An article about Vlach Roma (called Olah in Slovakia) and their lavish customs for weddings. It is bad on both sides, the press dwelling on stereotypes, and Roma just showing off.
The theater group Ara Art decided to help women who were victims of involuntary illegal sterilizations in the past. Their new project combines a theatrical production, an information campaign and personal support for compensation claims.
The law on the provision of a one-time financial sum to persons sterilized in violation of the law entered into force at the beginning of 2022. Since then, over 500 women, mainly of Roma origin, have received compensation. “Hundreds more have submitted applications that have not yet been approved, and many other women do not know how to deal with the administrative process or do not trust it,” said the Ara Art organization in a press release sent to the Romea.cz news site.
The Roma culture festival Ara Fest has become a tradition in recent years. Since its inception in 2017, however, it has grown considerably – not only in terms of the program, but also in terms of the number of cities where it takes place.
This year, for the first time, Ara Fest will take place in four Czech cities. The festival “string” will begin in Pilsen, where the program is divided into three days from July 4 to 6. It will continue from 17 to 19 July in Brno, from 22 to 24 August it will delight the residents of Ostrava, and in Jablonec nad Nisou from 6 to 7 September.
Two articles in the Bulgarian media about the introduction of Romanes in Google translate. “I’m looking for a job” or “Rodav buti” – so everyone with Romani language can now help themselves with Google translator.
“This is a recognition, a sense of self-confidence for the Roma, that their language is important, that the language is part of the culture, part of the worldview, and that they are on equal footing with other peoples,” says Ognyan Isaev from the “Trust for a Social Alternative” foundation.
Lego published a set titled: Cigánytelep. This means Roma settlement, the settlements where Roma were forced to live outside the villages.
And this set is pretty much racist, showing all stereotypes that one can imagine.
Write to LEGO.
Lucie Fuková, government commissioner for Roma minority affairs, speaks about the new call for project entitled PRO-ROMA, launched by the Operational Program Jan Amos Komenský (OP JAK), which has earmarked 300 mio Czech Crowns towards education projects.
Applicants from Roma and pro-Roma organizations will be able to draw funds to support informal education, cooperation with parents or the public.
Erik Tomáš, the current Slovak Minister of Labour introduced new laws aimed at cutting benefits to unemployed and reducing the social contributions. He basically wants those who hate Roma to applaud him.
The numbers have remained fairly stable, and it is not just Roma who receive social contrinbutions…
North Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, in his role as co-chair of the Berlin Process, delivered the opening speech of the ministerial meeting dedicated to Roma integration hosted in Tirana, Albania. He said that “Roma are an integral part of our societies. Without any excuses, we must take concrete political and legal measures to increase their involvement in all social events. Integration with the EU is a common path and the Roma cannot be left aside. As countries aspiring to EU membership, we must demonstrate an effective regional concept of Roma integration, with visible progress in the areas of education, employment, health and housing for Roma.”
On Slovak TV, they are wondering why Slovak Roma in Belgium all work, whereas in Slovakia, this is not the case.
Well, it has to do with the prejudices of the employers …
“Everyone who can work should work.” The Minister of Labour Erik Tomáš (Voice) began Tuesday’s press conference with these words, which was aimed at reducing unemployment and specifically affects unemployed citizens abusing the system. Here, unanimously, read “Roma”.
“If an unemployed person rejects a job offer, the financial need benefit will be taken away or reduced,” he said, adding that this should work in the case of adequate offers that are appropriate to the abilities of the citizen in question. He added that it already works similarly in the case of works in the public interest.
Well, when you come from a Roma settlement, you will not get employed. So what else did they decide, very much like in Hungary, some local work for the communes (not paid to market prices). If it turns out like in Hungary, you get 19th century work with the very same results …
An article about the art of Małgorzata Mirga-Tas.
Two articles about Google Translate introducing Romanes.
On July 13 and 14, the eighth annual international Roma festival called Amaro Fest 2024 – open air gipsy festival – will be held in the Nitra amphitheater in Central Slovakia. As the organizers from the civic association Roma Art Agency stated, the goal of the event is to promote and develop Roma culture. The role of the festival is also to support Roma identity and contribute to the social and cultural inclusion of Roma.
The Roma festival was recently held in Karviná. Temperamental rhythmic music sounded in the summer cinema area all Saturday afternoon and evening. Various ensembles from the Czech Republic and Slovakia alternated on stage, creating a great atmosphere for all visitors.
Nice to see that google translate allows for translations in Romanes. It definitively has a bias towards Vlach Romanes, which is not the most common Romanes, but this is a good start! The choices of words on World, to think, and a few others show this bias, but on the other hand, they still use the old Romanes for “life”, which is not Vlach.
Wonder how this was compiled…
Romanes is finally in Google Translate: The biggest language expansion in history! Google added 110 new languages.
An interview with the Romano pianist and composer Tomáš Kačo. He is now well established in many countries of the world after his studies at the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston. After fulfilling his dream – concerts in the Rudolfinum and Carnegie Hall – he has other goals ahead of him and he wants to be a role model for Roma.
Some Roma communities in Slovakia were placed in absolute isolation during the Covid 19 pandemic, which nowadays thought to have been an overly restrictive measure which possibly violated the basic human rights of the inhabitants of the affected Roma communities.
Roma students of secondary and higher professional schools as well as university students can apply for a scholarship from the ROMEA organization for the school and academic year 2024/2025 from Monday 17 June to Monday 22 July. The scholarship program of the ROMEA organization was launched in 2016, and since then a total of 605 scholarships worth 10.025 million crowns have been distributed to 301 students. ROMEA will support 20 more students this year than last year. A total of one hundred Roma students will be able to receive a scholarship.
Due to the presence of s few Roma beggars from Bulgaria in Bern, members of the police in charge of foreigners went to Burgas, Bulgaria, together with journalists from the Tages-Anzeiger.
They do report on the poverty, precarity, and dreadful living conditions, but also speak (rather lest someone speak) about Roma chiefs, who, when owed money that is not repaid, “forces” people to work, “for example as a beggar” in Switzerland. They also say that begging is an important source of income.
Not when the average income of a beggar is less than 20 francs. There are other means that are way more lucrative.
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