The Association for Culture, Education and Communication (ACEC) has joined the international project ROMDIEM – Illuminating the Forgotten Stories of the Roma Holocaust, which brings to light the often overlooked stories of the Roma Holocaust – Samudaripen.
For decades, Roma communities have faced discrimination and prejudice, manifested in barriers to education, healthcare and employment. Remembering the past and preserving memory is therefore essential – not only as a historical reflection but also as a tool to foster empathy, understanding and the fight against contemporary stereotypes.
The ROMDIEM project focuses on documenting the testimonies of survivors and their families. These accounts will be collected, processed and made publicly accessible through a digital archive, a documentary film with an online premiere, an international symposium, a series of thematic events and the magazine Barikane. The project’s ambition is for Samudaripen to become a natural part of education, public debate and European historical memory.
ROMDIEM combines research, culture and education within an international partnership. The project is led by PAL NETWORK (Belgium) in cooperation with partner organisations from across Europe: the theatre company WFFA (Hungary), the women’s rights organisation Udruženje Romnji (Serbia), the network supporting Roma women and communities ROWNI (Italy), the consultancy for Roma inclusion OECON BG (Bulgaria), the NGO supporting education and empowerment of marginalised groups CUBE NGO (Greece) and ACEC (Slovakia).
The project’s outputs will have lasting value and impact across several areas of public life. A digital archive of testimonies will preserve authentic accounts from Roma survivors and their families, making them accessible to students, educators and researchers as an educational and historical resource. A documentary film on Samudaripen, with an online premiere, will reach international audiences and shed light on this neglected chapter of history. The project will also deliver an international symposium and a series of thematic events, creating space for expert dialogue, knowledge exchange and discussions linking past experiences with the current challenges faced by Roma communities. Finally, all findings and project outcomes will be captured in the Barikane magazine, which will serve as a significant educational and awareness-raising tool with long-term impact.
These outcomes will bring authentic Roma voices into the public sphere and contribute to ensuring that their experiences become a natural part of European memory and public discourse.
ROMDIEM is funded by the European Union programme CERV-2024-CITIZENS-REM (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values – Citizens’ Remembrance). The project will run from March 2025 to February 2027, building on the EU’s long-standing commitment to strengthening historical memory, education and social inclusion.
