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The European Roma Spirit Award is a response to the challenges of meaningfully
integrating and promoting social justice for the Roma community, and it supports
the active efforts of all those involved in improving the situation of Roma people
throughout Europe. Through the power of their example we stimulate creativity,
innovation a further activities. Our main goal is to promote a positive image of Roma
communities and culture, and to repudiate racism and prejudice and strengthen social
inclusion. Our main objective is to inspire an intercultural dialogue, cooperation
and solidarity across Europe, with an emphasis on public engagement to promote
positive attitudes and effective cross-national challenges.
The European Roma Spirit Award was initiated by the Association for Culture, Education
and Communication and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Relations of the
Slovak Republic as a platform for highlighting positive contributions focused on the
social inclusion of Roma people.
The European Roma Spirit Award is contingent on the Roma Spirit national project,
promoting active efforts in improving the situation and fostering social integration
of the Roma, Europe’s largest and most excluded ethnic minority.
Present and promote European cultural diversity through the positive contributions
and benefits of the rich cultural identity and traditions of the marginalized Roma
ethnicity as part of the greater European cultural heritage.
Develop a social multi-level dialogue among institutions, nations, and individuals
in the European public space, vital to ensure common goals in delivering high level
of social inclusion.
Inform and promote the activities and programs of organizations and individuals
operating in the field of the reinforcement and integration of Roma at the
international level.
Build an international framework of partnerships between organizations and
individuals operating in the field of national minority reinforcement and perception.
Public recognition of individuals and organizations that actively participate
in improving the situation of the Roma in European society, and create positive
examples and motivation for other activities.
www.romaspirit.eu
European
Mirka Pompová
Rituals and religion are sacred. Family is sacred. Family and community mean
more than individualism. Even thou they are pure, Roma always wear nice
clothes for religious rituals.
Šymon Kliman Photo © Beautiful People
Categories
Non-governmental organization
Awarded to a non-governmental organization for the realization and the
demonstrated results of a distinct project for delivering support and enhancement
to the Roma minority, and recognizable out of school educational activities
for Roma children and youth.
Corporation
Awarded to an enterprise or employer for outstanding activities and projects
devoted to the support and enhancement of the Roma community.
Municipality
Awarded to a municipality (city, town, or district) for notable achievements
and activities contributing to the respectable integration of the Roma minority
and its benefit to the society.
Personality
Awarded to a distinguished person for their contribution and involvement
in developing appropriate conditions for Roma people.
Media
Awarded to a journalist or mass media for their exemplary, comprehensive
informing on Roma issues, and for spreading a positive message of tolerance
and understanding.
The Special prize
Health
Awarded for programming and achieving results in improving the health and
sanitary conditions of the Roma population, and for implementations in the
field of health for the benefit of the Roma community.
The International Final Jury, based on national nominations, may also award
special prizes in memoriam, for personal recognition, or for exceptional
or lifetime achievement.
www.romaspirit.eu
European Roma Spirit Award
Jitka Pištová
Madonna with a kid – first she refused to be photographed, but when
I brought picture of her daughter she agreed. I think I was very lucky.
Šymon Kliman Photo © Beautiful People
Ceremony
The European Roma Spirit Award Ceremony is held every two years, featuring
a program presenting the European cultural diversity with an emphasis
on the rich culture of the Roma through multi-genre disciplines.
The European Roma Spirit Award Ceremony is a presentation of European cultural
heritage, with an emphasis on promoting the cultural identity and recognition
of the Roma. A music and dance program showing the beauty of Roma culture,
its individuality in the embodiment of music and dance, featuring the best artists
from participating countries foster European integration and strengthen social
inclusion.
The Roma Spirit Award Ceremony contributes gratefully to a positive presentation
and promotion of the cultural identity of the Roma minority as an important part
of our cultural heritage. The awarding ceremony is an example of effective and
functioning social inclusion with a clear intention to eliminate the prejudice in
European society. The high level event is a celebration of a Roma spirit winning
over harsh conditions, poverty, and lack of opportunities. The ceremony program
presents a cultural and ethnical message of Roma folklore and music. It shows
talent of Roma artists in harmonic symbiosis with non-Roma artists in
a current world.
The Roma Spirit Award ceremony is a unique project in Europe. At a very highly
human and cultural level, it establishes a tradition of awarding the efforts
to improve the situation of the Roma community.
The European Roma Spirit Awards are presented by members of the International
Final Jury, alongside notable personalities of world cultural and social life.
www.romaspirit.eu
European Roma Spirit Award
Margita a Koloman Mirga
Koloman Mirga with his blind wife have lived in one room with two kids and
five grandkids. It is basically a hut, but inside it looks like a palace where
four adults and five children live.
Šymon Kliman Photo © Beautiful People
www.romaspirit.eu
Roma Spirit
Director of the Roma
Initiative Office at Open
Society Foundation
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Czech composer,
instrumentalist, singer,
community activist and
Ex -Minister for Human
Rights and National
Minorities of the
Czech Republic
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Former Chairman of the
Roma Educational Fund
Board
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Former European
Commissioner for Justice,
Fundamental Rights and
Citizenship
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The late Czech playwright,
essayist, poet, philosopher
and politician, former
president of CSFR, CSR,
and Czech Republic
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Head of the Contact
Point for Roma and
Sinti Issues at the OSCE’s
Warsaw-based Office for
Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights,
member of Roma
Educational Fund board
Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Foreign
and European Affairs
of the Slovak Republic,
former European Union
Special Representative
for Bosnia and
Herzegovina
‘The Roma Spirit initiative is truly
a great step forward for the Roma,
as well as society as a whole.’
Rumyan Russinov
Executive Director of the Roma Education Fund
Bohuš Pompa
Children grow up in villages of 2300 people without sewer and drinking
water. Their chances to get out are almost zero. The only escape is to get
married quickly and live from welfare money.
Šymon Kliman Photo © Beautiful People
www.romaspirit.eu
European
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Association for Culture, Education and Communication is a non-governmental
organization, the aims of which are to create understanding, support international
cultural exchanges, deepen education and create space for the future continuation
of mutual communication.
As a part of our educational activities, we focus on the preparation and implementation
of educational programs and communication strategies for socially challenged groups
(education and tutorial programs and projects focused on the Roma minority in Slovakia).
ACEC, via its projects, has always applied new, non-traditional forms of communication
in its projects – and since 1999 has implemented numerous projects deemed unique
from an international point of view; in New York, Washington D.C., Paris, Brussels,
Berlin, Wien, Warsaw, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Minsk and Bratislava. The non-traditional
approach has – via means of culture and education – enabled the creation of
new communication networks applied in national and international contexts.
The association´s projects assist in the deepening of existing relationships as
well as in the creation of new mutual ones.
Our projects are focused on current happening in society and elaborate, secure
and improve communication in Slovakia, in international contexts, and in areas
and regions deemed risky from the international perspective.
In 2002 ACEC received the Slovak Foreign Ministry award for the contribution
to resolution of the Balkan conflict. ACEC implemented complex programs
focused on specific targets related to Slovak foreign policy – activities for the
Balkans (Welcome understanding), support of the democratic process in Belarus
(White greetings for Belarus), projects presenting Slovakia (A celebration of
Central Europe diversity in New York, Europe on a small scale), and many others.
ACEC collaborates with national and international partnership organizations,
institutes and NGOs on project implementation.
Šafárikovo nám. 2
81102 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
[email protected]
www.acec.sk
Emil Horváth
Talented singer and actor. He could have left for a high school, but he was
not able to leave the only place he ever knew – the settlement.
Šymon Kliman Photo © Beautiful People