A small town in the centre of Slovakia has a few prominent Roma. Ian Cibula, a doctor, was born there and then moved to Switzerland, where he was instrumental in the creation of the International Romani Union.

Ján Déme is a successful eye surgeon today, but the path to his dream as a Roma boy was not always easy. Some people still don’t want to believe that their top surgeon is a Roma man.

Other famous native from this town are for example the “Klenovský Oskar Schindler” Karol Paje who joined the French resistance during World War Two. He built a centre for the rescue of women and children from several countries with Czech professor Josef Fischer in the town of Vence. Helping rescue over five hundred children, and finally tragically died at the age of 25 in the fight against the fascists.

• Ľudia občas neveria, že Róm je očným chirurgom. Lekár Ján z Klenovca má pre rómske deti dôležitý odkaz. In: Dobre Noviny. 14.01.2025. https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/220581/ludia-obcas-neveria-ze-ich-chirurgom-je-rom-lekar-jan-z-klenovca-ma-pre-romske-deti-dolezity-odkaz
• Obec plná príbehov: V Klenovci zakopávate o klenoty na každom kroku. In: Život. 13.01.2025. https://zivot.pluska.sk/reportaze/obec-plna-pribehov-v-klenovci-zakopavate-o-klenoty-na-kazdom-kroku/5