On Thursday, 12 February 2026, the finalists and laureates of the Roma Spirit 2025 award met in Bratislava as part of a full-day programme organised in their honour. The meetings symbolically concluded the 17th edition of Roma Spirit and created space for personal conversations, sharing experiences and strengthening partnerships.
Finalists and laureates of the latest edition of Roma Spirit travelled to the capital from different regions of Slovakia. The morning programme took place at the Austrian Cultural Forum in Bratislava and focused on working meetings, discussions and the exchange of experiences. Participants presented concrete results of their work.
The programme also included a lunch hosted by the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Slovakia, held at the Ambassador’s Residence in honour of the Roma Spirit 2025 finalists and laureates. The meeting created an opportunity for informal conversations and for deepening dialogue between civil society and the diplomatic community.
“As a proud partner of Roma Spirit, we were delighted to welcome the finalists and laureates of the latest edition to a joint lunch at the residence of Ambassador Bilal Zahid and to thank them for their inspiring work with Roma communities across Slovakia. Their work shows that support for inclusion and equal opportunities can have a concrete and visible impact.”
In the afternoon, a Meet & Greet event for the diplomatic community in Slovakia took place at the Austrian Cultural Forum. Representatives from more than thirteen countries attended the meeting. The event was held with the support of His Excellency Dr Johannes Wimmer, Ambassador of Austria to the Slovak Republic, and Ms Sandra Diepenseifen, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Bratislava.
“Meeting here today gives me the opportunity to warmly thank the finalists and laureates of the Roma Spirit award for your very inspiring work. In times of polarisation and division in our societies, you set an example of understanding, care and respect,” said Ambassador Johannes Wimmer as he welcomed the finalists and guests. “It is a pleasure to have you here, and I wish you every success in your current and future endeavours,” he added.
The entire day was marked by personal encounters and by connecting partners across sectors. The finalists and laureates once again confirmed that Roma Spirit is not only an award, but also a platform that brings together municipalities, schools, civic initiatives, cultural projects and media with both domestic and international partners.
The seventeenth edition of Roma Spirit thus symbolically concluded with meetings that strengthened dialogue, respect and cooperation – the values of the Roma Spirit.
