A representation today in North Macedonia.
Bible in Romanes
The world’s first complete Bible in the Romani Carpathian dialect was presented on Sunday in Sabinov, Slovakia. Dozens of people worked on the translation for a total of 15 years. TASR was informed about this by Patrik Sýkora from The Word For The World organization.
- V Sabinove predstavili prvú Bibliu v rómskom karpatskom dialekte. In: Teraz. 10.12.2023. https://www.teraz.sk/regiony/v-sabinove-predstavili-prvu-bibliu-v-r/760385-clanok.html
Austria: 30 Years
30 years ago, Austria recognised Roma as a national minority. In this context, Music and Minorities Research Center in Vienna featured the 2023 MMRC Lecture “amenca ketane. Histories of Trauma, Music and Romani Empowerment”.
Also, an evening on December 16th.
- MMRC Lecture (2023). In: MDW. https://mdw.vhx.tv/videos/mmrc-lecture-2023
- 30 jahre Anerkennung Roma. In: Falter. https://www.falter.at/event/997054/30-jahre-anerkennung-roma
Slovakia, Health, and Roma
An article in the Slovak press that says more than it intends: A Romani grandmother saved a new-born in a Roma settlement in Slovakia, even though she has not medical education. Fact is, if you live in a Roma settlement in Slovakia, you can write off health case, and no doctor or ambulance will go there.
- Rómska babica Helenka v chatrči zachránila novorodeniatko: Ľudia z chudoby potrebujú veľkú pomoc. In: Dobré Noviny. 08.12.2023. https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/214502/romska-babica-helenka-v-chatrci-zachranila-novorodeniatko-ludia-z-chudoby-potrebuju-velku-pomoc
Slovakia: Documentary
Director Peter Záchenský made a documentary on the small village Bôrka, about 20 km from Rožňava (Slovakia). Similar to elsewhere – Slovaks, Hungarians, Roma together on a small piece of land, mostly out of work. He explores and portrays the situation from several angles.
- Rómovia, vzdor bezbranných. In: RTVS. 08.12.2023. https://www.rtvs.sk/televizia/program/12100/438583?a210_path=televizia%2Fprogram
Slovenia: Kamav Tu(t)
In the novel Kamav tu [I love you], Rudi Mlinar opens up a problematic topic. Namely, “Shakespearean” love finding itself in the grip of ethnic stereotypes. The feelings that develop between the Roma boy Zoran and the girl of Slovenian roots, Milena, regardless of society’s prejudices, become not only forbidden, but even persecuted. Milena’s parents move to Australia with their daughter, but their escape does not erase the mutual affection between the two young people. This blossoms again when Milena returns to Slovenia to study and meets Zoran again completely by chance. With this, the young couple become unwanted again.
The writer Rudi Mlinar, born in Dolgi Brdy nad Prevalje, was educated in Carinthia, and later worked at the Ravne Ironworks and at the railway station in Ljubljana. He was also culturally involved all the time. For his literary work, he was chosen among the best beginner writers in Slovenia for prose (1981) and drama (1998), and later received several other awards.
- Na hitro prelistano: Novosti na domačem knjižnem trgu. In: STA. 09.12.2023. https://misli.sta.si/3244351/na-hitro-prelistano-novosti-na-domacem-knjiznem-trgu
Pretty Loud
Another article about the Romnja ban Pretty loud, this time in the Bulgarian press. The first all-female rap group has a serious mission: to end early marriage for Roma girls. But the Pretty Loud band doesn’t stop there. Well known in the Balkans, the Serbian gang also promotes university education and social integration for members of an ethnic group that has historically been isolated. The young women of Pretty Loud have lived what they rap about. One of the singers – Zlata became a mother at 17. Diana faced discrimination at school, and Samantha was married by her father without her consent.
- Против ранните бракове: “Pretty Loud” се борят за жените от ромски произход. In: Darik News. 08.12.2023. https://dariknews.bg/novini/sviat/protiv-rannite-brakove-pretty-loud-se-boriat-za-zhenite-ot-romski-proizhod-2369033
Czech Survey
Apparently, the Czech get along best with Slovaks, then with Western Europeans and Americans, and worst towards Arabs and Afghans. What about Roma: No surprise, only 24% of the Czech would want them as neighbours.
- Česi majú najlepší vzťah k Slovákom, najhorší k Arabom, ukázal prieskum. In: Aktuality. 07.12.2023. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/ykkGxIw/cesi-maju-najlepsi-vztah-k-slovakom-najhorsi-k-arabom-ukazal-prieskum/
Slovakia, the Police, and Roma
When a Rom complains about police’s actions, the truth is difficult to uncover. In Slovakia, the police need not fear any punishment, according to Amnesty International director Rado Sloboda.
He went to a regular work dinner but ended up in handcuffs at the police station. He claims that they pressed his head against a table, beat him and kicked him. Roma activist Zoltán Sztojka draws attention to an incident at the regional police department in Trnávka, Bratislava, where, according to his own words, he was beaten. He talks about slaps, kicks and racist insults.
- Na policajnej stanici mi nadávali do špiny a parazitov, tvrdí Róm. Neprimerané použitie sily nie je ojedinelé, Ib: Aktuality. 08.12.2023. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/BLcpxai/na-policajnej-stanici-mi-nadavali-do-spiny-a-parazitov-tvrdi-rom-neprimerane-pouzitie-sily-nie-je-ojedinele/
Romnja in Poland
“Being a Roma woman is being a warrior.” Racism is everyday life for Roma. “We are independent, we are strong and we make our dreams come true” – this is how 28-year-old Olena, a lawyer from Ukraine, replied to the question about what Romani women are like. Olena is one of the 6 heroines of the second instalment of the series of portraits of Roma women prepared by the W Torona Dialogu Foundation. The goal of the campaign is clear – it’s time for Roma women to come out of the shadows and talk about themselves on their own terms and in their own words.
- “Bycie Romką to bycie wojowniczką”. Rasizm jest romską codziennością. In: Noizz. 06.12.2023.. https://noizz.pl/spoleczenstwo/bycie-romka-to-bycie-wojowniczka-rasizm-jest-romska-codziennoscia/qxc9kdp
Heidelberg: Exhibition
An exhibition on art by Roma opened in the Heidelberg town hall foyer on December 5th. It was created as part of an art support program for members of the minority. One of the artist is Natalie Tomenko shown here in front of her series of pictures “When the darkness came”.
- Die Ausstellung „Sinti und Roma – Kunst im Kontext”. In: SWR Kultur. 06.12.2023. https://www.swr.de/swr2/kunst-und-ausstellung/die-ausstellung-sinti-und-roma-kunst-im-kontext-100.html
Ukraine Ghetto
A video of a Roma ghetto in Krivoy Roz, near the Dnipropetrovsk region, at one of the largest sewage dumps.
This is bad.
- У Дніпропетровській області на одному зі сміттєзвалищ знайшли поселення ромів. In: Open TV. 06.12.2023. https://opentv.media/ua/u-dnipropetrovskij-oblasti-na-odnomu-zi-smittyezvalishh-znajshli-poselennya-romiv
Sobibor
The Museum and Memorial Site in Sobibór has been nominated for the prestigious title of European Museum of the Year 2024. The competition is organized by the European Museum Forum – an independent, non-governmental organization operating under the auspices of the Council of Europe, whose mission is to promote innovation in museology. The winners will be announced in early May 2024. The European Museum of the Year Award is considered the most important distinction for European museums.
- Muzeum w Sobiborze nominowane do prestiżowej nagrody. In: Wyborcza. 06.12.2023. https://lublin.wyborcza.pl/lublin/7,48724,30473334,muzeum-w-sobiborze-nominowane-do-prestizowej-nagrody.html
Bulgaria and Health Care
More than 200 Roma in Sliven and Tvardishko participated in talks about the benefits of preventive health examinations, the National Patient Organization reported. The campaign was carried out together with the association “Zhadda za život” under the project “Active citizens for local and national reforms in health care”. The target of the explanatory campaign are patients without health insurance and those with limited access to health care, to whom the importance of immunizations, healthy nutrition and raising children was explained.
- Над 200 души от ромски общности в Сливенско и Твърдишко са участвали в беседи за ползата от профилактичните прегледи. In: BTA. 06.12.2023. https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/bulgaria/582067-nad-200-dushi-ot-romski-obshtnosti-v-slivensko-i-tvardishko-sa-uchastvali-v-bese
Kosovo, Schengen, and Roma
The liberalisation of Schengen visas for Kosovo residents is a huge ray of hope for Roma in that country. However, there are quite a few Roma who have no identity papers in Kosovo.
- LIBÉRALISATION DES VISAS SCHENGEN AU KOSOVO (2/6) : « UNE CHANCE POUR LES ROMS, ASHKALIS ET ÉGYPTIENS » In: Le Courrier des Balkans. 01.12.2023. https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/Liberalisation-des-visas-Schengen-au-Kosovo-une-chance-pour-les-Roms-Ashkalis-et-Egyptiens
French Chronicle …
Not much of the usual camp closure and petty criminality this week, which is good. An article about a new dictionnary on Roma, an exhibition on Roma ghettoes in France, and an article about online racism.
- Dictionnaire du peuple rrom. In: Le Monde Diplomatique. 01.12.2023. https://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2023/12/DERENS/66427
- VIDEO – Christophe Fortin expose ses photos des bidonvilles de Montpellier. In: France Bleu. 01.12.2023. https://www.francebleu.fr/emissions/l-invite-du-8-9/video-christophe-fortin-expose-ses-photos-des-bidonvilles-de-montpellier-3639609
- Plus de la moitié des publications en ligne considérées comme haineuses. In Euronews. 29.11.2023. https://fr.euronews.com/next/2023/11/29/plus-de-la-moitie-des-publications-en-ligne-considerees-comme-haineuses
Slovakia, Roma, and Fashion
The former and fourth president of the Slovak Republic, Andrej Kiska, presented a fashion brand in Bratislava that changes the lives of Roma. The unique ROMADE project was created with the aim of systematically helping people from Roma communities in Slovakia. It provides them with permanent employment, regular income and professional advice. The ROMADE fashion brand is represented by original collections that were created by combining Roma culture, the talent of Slovak designers and the work of Roma.
- Štvrtý prezident Slovenskej republiky Andrej Kiska predstavil v Bratislave módnu značku, ktorá mení životy Rómov. In: Týždeň. 02.12.2023. https://www.tyzden.sk/video/103695/stvrty-prezident-slovenskej-republiky-andrej-kiska-predstavil-v-bratislave-modnu-znacku-ktora-meni-zivoty-romov-/?ref=naj#google_vignette
Barcelona and Roma
A route through Barcelona is quite different from the ones that take place in the city centre and which aim to show the beautiful side of Barcelona. Organized by EMIC Maridadges Culturals and the Catalan Institute of Anthropology (ICA), in the framework of Anthropology Week, it is called La ciutat dels oblidats. It is led by the historian Montse Solé and wants to show the city that is often not explained. In other words, visit the places where mainly the Roma population settled, and which were on the outskirts of Barcelona.
- Barraques i poble gitano: una ruta per la geografia dels oblidats. In: Linia. 29.11.2023.https://liniaxarxa.cat/a-fons/barraques-poble-gitano-ruta-geografia-oblidats/
Bayreuth and Roma
The newly created memorial for Sinti and Roma at the Protestant city cemetery in Bayreuth was inaugurated. For Bayreuth regional bishop Dorothea Greiner, it is important to come to terms with history.
- Gedenkort für Sinti und Roma in Bayreuth: “Kein Platz in unserem Land” für Antiziganismus. In: Sonntagsblatt. 01.12.2023. https://www.sonntagsblatt.de/artikel/gesellschaft/gedenkort-fuer-sinti-und-roma-bayreuth-kein-platz-unserem-land-fuer
Tajsa Award
Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, a Polish-Romani artist, has won the prestigious Tajsa Prize Cultural Heritage Prize 2023 for her significant contribution to Roma cultural heritage. The award ceremony took place on 30 November at Berlin’s Maxim Gorki Theater and was organized by the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC).
- Cena Tajsa 2023 pro Małgorzatu Mirgu-Tas: Umělkyně, která bojuje proti stereotypům. In: Romea. 01.12.2023. https://romea.cz/cz/kultura/cena-tajsa-2023-pro-malgorzatu-mirgu-tas-umelkyne-ktera-bojuje-proti-stereotypum
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