Author Archives: Roma Foundation

Slovenia and Roma

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Another article on the speech of the Slovene President Nataša Pirc Musar who stated that the Roma community in our country is still very neglected, without access to basic rights such as drinking water, education, social and health care.

Buchenwald Mittelbau-Dora

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At the commemoration of the liberation of the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora concentration camps this year, the focus will be on the persecution of the Sinti and Roma under National Socialism. Sinti and Roma are one of the population groups that also suffered from the racial fanaticism of the National Socialists in Thuringia, explained the Turingian Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow on Thursday.

Ukrainian Roma Refugees

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According to this article in the Bulgarian press, about half of the Roma in the Ukraine are currently refugees and about a quarter of them have a relative fighting on the front. This statement was made by Ned’s Korunovska, of the European Institute for Art and Culture.

These numbers seem somewhat stretched. We doubt that many of the Roma from Transcarpathian Ukraine and Bessarabia fled. Some did, we can testify to this. This will need to be followed up.

Slovenia and Roma

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On World Roma Day, the President of the Slovenian Republic, Nataša Pirc Musar, organised a consultation in the presidential palace attended by members of the Council of the Roma Community and councillors from municipalities where Roma have the right to elect their representatives to the municipal council.

She bemoaned the lack of access to clean water, and the fact that the health and social services have let the Roma down in many communities.

Roma in the UK

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A recent comprehensive survey highlighted the high level of racism against Roma in the UK, with up to two thirds of the Roma shaving experienced abuse or attacks.

Bad.

Roma day in Slovenia

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According to the Slovenian Ombudsman, the Constitution guarantees equality to the Roma, but in fact they are pushed away and excluded from society. The president of the Association of Roma in Slovenia, Jožek Horvat – Muc, assessed that the situation of the Roma community in Slovenia is better than in many other countries, despite this, many problems remain. Many Roma settlements are still communally unorganized, there are challenges in the education of Roma children and the employment of adult Roma. In order to improve the situation, it would be necessary to renew some measures that have proven to be outdated and ineffective in recent years, he warned.

Montenegro and Begging

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The President of the Montenegro Roma Council, Mensur Šalaj, warned that the problem of child begging is widespread throughout the country. According to the council, there are no systemic measures to fight child begging, and often only the consequences, and not the causes, of this phenomenon are dealt with.

Czech Republic: Segregation?

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Speaking to the Upper House of the Czech Parliament last week, Senator Jana Zwyrtek Hamplová called mixing Roma and non-Roma students in schools “an unworkable idea.” According to her, separate classes would give Roma children a better chance of succeeding. These remarks have aroused strong criticism in a country where school segregation largely remains and is often criticized by international institutions. Hungary was recently condemned for exactly this reason.

French Chronicle …

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Quite a few different topics this week in the French press about Roma. First, the answer of a romano writer to an article which we also published last Sunday about the place of Roma culture in museums and the creation of a museum in Southern France. The writer, Jacques Debos is quite critical. It makes for good reading and for a more differentiated view on the topic of Roma culture.

In Bordeaux, an event showcases Roma culture, with tales and music. In Montpellier, a new exhibition will show Roma history and culture.

Only more usual news is in Montpellier, a new project to help Roma children integrate the school system.

Racism in Germany

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Dosta [enough], is an antiziganism documentation centre that documents and analyses antiziganist incidents in Berlin. In the past two years, the reporting office has documented a total of 372 incidents – the highest number of cases since the start of the project. The number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher.

In one such case, a woman reported that an examiner from the job centre asked why her child was not in school. When she answered that he is ill, he shouted out loud: “Children have to go to school here, otherwise you will all be sent back to Romania on the bus.”

Roma in Serbia

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It is difficult to accept one’s Roma identity. All nations in Europe have a majority population, but Roma are a minority in all European countries. That they are the same and yet different is a realization that Roma arrive to very early.

Bojan Branković (34) tells DW that as a child from a mixed marriage, he grew up in a small community, in Trstenik. He experienced discrimination for the first time at school: “Given that I am a child of different cultures, there was prejudice in my primary school, at the expense of my mother, who is a Romni.”

Roma Days of Culture

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With the traditional greeting “Bibijako sastipe” (To the health of Auntie), the Days of Roma Culture began in Čačak, Serbia. These culture days will last from April 7 to 12,.

Bibija, Romani patron saint, healer and not yet canonized saint, is celebrated among Roma of the Orthodox faith. This celebration has been included in the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Serbia since 2019.

This year, Bibija will be commemorated in Čačak with a special program organized by Roma associations. The following will be organized: an exhibition, a traditional meal, performances by cultural and artistic societies and dance groups, film screenings and concerts by the bands Kal and Pretty Loud.

Romnja

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The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), ahead of International Roma Day on 8 April, said that more needs to be done to combat racism and discrimination and to protect Romnja.

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