Czech Romanies to be incited to work by campaign

A campaign called Do Something calling on Czech Romanies from socially marginalised localities to join the work process will start on Wednesday, head of the group Romea Zdenek Rysavy told CTK today.

Posters with the Czech-Romany text Udelej neco! (Ker vareso! in Romany) will be pasted up in six towns.

The posters will feature one of four well-known Romany personalities in two forms: as an unemployed and resigned person and as a successful and satisfied person.

The campaign will be launched by the Romany band Gipsy.cz with a morning seminar for children and an evening concert, Rysavy said.

The posters will show Radek Banga from Gipsy.cz, journalist Jarmila Balazova, head of the social and health affairs department in Prague 14 district David Benak and actress Denisa Demeterova.

The campaign will also be broadcast by some regional television stations and it will appear on the Internet.

"The campaign, drafted by Romea, wants to drive Romanies from the secluded localities from lethargy and depression in which they have been for years," Rysavy said.

The campaign wants to show to Romanies that they have a choice and that their fate depends on how they will challenge it.

The project was prepared along with the government Social Integration Agency that is active in 12 towns. The campaign will be launched in Brno, Breclav, South Bohemia, Prague, Prerov, South Moravia, Most, North Bohemia and Usti nad Labem, North Bohemia.