Culture

Belgian edition of TV competition "The Voice" won by 13-year-old Romani girl from Slovakia

30.6.2017 7:50 The most recent season of the Belgian branch of the music show "The Voice Kids 2017" has been won by 13-year-old Katarina Pohlodková, whose parents are originally from Slovakia. She fought her way through to the final round with the song "She Believes in Me", originally performed by the Belgian singer André Hazes, which was a mega-hit as "Empire State of Mind" by Alicia Keys.  full story

videoTimea Junghaus for Romea.cz: Romani artists have the potential to create an innovative Romani identity

28.6.2017 10:30 At the beginning of June the grand opening of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) was held in Berlin. News server Romea.cz broadcast the press conference live and filmed this brief interview with its Executive Director, the historian Timea Junghaus, who has aided with the creation of the institute, among other matters.  full story

Romani musician Ida Kelarová to present young Romani musicians she has coached in concert Friday with the Czech Philharmonic

27.6.2017 7:21 This Friday, 30 June, at 19:00 the Great Hall at the Museum in Chrudim, Czech Republic, will resound with a grand concert performance by the Czech Philharmonic and 120
Romani children under the direction of the Romani musician Ida Kelarová. On Saturday, 1 July, the children will perform in the Social Hall of the M-KLUB in the town of Vysoké Mýto.  full story

Vicente Rodriguez Speaks About His Vision for the Romani People

26.6.2017 23:40 On 8 June, during the launch of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) in Berlin, the Huffington Post met with activist Vicente Rodríguez, the Romani organizer of the RomaPop alliance. Rodríguez discussed his mission to have Romani people portrayed in a positive light in popular culture.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani people discuss whether the approach of Afrofuturism could empower them

23.6.2017 7:22 On Friday, 16 June, the Romafuturismo Library hosted a discussion at the Tranzitdisplay Gallery about Afrofuturism and how it could relate to Romani people. The discussion began with a Skype conversation with writer and director Ytasha L. Womack, who talked about her film, "A Love Letter to the Ancestors from Chicago", and her book, "Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture".  full story

UK: Residents in Dorset Band Together to Celebrate Romani Heritage

16.6.2017 12:15 This past Saturday 10 June, the South West Dorset Multicultural Network and Kushti Bok hosted a celebration of Romani people and Travellers in the UK. The event was created in honor of Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month and took place in Dorchester’s Borough Gardens.  full story

Thorbjorn Jagland Explains How Roma Empowerment Can Educate Us

12.6.2017 23:50 Speaking on 8 June 2017 in Berlin, Council fo Europe Secretary General Jagland expressed his support for the launch of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC). The Council of Europe views ERIAC as an independent organization through which the Roma can express their cultural achievements throughout history amidst the continual prejudice directed against them.   full story

George Soros Explains How Negative Stereotypes Against the Roma Affect Us All

12.6.2017 17:30 Speaking in Berlin on 8 June 2017, George Soros had several remarks for the opening of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC). The institute strives to help enable the Roma to become the primary advocates of their own futures.  full story

Zeljko Jovanovic: ERIAC Empowers the Roma to Share Their Legacy

12.6.2017 16:50 In Berlin on 8 June 2017, Zeljko Jovanovic, Chair of the Board of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture, welcomed the launch of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC). ERIAC is about Roma empowerment, but even more than that, ERIAC has been created to empower the Roma to tell their own history and shape their own futures.  full story

videoEuropean Roma Institute for Arts and Culture launches its work

8.6.2017 12:42 The grand opening of the activity of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) took place this morning in Berlin. The opening ceremony was conducted by the Alliance for ERIAC, the Council of Europe, the German Foreign Ministry and the Open Society Foundations.  full story

Czech Republic's 2017 Ghettofest to feature Amaro Records music stage, an Anne Frank corner, and readings in a former prison

8.6.2017 9:46 The multi-genre street fair known as the Ghettofest annually opens up the locality around Brno's Bratislavská and Cejl streets - this year it is changing its usual backdrop, thanks to the closure of Francouzská Street, and is offering its program at the Hvězdička Park, in the spaces of a former prison, and at the Museum of Romani Culture. The sixth annual Ghettofest will take place in those locations on Saturday, 10 June.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Khamoro 2017 ends with gala concert in a packed SaSaZu club

5.6.2017 6:28 A closing gala concert in Prague's SaSaZu club was the high point Saturday to the 19th annual review of Romani culture that is the KHAMORO World Roma Festival. Seven bands and ensembles performed, incuding the Viliam Didiáš cembalom band from the Czech Republic, the Fuego y Fragua flamenco ensemble from Spain, and Parno Graszt from Hungary, and all of the performers came together at midnight to sing the international Romani anthem, "Dželem, dželem".  full story

Czech-French film features young Romani actor in lead role

1.6.2017 7:53 A new Czech-French film from director and screenwriter Petr Václav, "Skokan" ("The Jumper"), tells a story of the search for happiness. Its theatrical premiere will be 8 June.  full story

Czech Republic: KHAMORO World Roma Festival features discussion on Romani literature, presentation of RomArchive

31.5.2017 9:20 The KHAMORO World Roma Festival, which began Sunday night with a concert on Shooter's Island (Střeleckém ostrový), has continued with a series of side events in Prague. Yesterday the Václav Havel Library in Prague presented a discussion seminar as part of the festival's "Gavoro" ("Village") cycle on "Romani Characters in (Non)Romani Literature", featuring the authors Ilona Ferková, Jana Hejkrlíková, Kateřina Sidonová and Jáchym Topol, who is also a journalist.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Gipsy.cz 's new song "Hater" draws attention to those who use online social networks to spread hate

31.5.2017 7:47 Hating others is a phenomenon of our times that has now become the subject of a music video designed and scripted by Radek Banga, the leader of the Gipsy.cz band. The
entire concept of the song and video is based on actual experiences.  full story

videoCzech Republic: KHAMORO festival began yesterday and runs through Saturday

29.5.2017 10:54 Last night the KHAMORO Festival of Romani culture began with a concert on Střelecký ostrov (Shooter's Island) in Prague. Singers Monika Bagárová, Jan Bendig, Elis and
Markéta Konvičková performed at the kick-off event, followed by DJ Gadjo.cz.
 full story

videoCzech Republic: KHAMORO Festival starts in eight days, launches video ad

20.5.2017 7:32 The biggest Romani festival in the world, KHAMORO, has launched its video advertisement this year, which features shots of the atmosphere of the event from previous years. The musical selections have been done by festival producer Džemil Silajdžić.  full story

videoVIDEO: Romani singer Joci Pápai makes it to the Eurovision final

15.5.2017 7:19 Joci Pápai, the 35-year-old Romani singer representing Hungary, made it to the final round of the international Eurovision Song Contest, which was held this year in Kiev, Ukraine. The singer performed the song "Origo", which combines hip hop and traditional Romani music, during the second semifinal on 11 May.  full story

Czech Republic: ROMEA calls for boycott of performances by Romani group and Russian military ensemble, rejects Russian propaganda

14.5.2017 9:35 On 11 May the "Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of the Russian Army named after A. V. Alexandrov", also known as the Red Army Ensemble, performed in Zlín, Czech Republic. The evening was the first of 10 appearances scheduled around the Czech Republic as part of their European tour and they are accompanied by a special guest performer, the band GIPSY 4 EVER, featuring lead singer Xavier Padilla from the legendary but now defunct Gipsy Kings band.  full story

Czech Police expert: Project to improve Romani citizens' faith in the police is a marathon, not a sprint

26.4.2017 8:58 On 11 April the final three-day meeting of the educational project entitled "How to introduce police specialists for work with the minority group of Romani people in socially excluded localities" was held in Zbiroh, Czech Republic. Among those lecturing was Petr Torák, a Romani police officer born in Czechoslovakia who has been made a Member of the British Empire for his service, as well as the director of the Museum of Romani Culture, Jana Horváthová.  full story