Tag Archives: Activist

Germany News Western Europe

Reimar Gilsenbach

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Reimar Gilsenbach

One of the earliest activists who fought for the recognition of the Genocide of the Roma was born 100 years ago.

In early 1965, the popular Eastern German (GDR) newspaper Wochenpost published a letter from a Sintiza from Leipzig. In it, she described the persecution during the Nazi era, but also the discrimination in the GDR. “They see us as idlers, call us scumbags […] But no one considers that we too suffered bitter hardship, that the earth at Auschwitz and other camps was stained red with our blood. […] I would be grateful for an article.”

The editor who received these letters was Reimar Gilsenbach. He researched, found other Sinti, and wrote an article – which, however, was never published. In it, he mentioned the Marzahn forced labour camp for the first time. In connection with the preparations for the 1936 Olympic Games, police units interned Sinti and Roma there.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Pavel “Sliško” Krtek

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Pavel “Sliško” Krtek

The Roma activist Pavel Sliško Krtek died at 51 and was buried on August 27.

May he rest in peace, and te ovel i phuv lokhi.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Pavel Sliško

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Pavel Sliško

On August 21, 2025, at the age of 51, Romani activist, proud Romani and good person Pavel Sliško, whom we all knew as Pavel Krtek, left us forever. His passing saddened not only the Romani community in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but also everyone who knew him.

May he rest in peace. Te ovel I phuv loki.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe Slovakia

A good story?

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A good story?

Martin Halík, a successful IT worker, left all behind an moved to a Roma settlement in Gemer. He does concrete help, charity, but also is a priest and as such also preaches.

Nice intentions, one needs to understand more.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Stolipinovo: Cleanup

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Stolipinovo: Cleanup

Georgi Kochev and Sasho Chirkov – two young representatives of the Roma community – organized a campaign to clean up the Plovdiv Roma neighbourhood of Stolipinovo on July 5, The initiative was open to anyone who wanted to get involved in creating a cleaner and more welcoming urban environment.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Obituaries in Serbia

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Obituaries in Serbia

Several articles on Dragoljub Asković in the Serbian press.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

In Memoriam

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In Memoriam

Dragoljub Asković, a prominent Serbian Romano intellectual, writer and researcher of Romani history, has died at the age of 72. He was the founder of the Museum of Romani Culture in Belgrade, president of the World Parliament of the Roma and the author of a number of studies on the suffering of the Roma during

He was born on November 23, 1952 in Osipaonica near Smederevo, Serbia. He studied at the gymnasium in Smederevske Palanka and then graduated from the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade and the Department of Ethnology at the Faculty of Philosophy. He completed his postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Law in Belgrade and received his doctorate from the UN Peacekeeping Faculty.

May he rest in peace. Te ovel I phuv loki!

Italy News Asia News Western Europe

Everest …

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Everest …

Gennaro Spinelli, an Italian Roma activist and artist, raised the Romani flag at the base camp of the Everest on April 30th. He gave an interview to Romea.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Kamiben

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Kamiben

She is known on social networks as Kamiben, but her real name is Lana. The twenty-eight-year-old Slovak with Romane roots, a native of eastern Slovakia, has loved art since childhood and wanted to create in a way that would give human meaning and help others. But most importantly, without prejudice.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Marija Aleksandrović

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Marija Aleksandrović

Marija Aleksandrović, a famous Romani activist passed away unexpectedly on April 8th.

Through her pioneering work on the standardization of the Romani language and the introduction of teaching in the Romani language and culture, she enabled young Roma men and women to proudly accept and cherish their language, making it not only academic but also socially important, alive.

May she rest in peace.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Charter 77 Award

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Charter 77 Award

The František Kriegl Award of the Czech Charter 77 Foundation for Civic Courage was awarded this year to Romani activist and social worker Elena Gorolová. The jury honoured her for her personal and professional contribution to the fight for compensation for victims of illegal and secret sterilizations. It particularly highlighted her long-term efforts and the courage with which she raised the topic, as well as her subsequent fight for compensation for victims of illegal actions by state healthcare facilities.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Interview

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Slovakia: Interview

An interview with Lana Gazov, an activist who created founded the Kamiben profile, which connects Roma and non-Roma about the belief in Slovakia, that social benefits are tilted towards Roma and about her life as a Romni in Slovakia and abroad.

News Eastern Europe Poland

Poland: Edward Dębicki

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Poland: Edward Dębicki

Fr. Stanisław Opocki, the National Roma Chaplain, prayed on March 6 for the Gypsy artist, Honorary Citizen of Gorzów Wielkopolski Edward Dębicki on his 90th birthday. The Jubilarian and his wife Ewa also participated in the Holy Mass celebrated in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Edward Dębicki, a Roma activist is well known in Poland and beyond.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Reportage on Tomáš Csics

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Reportage on Tomáš Csics

He is a Rom, an engineer, and an activist and influencer followed by thousands of people. At school, he was always reminded that he was just a gypsy. “Don’t go to college, Roma will only be hired for lower jobs anyway.” These are the words that begin one of the videos posted on. On social media, he proves with his story that Roma do not have to end up in factories for the lower grades, but can have big dreams and ambitions, just like he had. He achieved success despite growing up in poverty and encountering those who didn’t wish him well along the way.

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