For the thirteenth time, the Roma Spirit award brings twenty-one inspiring stories and presents twenty-one final nominations! In the next few days, the public will have the opportunity to get acquainted with the extensive activities and projects of successful non-governmental organizations EDUMA, n.o., Návrat o.z. , or SPOKOJNOSŤ – a centre of social services from Prievidza.
Among the three final nominations in the Company and Employer category, the company operating in Poprad, PASELL SLOVAKIA s.r.o., the Primary School with a Kindergarten in the village of Jurské, and the Secondary Vocational Technical School from Košice have advanced. Roma Spirit will visit the Fiľakovo town, Radnovce and Vtáčkovce villages. Roma Spirit will introduce extraordinary personalities such as the teacher Mrs. Jana Pierová, Jarmila Holubová, who forms the communication bridge between the majority and the Roma community in Spišské Podhradie, and the young athlete Viliam Tank.
In the Media category, journalist and editor Jozef Šivák, activist and influencer Denisa Havrľová, as well as the Romale project from the Art Society s.r.o. will compete for the award. In the Culture category, the three finalists are represented by fashion designer Pavel Berky, special rapper Rudo Danihel alias Čavalenky and writer Nadežda Malčeková, writing under the pseudonym Nela Nezábudková.
The Preparatory Committee selected 21 final nominations out of 130 accepted applications. The Preparatory Committee was not only attracted by the exceptional work of Mr. Alexander Mušinka, who processed a monograph by Elena Lacková, but also by the precise processing of a unique Roma-Slovak phraseological dictionary by Martina Horňáková as well as by the TV show “S vami doma” (Tumenca khere), which was designed for children without an internet connection by the RTVS national broadcasting workshop.
The International Expert Jury and the Act of the Year Jury will decide who will eventually win the Roma Spirit 2021 award. The gala of the Roma Spirit awards 2021 ceremony will be broadcasted by RTVS (Slovak Radio and Television) in the evening of International Human Rights Day, 8th December 2021.
The announcers of the 13th year of Roma Spirit are the Association for Culture, Education and Communication (ACEC) and the Slovak Radio and Television (RTVS). The event is going to be supported by the President of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Čaputová, and the Public Defender of Rights, Mária Patakyová.
Roma Spirit is a public platform which has been creating a community and space for the development of intercultural dialogue, presentation of real stories, and activities focused on supporting of Roma communities and coexistence since 2009. Roma Spirit appreciates and brings to the public the activities of individuals and organizations which want to spread understanding and build respect.
FINAL NOMINATIONS ROMA SPIRIT 2021
CATEGORY NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION
EDUMA, non-profit organisation, Bratislava
Nominated for longstanding complex activities aimed at education of marginalised groups and individuals in the public and private sector, done via interactive guidance toward sensibility, perceptiveness and mindfulness. Particularly organises experience workshops and trainings for creative and innovative education.
Návrat [Return], civil association, Bratislava
Nominated for methodical and far-reaching activities for safeguarding of children in general and within a child’s own or foster family in particular. Specifically, they work with children, parents and families and make provision for specialist services for foster families as well as help for families in need.
Spokojnosť [Contentement] – social services centre, non-profit organisation, Prievidza
Nominated for comprehensive approach to inclusion, provision of low threshold services and the scope of interventions for children, adolescents and adults with active participation from clients. Especially for their programmes, such as chaperoning, birthing therapy and establishment of a Roma Assembly Committee.
CATEGORY COMPANY AND EMPLOYER
PASELL SLOVAKIA s.r.o., Poprad
Nominated for positive approach to long-term employment, non-discrimination and support of professional growth of the Roma communities in the town of Poprad and its vicinity. Especially nominated for their individual approach to persons with unfavourable positions in the labour market and their efforts to include them in the labour and education process.
Primary School and Kindergarten Jurské, Jurské
Nominated for quality education for children from marginalised backgrounds and their focus on child centred teaching in view of the child’s needs. Especially for innovative educational methods and active encouragement of parents, grandparents and other community members to participate in school activities.
Vocational Secondary School of Technology, Košice
Nominated for support of students in their studies and provision of second chance education for children from marginalised communities in combination with practical vocational training and subsequent employment. Especially for experimental confirmation process of acceptance of children from special needs schools into a mainstream educational process.
CATEGORY MUNICIPALITY AND TOWN
Fiľakovo
Nominated for their effective approach and solutions to challenges faced by Roma communities, long-term work with the largest integrated Roma community in Slovakia and active participation in activities focused on lowering of unemployment rates in the region. Especially for innovative housing policies, safety and coexistence of all residents.
Radnovce
Nominated for systematic and complex work with the Roma majority and for management of problem-free coexistence of residents in a municipality without a settlement. Especially for the active participation in various projects, such as the construction of a primary school, rental housing, fighting against unemployment, revitalisation and beautification of the municipality.
Vtáčkovce
Nominated for decisive improvement in quality of life of its residents and recognition of activities focused on municipality development with particular engagement of local women. Especially for the increase in educational level in the municipality, expansion of infrastructure throughout it, and development of social services for all residents.
CATEGORY PERSONALITY
Jana Pierová, Haligovce
Nominated for active and exemplary pedagogical work, dedication, patience and kindness when listening to the needs of children and development of their talents. Especially for her guidance to children towards theatre, recital and creative reading, which provides motivation and a taste of the success and joy it can bring.
Jarmila Holubová, Spišské Podhradie
Nominated for her longstanding work in social integration and good coexistence in the Spišské Podhradie municipality. Especially for her positive and motivational impact on people around her, for her role in finding work for hundreds of people and the complex approach to building bridges between the local majority and minority populations.
Viliam Tanko, Tomášikovo
Nominated for an inspirational story of a sportsman, whose hard work has led to major achievements in the sporting world. As a young boxer representing Slovakia on international level, he is a role model for younger generations to grow in their lives, he makes Roma youth heard and supports their networking.
CATEGORY MEDIA
Art Society s.r.o., Bratislava
Nominated for factual and good quality work on the internet Projekt ROMALE. Medias such as talk shows, podcasts and articles inform, educate and broadcast culture from and about the life in Roma communities. Especially for their intentional headhunting, forming and platforming of Roma journalists.
Denisa Havrľová, Bratislava
Nominated for long standing activism, journalism and her role as an influencer. Her professional job and work on social media have a considerable effect on the public, with the Roma community, as well as with the majority of the population. Her observations and dedicated fight for human rights and justice are inspirational and serve as a positive example.
Jozef Šivák, Bratislava
Nominated for his professional and longstanding work as an editor and presenter with a nationwide platform, regularly interested in issues regarding minorities as well as, among others, the integration of the Roma population in Slovakia and thus his promotion of crucial issues.
CATEGORY CULTURE
Pavel Berky, Praha, Czech Republic
Nominated for his artistic and distinctive work in fashion design, which resonates at home as well as abroad, his exceptional signature collection designs, fashion shows and exhibitions. Done for the purpose of his unique blend of the love of food and fashion and using his platform as an influencer to promote some of the more serious matters of public concern.
Rudolf Danihel alias Čavalenky, Holíč
Nominated for original music production pointing out issues with current political systems, exposing social issues and relaying stories from the streets on the Slovak-Czech border. A unique rapper with distinctive accent of the Záhorie region presents unmistakable hip-hop with a finetuned sense for words.
Nadežda Malčeková, Bratislava
Poet and writer nominated for her autobiographic novel The Girl from the Cloister, and its follow up Little Shamrock, published under her pen name Nela Nezábudková, which portray, directly and authentically through her own emotional landscape, the life of excluded Roma children and the search for common ground in spite of obstacles.
CATEGORY ACT OF THE YEAR
Team of the RTVS Broadcasting for Ethnic Minorities, Košice
Nominated for the educational programme At Home with You (Tumenca khere) for children without internet connection during distance teaching/learning during the time of lockdown. The programme for first level primary school pupils was broadcasted in Slovak and Romany language. There were workbooks and exercise sheets published for each individual episode.
Martina Horňáková, Jičín, Czech Republic
Nominated for the preparation and precise work on a Romany-Slovak Phraseological Dictionary with over 5000 entries. It is one of only a few publications dedicated specifically to Romany phraseology and serves as a source of information for professionals as well as laymen and can enhance the understanding of Roma culture and life.
Alexander Mušinka, Veľký Šariš
Nominated for the documenting and processing of the first comprehensive partial monography about Elena Lacková, a distinguished writer of Roma heritage. The over two hundred pages long monography includes a scientific study of the writer’s life and work, selection of her works and the bibliography of her work published in the Roma newspaper Romano nevo ľil.
