07. 06. 2022
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14th Roma Spirit Award Is Here!

It is already the 14th time the public have a chance to nominate someone, or themselves, for a Roma Spirit Award, which promotes inspirational stories and activities ameliorating challenges of the Roma communities in Slovakia as well as our society as a whole.

Roma Spirit 2022 was launched at a press conference on Tuesday, 7 June 2022, at the Austrian Cultural Forum in Bratislava in the presence of the organisers and partners of the award.  “I hope that with the help of Roma Spirit we will come together as equals in our sameness, inspire each other in our diversity and support each other in our uniqueness,” said Magdaléna Rothová, the director of the Association for Culture, Education and Communication (ACEC) as well as the producer of Roma Spirit in her opening speech.

You can nominate your favourites for the Roma Spirit 2022 award until 7 September 2022 by filling in an online application at www.romaspirit.sk . “I’ve just been pondering how fantastic it would be, in this 14th year of the award, to read and look through nominations that are profoundly valuable,” said Janette Motlová, the director of the Research Institute for Child Psychology and Pathopsychology. “I think that 2022 is a unique year because of our need for values, we need value-oriented role models who radiate humanity and thrive on connection, not polarisation,” she added.

Roma Spirit 2022 is announced by the Association for Culture, Education and Communication (ACEC), Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities, and Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS). The Roma Spirit 2022 event is held under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic Zuzana Čaputová.

“Appreciating and showing gratitude to people who believe that they change the world and areas inhabited by the Roma communities and who personally help people living in poverty is important,” said Ján Hero, the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities. “I believe, we will highlight activities that will serve as an inspiration for other organisations and individuals, and encourage those who are already working with these communities or are thinking about starting,” he added.

“Roma Spirit is a beautiful and meaningful annual project, which promotes, also via RTVS, stories of belonging, courage and creativity. Reading the nominations is always exciting – whether it’s individuals or collectives. Eventually, the hands holding a bewinged heart always find their way to people who have their hearts in the right place and their minds are open and without prejudice,” stated Marta Gajdošíkova, the director of Dvojka (RTVS Channel 2).

All valid applications will be considered by the Preparatory Committee of Roma Spirit, which will choose 21 final nominations. The seven winners of the 14th Roma Spirit, in the categories Non-Governmental Organisation, Company and Employer, Municipality and Town, Personality, Media, Culture and the Act of the Year will be decided on by an international Expert Jury and the Act of the Year Jury.

Radio Expres is our partner for the Act of the Year category, Open Society Foundation is our partner for the Media, Carpathian Foundation is our partner for the Non-Governmental Organisation category, and the State Science Library in Prešov is our partner for the Culture category. The recording of the Roma Spirit 2022 award ceremony will be broadcast on RTVS on the occasion of the Human Rights Day.

About the Project:

Since 2009 Roma Spirit has shown that understanding and collaboration are key factors for coexistence, respect and overcoming of prejudice and stereotypes. Up to this year 1844 activities, projects, organisations and exceptional individuals were nominated for the Roma Spirit award. To this day the award has been received by 83 winners. The author of the idea behind the Roma Spirit is Ľubomíra Slušná–Franz, the president of ACEC.

www.romaspirit.sk