how difficult it is for a Romani actor to break free from pre-given expectations and not just play flat caricatures. For example, he sees a positive change in his role in the upcoming series from the creators of the hit Most!, where he plays a prisoner. “It was important to me that I didn’t play ‘Roma’.

As he himself says, even top screenwriters can throw away their talent and write a flat caricature when writing Romani roles.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Romano Vod’i

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Romano Vod’i

Rehearsals for the Romano voďi (Roma Soul) singing group take place regularly every Tuesday. For the children, it is a fixed point in the week that they look forward to. “We rehearse in the facilities of the Mutual Coexistence organization on Bieblová Street in Ostrava,” says Milan Giovanni Bindatsch. However, it is not just about “singing”. According to him, the key is to work systematically and sensitively. “It’s not just about singing itself, but mainly about working with the voice and listening to others so that the children sing in harmony with each other and don’t shout at each other,” says Bindatsch.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Roma and Czech Politics

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Roma and Czech Politics

Romani activist and founder of Ara Art association David Tišer announced at the beginning of this year that he will leave the Council of the Czech Republic because of the issues of the Romani minority. That fulfills the function of the advisory body of the state. Tišer made his decision based on the fact that he was reacting to the development of the political environment in the Czech Republic. “Okamura and Turek are not among the people I can trust, who will push the Roma issue forward,” he explains in an interview.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Halgata

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Halgata

Long and sad Roma songs that sing about losses, poverty and injustices – the so-called halgáta. This musical tradition, which is passed down from generation to generation among the Roma, could gain official recognition. Dozens of people, including researchers and members of the Roma community, are trying to register halgáta on the national cultural heritage list.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Ida Kelarova

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Ida Kelarova

At the end of last year, a new children’s choir was created in Ostrava, which arose from the efforts of singer and choirmaster Ida Kelarová to find new talents for her ensemble known as Čhavorenge (Romani for “Child”). The children who did not succeed in the audition wanted to continue singing together, and so, thanks to cooperation with local organizations Vzájemné soužití, Ostravská nota, Velká náruč and with Milan Bindatsch from the Ibsenova Elementary School, a new ensemble was born. Its creation brought with it an unexpected effect among the residents of excluded localities – a strong emancipatory and activating effect.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Halgato

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Halgato

The specific Romani musical genre halgató, characterized by long and sad songs, could receive official recognition and be included on the list of intangible cultural heritage. Now, the bearers of the tradition are striving for this together with experts, according to whom it is an important living part of the Roma identity, which is passed down between generations, and should also have its place on the UNESCO list.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Romane Gilja

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Romane Gilja

Singing out of suffering. Romani halgató singing is passed down through generations, it is important for the community and identity

Romani halgató singing is a specific musical genre. It is characterized by long, sad songs, usually accompanied by light guitar or violin accompaniment. The musical tradition could gain official recognition. Dozens of people and bearers of this tradition, including researchers and members of the Romani community, are seeking to have the halgató genre listed on the national list of intangible cultural heritage.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Funeral of Ladislav Goral

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Funeral of Ladislav Goral

The longtime Roma activist Ladislav Gorav’s funeral took place in Prague today.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Ladislav Goral

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Ladislav Goral

Ladislav Goral, an important figure in the Czech Roma movement, has passed away at the age of 86. Hew was born in Slovakia but move after the war to Czech lands. As an actor, activist, he made a huge impact on the Roma movement in Czechia.

May he rest in peace. Te avel i phuv lokhi.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Memorial Space

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Memorial Space

Descendants of survivors of the Genocide of the Roma in the Czech Republic expressed reservations in a joint statement about how memorialisation is handled in Czechia. First and foremose, the use of “Gypy” camp insetad of concentration camp, but they mentioned other issues such as the lack of consultation with the families of survivors and the used and choice of vicual materials.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Racism and Football

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Racism and Football

Last November, young footballers from Jihlava, Czechia, had to listen to racist insults on a train from Děčín. The event also angered President Petr Pavel at the time. The Jihlava club Mongaguá is now reporting another unpleasant experience, this time directly from the Jihlava square.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Systemic Racism

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Systemic Racism

A new report finds systemic racism against Roma in the Czewch Republic. Not suprising, but sad.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Schools and Disadvantaged Students

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Schools and Disadvantaged Students

An article about the fact that there are gifted children among Roma … Clearly so, but not for everybody. Statistics and new studies show that there are thoughtful and bright children among them, but as a society we have great reserves in recognizing and supporting them.

“In segregated schools, talent is usually not talked about, and if it is, it is in the context of artistic or sports talent. Roma children are good at boxing, music and dance, but not at mathematics,” describes Karel Gargulák from the research company PAQ Research, how Czech society is used to thinking about certain groups of the population. “

Segregation is bad, just think of the USA …

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Prejudice

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Prejudice

An interview with Sára Kaplanová on prejudice, her job as a nurse, and on her social media presence.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Antonín Běla

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Antonín Běla

The 1990s were wild. No exaggeration. The old order fell, the new was just being born, and in between, there was room for people who were not afraid to do things a little differently, so to speak. One of the most prominent figures in the underworld of that time was Antonín Běla. A man who, according to experts, was not exactly the smartest, but in reality he didn’t particularly mind. He had a “knack for people” and was able to build an empire around himself that other gangsters could only dream of.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe Serbia Slovakia

Milena Hübschmanova

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Milena Hübschmanova

A radio show in Serbia presenting the work of the prominent Czech linguist and ethnographer Milena Hübschmanova, a pioneer in the research of the Romani language and culture. She was among the first to lay the foundations of Romani studies in the then Czechoslovakia and one of the few who dedicated her life to the study and preservation of the Romani language, recording folk tales, songs and life testimonies of the Roma. Her work was of enormous importance for the affirmation of Romani identity and education, and her studies continue to serve as the basis for contemporary research on the Roma in Europe.

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