Category Archives: Czech Republic

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Sterilisation

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Sterilisation

Ivan Ostrochovský’s film “Only Beautiful Things to Look At” explores the historical sterilization of Romnja in 1980s Czechoslovakia through the lens of a white doctor and a Romani nurse.

The protagonist, Dr. Ingrid, initially views sterilization as optional but gradually recognizes the coercive nature of the medical practices involved, influenced by her friendship with nurse Agáta.

The film, which premiered at the Karlovy Vary festival, combines a dark visual style with a haunting score, highlighting the emotional journey of its characters amidst a backdrop of systemic eugenics

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Scholarships

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Scholarships

The ROMEA scholarship program has long helped young Roma men and women overcome financial obstacles associated with studies. In addition to scholarships, it also offers them mentoring, educational activities and the opportunity to meet other students regularly.

The annual scholarship is 15,000 crowns (620 euros) for high school students, 21,000 crowns (870 euros) for students of higher vocational schools and 26,000 crowns (1075 euros) for university students. The support is intended primarily for expenses related to studies, such as textbooks, school supplies, travel, tuition, courses or other costs that may be an obstacle for students and their families in continuing their education.

Since 2016, the program has awarded 805 scholarships worth a total of almost 14 million crowns and supported hundreds of students from all over the Czech Republic.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

ARA Fest

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ARA Fest

From Thursday, July 2 to Saturday, July 4, Pilsen will become the venue for the jubilee 10th year of the multi-genre art festival of Roma culture ARA FEST. The program will offer concerts, theater, an exhibition, community activities for children and youth and a festival tram with live music.

Czech Republic Europe News Eastern Europe

Journalism Award

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Journalism Award

The Council of Europe awarded several journalists for their ethical reporting on Roma and Travellers during a ceremony on June 18, 2026, in Strasbourg, France, coinciding with No Hate Speech Week.

Gwendolyn Albert accepted the award on behalf of Jana Baudyšová, highlighting the recognition of the entire editorial team of the magazine Romano voďi and their contributions to human rights and the Romani movement.

Other awardees included Adam Charlton, Paula Szewczyk, Višnja Višnjić Milić, and Eftychia Soufleri, with the awards emphasizing the importance of addressing prejudices and promoting dignity for the Romani community.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Lucie Fukova

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Lucie Fukova

Lucie Fuková resigned as the Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs due to disagreements over the new coordination system for the Romani agenda, which she believes undermines her ability to fulfill her vision for the role. She highlighted concerns that transferring the Romani agenda to the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry could reinforce negative stereotypes about Romani people being associated with social issues.

Fuková emphasized her achievements in fostering dialogue, combating antigypsyism, and promoting Romani participation in decision-making during her tenure, while vowing to continue advocating for Romani rights despite her resignation.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Schools and Roma

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Czech Schools and Roma

Romani children face prejudice, bullying, and violence in schools, with nearly half of teachers admitting to having negative personal feelings towards them.

A new project by IQ Roma Servis aims to empower Romani mothers to advocate for their rights and their children’s rights through community legal advisors. It operates a center in Brno for parents and children, including a preschool club that helps children transition to kindergarten and teaches them social skills. The club aims to prevent children from feeling marginalized and encourages them to communicate any discomfort to their parents.

A new project called “Aven savore džas anglal” is training Roma mothers to advocate for their rights and those of their children, with the goal of empowering them to become legal advisors in their communities.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Milena Hübschmanova

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Milena Hübschmanova

An article in the Slovak press about Milena Hübschmannová, born on June 10, 1933. She significantly influenced the lives of several generations of Roma, instilling pride in their identity and leaving a lasting impact on Czech and global culture.

She began working with Roma communities in the 1950s, encouraging written expression and supporting Roma literature through editing, translating, and publishing efforts.

Hübschmannová was instrumental in establishing Romani studies at Charles University in Prague, elevating the Romani language and culture to an academic discipline and fostering close relationships with Roma personalities.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Roma Vakeren

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Roma Vakeren

The Czech radio show “Roma vakeren” [Roma speak] talks about this year’s Khamoro World Roma Festival which revived the tradition of Roma storytelling and commemorated the legacy of the exceptional Věra Bílá. And also visit Slovakia, where the creative writing competition in the Romani language Avka, sar miri daj vakerelas / Just like my mother spoke took place.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Khamoro

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Khamoro

Storytelling, live music and shared reminiscences took visitors to Khamor back to the times when Romani families would sit together in the evenings and stories would be passed down from generation to generation. Monday’s Storytelling: Giľora program at the Kampa Community Center reminded of the ancient Romani tradition of vakeriben, i.e. storytelling that combines personal memories, humor, music and the experience of the entire community.

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Perumos

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Perumos

The Roma ensemble Perumos has won over audiences at home and abroad. “They didn’t want to let us go home in France,” the Gorols recall. “We experienced our greatest success in France. They didn’t want to let us go home,” recall the couple Kristína and Vojta Gorol, members of the legendary Roma ensemble Perumos. The ensemble was formed in 1986 and gained recognition not only in the then Czechoslovakia but also abroad. In an interview with Romea.cz, they recalled not only the successes they experienced in France, but also their emigration to Belgium and the transformation of the Perumos ensemble into the Perum group.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Scary but True

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Scary but True

In the Czech Republic during last year’s elections, a large part of the Roma population voted for Babiš and worse, for Okamura, who is openly anti-Roma (and migrants, which is ironic as he is not exactly 100% Czech, if anything like this exists).

Well, at least the recent Hungarian elections show that this can change. There, most Roma voted against Fidesz.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czechia and Roma

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Czechia and Roma

An open letter from Jana Kokyová, chair of the Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust, an association of families of Roma survivors of the Holocaust, to Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (Action of Dissatisfied Citizens – ANO) regarding the transfer of the Roma affairs agenda to the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry. According to her, the Government’s decision undermines the importance of Roma affairs at the central level.

She is right.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Khamoro

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Khamoro

More on the Khamoro Festival which started yesterday in Prague.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Nikolas Ferenc

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Nikolas Ferenc

Nikolas Ferenc, an actor and influencer who raises Roma topics on social networks, was the guest of the Klub Rádia Junior. He revealed to the moderator Eva Sinkovičová how he refutes negative prejudices.

As he is of Romani origin, he talks about Roma culture on social media and refutes prejudices. According to Nikolas, people most often think of Roma as thieves and non-workers.

“I try to work with a bit of humor, I try to explain things historically,” he says. He considers the idea that Roma don’t work to be one of the biggest lies. “If Roma didn’t work, we wouldn’t have sewage systems in Prague,” he says, adding that Roma often do jobs that others don’t want to do.

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Romani Pov

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Romani Pov

The Romani youth group PowerPeng! from Berlin meets the Romani media platform TUKE.TV from Brno. Through short films and a performance, they engage in dialogue and discuss how young Roma in Germany and the Czech Republic keep the memory of Sinti and Roma alive through their media work, how they shape resistance against the far right, and how they can maintain their place in the public consciousness.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Khamoro

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Khamoro

Roma music from different corners of the world, a theatrical story about the Romani partisan Josef Serink, a traditional procession of hundreds of Romani artists through the historical centre of Prague, and debates on topics that move society. The capital will once again transform into the centre of Romani culture in the last week of May. The largest Romani festival in the world – Khamoro – is returning to the metropolis. The twenty-eighth year will offer a total of seven concerts of various genres and about two dozen accompanying events. The festival has been organized by Slovo 21 and Studio Production Saga since 1999. This year’s event was held under the patronage of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czechia and Roma

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Czechia and Roma

The Czech government is transfering the Romani agenda from the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic to the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry. Czech Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková said that she does not yet want to give an opinion on the specific impacts this entails.

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