News

Czech Republic: David Beňák is now Deputy Human Rights Minister, his priority is the law on social enterprises

7.4.2017 7:44 David Beňák (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) has become the new political deputy to Czech Human Rights and Legislation Minister Jan Chvojka (ČSSD) on Monday, 3 April. He replaces Marek Ondroušek, who is now moving to the Trade Ministry to be Deputy Minister for Electronic Communications.  full story

European organizations meet in Berlin to discuss combating hatred and teaching about the Holocaust, including Roma

6.4.2017 16:58 How can the subject of both the Jewish and the Romani victims of the Holocaust be brought into the schools of Europe? How can people respond to hate speech when they see it on social networking sites?  full story

Julius Zajac: Ideological extremism is no longer "rising" - it's already here

6.4.2017 15:52 On Wednesday, 22 March, a terrorist attack happened in London, England. On Thursday, 23 March, police thwarted another such attack in Antwerp, Belgium.  full story

Czech Republic: International Romani Day 2017 - events country-wide

6.4.2017 10:33 On Saturday 8 April 2017, Romani people worldwide will celebrate International Romani Day. The day marks what was historically the first World Romani Congress in Great
Britain in 1971, paving the way for what would eventually become the International Romani Union.  full story

Czech town approves plan to buy run-down apartments back from private owner, Romani tenants to be affected

3.4.2017 8:00 Local assembly members in the Czech town of Sokolov have approved a plan to buy the partially derelict apartment buildings located above the Alfa cinema there. The purhase will be definitively decided at the next assembly session in May after all the conditions of the purchase have been investigated.  full story

video VIDEO: Exhibition about Romani jewelry in Brno on view until the end of April

3.4.2017 7:06 An exhibition of Romani jewelry entitled "Romani Treasure - Amare somnaka" (Poklad Romů) is underway at the Museum of Romani Culture in Brno. It features not just unique pieces in gold and silver, but also jewelry from Romani designers all over Europe.  full story

Oksana Marafioti: Writing is a constant discovery for me

2.4.2017 10:28 The author Oksana Marafioti considers the creative process to be one of discovery. For me it was a discovery to meet her - she is a beautiful, charismatic woman who is resolute in her opinions and thoughtful as well.  full story

Czech Cardinal on International Romani Day: We are all members of the same Christian family

2.4.2017 8:31 News server Romea.cz has asked Cardinal Dominik Duka about his motivation for accepting a request to celebrate Mass on International Romani Day in Prague. His entire
response is presented in translation below.  full story

Prague 14 to begin April with the Cultural Encounters festival (Setkání kultur)

1.4.2017 18:27 The Prague 14 Municipal Department will come to life during the first week of April with its Cultural Encounters festival (Setkání kultur). On Thursday, 6 April, in the Plechárna recreation center at 18:30, the chair of the Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust in the Czech Republic, Čeněk Růžička, will hold a discussion on the topic of Czech-Roma coexistence.  full story

Czech prosecutor to review police procedure in case of Romani man who died in pizzeria

1.4.2017 10:26 The regional-level Office of the State Prosecutor will be reviewing the case of 26-year-old Miroslav Demeter, Jr., who died on 18 October 2016 at the Panamera Pizzeria in the Czech town of Žatec. The father of the deceased has informed news server Romea.cz of the development.  full story

Commentary: Paradoxes in the war on political correctness

31.3.2017 21:01 The war against political correctness is a long-term process that was begun in the Czech Republic by ultra-right extremists during the 1990s. Their motive was apparent: They wanted to legitimize racism and xenophobia so their own "politics" would be acceptable to the broadest possible circle of voters.  full story

Slovak court sentences neo-Nazi in case of assault at student bar to almost 7 years in prison, he appeals

30.3.2017 10:00 A District Court in Nitra, Slovakia has convicted one of the men who assaulted the owner of the Mariatchi bar there on 1 January 2014. The panel of judges handed down a verdict during its hearing on 20 March finding defendant Ján Ď. guilty of felony battery and complicity in the offense of rioting.  full story

Czech Republic's second-largest city awarded funds to keep students from failing school

30.3.2017 7:21 The City of Brno has published on its website that the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport has recommended it receive funding for a project called "Preventing failure at primary schools in the City of Brno". The city's request for funding has now been fully approved.  full story

Slovak Romani people travelling to visit relatives not allowed on planes in Warsaw, some have lost their life savings

30.3.2017 6:43

Several Romani women from the town of Levoča, Slovakia, who were attempting to visit relatives in Toronto, Canada were not allowed to board the planes for which they were ticketed at the airport in Warsaw for reasons that have yet to be ascertained and missed their flight. Canada had allegedly confirmed their eligbility to visit and given them all of the necessary documents for entry.

 full story

DEADLINE TOMORROW: KHAMORO World Roma Festival to train Romani youth in festival production

29.3.2017 12:48 The organization Slovo 21 is seeking those interested in attending a week-long training called "KHAMORO SHARES ITS EXPERIENCE", which will take place as part of the 19th annual KHAMORO World Roma Festival. The training will be held from 28 May to 3 June 2017 in Prague, Czech Republic.
 full story

Karel Holomek: New name of memorial at Hodonín u Kunštátu does not reflect the fact of the Romani genocide

29.3.2017 11:58 On 16 March, the daily Právo published an article about transferring responsibility for the "memorial to Romani suffering during the Second World War" to the management of the Museum of Romani Culture in Brno. The memorial commemorates the camp at Hodonín u Kunštát where predominantly Romani people who were living in Moravia at that time - 1 400 of them - were imprisoned from mid-1942 until the end of 1943.  full story

First issue of Romano voďi magazine features Romani author Oksana Marafioti on the life of Roma in Georgia

29.3.2017 10:56 Whether we like it or not, since time immemorial stories have wielded great power over our lives. They can be legends, myths, or the narratives of political regimes and religions.  full story

Czech Culture Ministry's Subsidy Commission for National Minorities issues statement against growing intolerance

29.3.2017 10:11 Earlier this month the representatives of national minorities who advise the Czech Culture Ministry on its Subsidy Commission for the Department of Audiovisual and Media Products issued a statement against growing national, religious and racial intolerance in Czech society. The national minority representatives expressed their concern and unease over the hateful attacks that more and more people have recently faced just because their ethnic origin, gender orientation or religious convictions are different from the mainstream.  full story

Czech Republic: Parents of children who killed flamingo have apologized and will pay damages

29.3.2017 8:51 The parents of the children who killed a flamingo at the zoo in Jihlava are willing to pay damages or work them off. Zoo director Eliška Kubíková informed the public of the developments in an interview with news server Lidovky.cz.  full story

Main hero in the next Batman film will be Romani - "Nightwing" to call attention to the rights of Romani people

28.3.2017 18:16 Warner Bros announced in February that they will be releasing "Nightwing", a film that not only tells the story of the most popular characters in the Batman family, but also sheds light on Romani human rights issues through its title character. "Nightwing" (the superhero formerly known as “Robin”) could serve as one of the first times the Romani identity will be shown to the mainstream in a positive light.  full story