Category Archives: News Western Europe

Italy News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

I Matter

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I Matter

“I Matter,” the debut feature film by director Alina Șerban, premiered on September 8 at the Venice International Film Festival in the Venice Spotlight section, making her the first Roma female director in the festival’s official selection.

The film follows Rebeca, a young Roma woman preparing to leave her care center, hoping to find stability through her father’s release from prison, but faces challenges in her transition to independent life.

The film, a Romania-Germany-Belgium co-production, will be released in Romanian cinemas in February 2027 and is also competing for the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut and the Audience Award in the Venice Spotlight section.

Austria News Western Europe

Travellers and Religion

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Travellers and Religion

Over 200 caravans are gathered in Ried im Innkreis, Austria, for a summer holiday organized by the free Christian church association Jeschua, attracting travelers from various German states.

The two-week event, themed “Traveling with God,” includes daily worship services in a large tent church, fostering a sense of community among participants, many of whom have roots in Austria or Germany.

Pastor Karl Schmidt highlights the challenges of discrimination faced by the Sinti and Roma communities, while emphasizing the importance of understanding individual groups rather than generalizing based on negative stereotypes.

Germany News Western Europe

Romanity

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Romanity

Renate Bürner interviews Radoslav Ganev, a founder of the Romanity association, discussing the organization’s concerns and projects.

The conversation focuses on raising awareness about the prejudices and images surrounding the 600-year history of Sinti and Roma in Germany and other countries, which continue to lead to discrimination and violence.

The discussion also addresses the need for a proper remembrance culture of the genocide and the societal and cultural contributions of the Sinti and Roma.

Germany News Western Europe

Reactions to the AfD win in Germany

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Reactions to the AfD win in Germany

Politicians from Baden-Württemberg view the AfD’s electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt as a significant shift, with concerns about its implications for democracy and governance in Germany.

The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma expresses fears of a resurgence of nationalism and a threat to democracy, linking the AfD’s rise to historical minimization of the Nazi era.

Austria News Western Europe

Coexistence

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Coexistence

Austrian Minister for integration Claudia Bauer presented a new survey on coexistence in Austria, which has been criticized for questionable methods and results.

The online survey was conducted by pollster Peter Hajek and social scientist Rudolf Bretschneider for the Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF).

What is controversial? Well, that only 11% of respondents declared having a migration background, whereas in Austria, this is closer to 29%. But the article presents one of the best critique about the question “who can be my neighbour”. The journalist notes that actually what is missing are “racists”, “nazis” and other “extrem-right” …

Well spotted.

Germany News Western Europe

AfD and Minorities

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AfD and Minorities

The director of ERIAC, Anna Mirga-Kruszelnicka, warns that the recent election victory of the far-right AfD in Saxony-Anhalt signifies the normalization of racism in Germany, particularly against Roma.

She highlights the historical targeting of Roma, referencing the Nazi era, and notes that the AfD’s use of derogatory terms like ‘Zigeuner’ reflects a growing anti-Roma sentiment.

Mirga-Kruszelnicka expresses concern over the AfD’s nativist agenda and the potential for increased discrimination and deportation of Roma, despite many having deep roots in Germany.

Italy News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Romania

Alina Şerban

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Alina Şerban

Alina Șerban, acclaimed for her role in ‘Housekeeping for Beginners’, returns to the Venice Film Festival as a director and screenwriter with her debut feature ‘Eu contez (I Matter)’, premiering on September 8.

The film, a Romanian-German-Belgian co-production, tells the story of a Roma teenager preparing to leave a care center, highlighting underrepresented narratives in cinema.

‘Eu contez’ competes for the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut and the Audience Award, featuring a cast that includes Denisa Farcaș and Sorin Mihai.

Greece News Western Europe

Thessaly and Roma

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Thessaly and Roma

The Meeting of the Roma Federation of Thessaly with the Deputy Regional Governor Andriana Komitsa focused on initiatives by the Thessaly Region to support vulnerable social groups, particularly the Roma community, addressing issues like education, health, and employment.

Emphasis was placed on targeted interventions tailored to local Roma community needs, combating social exclusion, and improving access to services.

The discussion included the importance of ongoing communication and collaboration between the Thessaly Region and the Roma Federation to enhance the living conditions of Roma families.

Denmark Europe News Western Europe

Omacom and Omarchy

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Omacom and Omarchy

Danish entrepreneur David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH), creator of Ruby on Rails, founder of Omarchy and CTO of 37Signals, faced backlash for comparing Roma to ‘wolves’ and advocating for their deportation in a blog post, which has sparked controversy around his company 1Password’s support for the Omacom Foundation.

1Password and 37signals are investing $300,000 each into the Omacom Foundation which supports Omarchy, but this decision has led to criticism from clients and employees, with some users threatening to leave the service.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Appart form the many articles on Toni Gatlif about which we reported separatedly, the news in France are more of the usual. Politics in Nantes after the expulsion of a camps in the East of the city, and a large camp near Paris being closed, leaving, according to the press a large amount of garbage.

Greece News Western Europe

Thessaloniki Exhibition

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Thessaloniki Exhibition

ThePressProject and the Islahane Cultural Center in Thessaloniki will host a photography exhibition titled “The 12 Million We Ignore” from September 14-18, focusing on the lives and rights of Roma and Travellers in Europe.

The exhibition will feature photographs and testimonies collected over a year, highlighting issues such as forced sterilizations, segregation in schools, and institutional neglect faced by these communities.

The opening on September 15 will include discussions with Roma community members and a performance by a youth percussion band, aiming to raise awareness and promote equality.

Greece News Western Europe

Crete and Roma

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Crete and Roma

The Pan-Cretan Association of Greek Roma Citizens is seeking legal action following a leptospirosis incident involving an 11-year-old girl living in a Roma settlement in Heraklion.

The association’s president described the living conditions in the settlement as a serious public health issue, urging local authorities to take immediate action to improve sanitation and protect residents.

The municipality claims that cleaning crews work almost daily in the area, but face challenges due to improper waste disposal by residents, complicating sanitation efforts.

Germany News Western Europe

ERIAC and Racism

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ERIAC and Racism

In view of tomorrow’s elections in Saxony-Anhalt, were the AfD has a fair chance of ruling the region, ERIAC has a strong message on fascism and racism…

France News Western Europe

Homage to Toni Gatlif

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Homage to Toni Gatlif

Many articles on Toni Gatlif, a French director known for his films celebrating Roma culture, who passed away at 77 due to health issues while working on a film in France.

His notable works include ‘Latcho Drom’ and ‘Gadjo Dilo’, both of which received critical acclaim and awards.

Gatlif, born in Algeria, had a complex background and was recognized for his unique storytelling that highlighted themes of music, movement, and exile.

France News Western Europe

Toni Gatlif

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Toni Gatlif

Filmmaker Tony Gatlif, a champion of Roma culture with some twenty films to his credit – including Gadjo Dilo – died on Wednesday at the age of 77, his family announced to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday, September 4. The director died in Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône) from health problems while working on a historical film project.

Te avel i phuv lokhi!

Austria News Western Europe

Mariazell

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Mariazell

The Roma and Sinti have a long-standing tradition of pilgrimage to Mariazell, which was interrupted by the Nazis in 1938 but has been revived since 1996, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

The pilgrimage serves as a cultural expression for the Roma community, featuring a bilingual mass in German and Burgenlandromani, promoting inclusion for both Roma and non-Roma participants.

Youth involvement is significant, with Roma children and teenagers contributing to the event, and this year’s theme focused on peace in light of current international events.

Greece News Western Europe

Greek Editorial …

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Greek Editorial …

In a reputed Greek newspaper, I Kathimerini, a Journalist, Takis Theodoropoulos went on rampage. He says tht the integration fo Roma in Greece has failed (there, he is not wrong), but makes statements such as”

“As is known, the Roma, unlike all other Greeks, are subsidized to send their children to school and most of them, when their parents receive the amount, disappear.”

He claims the generosity of the state is due to upcoming elections, and also speaks about criminality:

‘I am not just referring to uncontrolled delinquency, carrying weapons or stealing copper.”

All in all, appart from lamenting the lack of integration, he puts implicitly all the fault on Roma themselves.

A bit easy…

Η αποτυχημένη ένταξη των Ρομά. In: I Kathimerini. 28.07.2026. https://www.kathimerini.gr/opinion/564369919/i-apotychimeni-entaxi-ton-roma/

Germany News Western Europe

45 Years Ago

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45 Years Ago

On September 1, 1981, a group of Sinti gathered at the University of Tübingen to reclaim documents related to the Nazi persecution of their community, including photographs and records from the ‘Racial Hygiene Research Center’.

The term “Zigeuner” (Gypsy) is historically loaded and considered derogatory; the article uses “Z*” to avoid perpetuating this stigma while discussing the historical context of the genocide known as Porajmos.

The involvement of scientists in legitimizing the persecution of Sinti and Roma is highlighted, with calls for recognition and justice continuing to this day, as the community seeks to reclaim their narrative and history.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and AfD

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Germany and AfD

What do you expect from AfD: Simply, racist statements.

The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma has filed a criminal complaint against Tino Chrupalla, the leader of the AfD party, accusing him of incitement and insult during a campaign event in Grimmen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Chrupalla allegedly suggested that weapons found in a forest near Berlin were likely lost by ‘Gypsies’ while mushroom picking, which was met with applause and laughter from the audience.

The council expressed shock that, 81 years after Auschwitz, a far-right party is using cynical rhetoric against Sinti and Roma, which they claim promotes fear and hatred towards minorities.

Chrupalla defended his comments, stating he did not intend to offend the Sinti and Roma communities, despite receiving applause for his remarks linking them to a recent weapons find in Berlin.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

The usual, unfortunately, this week in France. Fires in Roma slums in Nantes, one of which burnt several appartments; an eviction of a squatt in Marseilles; a huge dump is left after an eviction near Paris, as usual it is not said it is the Roma or simply opportunistic; and a Ceja Stoika exhibition…

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