“The goal is to build a new generation, not individuals.” – With Jana Hejkrlíková about We Are On the Long Way

The We Are Walking a Long Path summer school, which Slovo 21 has revived after nearly two decades, offers young Roma the opportunity to spend several summer days together, exploring their own culture and history through informal education and finding ways to actively engage in the fight against antigypsyism. We spoke with Jana Hejkrlíková, the lead organizer, about how the summer school went and why it is important.

Who was behind the project We Are Walking a Long Path?

This project is not new. Slovo 21 began running We Are Walking a Long Path—though it was international at the time—back in 1999. It is a historic project that has been with Slovo 21 from the very beginning. It was held every summer for several years. In recent years, we at Slovo 21 talked about wanting to bring the event back because its impact is truly significant. This time, however, we decided to start at the national level first. Of course, the target group remains the same—Roma youth—but the generational conditions are completely different, and a lot has changed. So, to get a feel for it, we didn't jump straight into an international event.

What did your role involve? 

For one thing, I handled the co-financing and logistics, such as securing the venue. Then there was building the team that worked with me. But my main task was to put the program itself together. Of course, I drew a lot from how it was done in the past. But some topics are no longer relevant, or conversely, some are more relevant now. I also reached out to external guests and experts.

When you mentioned individual topics that have become less relevant since 1999, or conversely, are more relevant now, is there anything specific you can mention?

The topic of antigypsyism is being discussed more now, as this term has only been used in Czech legislation for the last few years. Of course, what lies beneath it was there back then, too, but there is a slightly different approach to it now, precisely because of that legislative anchoring. Overall, a lot is changing, and the situation has definitely shifted significantly since 1999. I can't really comment on that too much, though, because I was quite young at the time. (laughs)

What was the dynamic like in this year's group? 

One of our goals was to connect people who are in high school and planning to attend a university or vocational college with participants who are already working full-time, even though they are the same age. They might have a vocational certificate or just a primary school education, for example.

The dynamic worked accordingly. Each group of participants had slightly different needs, even in terms of language or the methodology used, as well as the types of activities they were interested in. That was a challenge I tried to address while preparing the program, but we also had to navigate it during the program itself.

As for the group itself, I think it was really beautiful to see how the topics were common to everyone. Whether it’s Roma culture, history, or identity... It really doesn't matter if the participants are students, working, or what their education or experience level is. And because the program was very focused on these universal themes from the start, it allowed them to connect. By the end, that blending was very visible. 

Did you observe any lasting bonds forming, such as new friendships?

I would say so, from the current perspective. On the other hand, we only returned two days ago. It is, of course, a question of what will last. But one of the goals is to build bonds not only between the participants but also with us. The idea behind it is that if we have an opportunity, for example, to send four participants from the Czech Republic to an event organized by a group in Hungary, these people will be happy to go together.

Do you have any follow-up activities planned for this group?

Our goal is definitely to keep the group active. What form that will take, how successful it will be, and where we will find the funding—all of that is still up in the air. This year, we were mainly waiting to see how the first year would turn out. 

A key part of the program focused on questions related to Romani identity. Can you describe some specific activities you used to address these topics? 

The theme of identity ran through the entire program because it logically encompasses things like knowledge of history, culture, traditions, and so on. Romani identity is not just one thing, and it was at the center of our focus the whole time. The feedback showed that it was beneficial for the participants. Of course, it depends on what each person already knows and how secure they feel in themselves. It affects everyone differently.

For us, it was important for the participants to learn about the historical journey of the Roma. Traditions are a big part of that, too. If the education had just been one person talking about traditions while everyone else listened, it wouldn't have had the same impact. But when fifteen people talk about it, sharing their own experiences and stories, we all see the common threads. That helps strengthen their sense of identity.

Was reflecting on their own identity a complicated concept for the participants? At this age, we are often just learning how to work with such topics… 

I think we often managed to get them to think about it more. Regarding identity, some explicitly reflected on the fact that, for example, they learned for the first time how the word "gypsy" originated. These things are very much related to identity. You could see that they were thinking a lot about the terminology. Some of them started using the word "gypsy" less or began correcting each other. So, some reflection definitely took place. 

Is there anything that surprised you about the group? 

I’m trying to think if anything specific comes to mind. This applies to any group, really. But in the end, it’s always the individuals and their approach that are surprising. Of course, there were participants where you thought at the beginning, "Well, let's see. There's a real chance this will be difficult, that they might be oppositional. We might have some friction here." And there were moments where we did have friction. But in the end, it was clear that the participants were interested in the program. They became more and more active and built a good relationship with us. So, it was a kind of expected surprise, or perhaps the kind of surprise you hope for.

Part of the program also involved raising awareness about anti-Gypsyism. Was this a new term for the participants? 

For some, absolutely. But not just this term. Sometimes terms like "discrimination" were also new, or the participants had heard them but didn't know the exact meaning. It was actually about half and half in terms of awareness. Of course, our goal wasn't for the participants to be able to recite a definition, but rather for them to understand everything that anti-Gypsyism can entail.

Did you also focus on ways to defend against anti-Gypsyism? 

Yes, although we are still at the beginning of the journey and haven't talked about more advanced strategies yet. But we did get to the basics—how a person can react when they encounter an expression of anti-Gypsyism. We tried to establish how to behave in those situations and how to stand up for oneself.

Looking back, would you say you managed to activate the group and spark a new interest in them?

In a way, certainly. Some decided to sign up for similar programs and continue their education on these topics. However, this is simply a long-term goal. The goal is to build a new generation, not just individuals. This means we have to keep supporting them and providing education on a more frequent basis. One experience is not enough.

For us, it is essential that these are people who have bonds with each other and trust one another. You always know that difficult times will come. Being an individual is much harder. But when you know you have a group of other people behind you who will support you, you have a much better chance of achieving something. Almost anyone who has been involved in activism or active citizenship, especially regarding Roma issues, can say that. I think we have planted a seed of sorts. How that seed will turn out is hard to say for now.

So it looks like there will be another year next summer? 

There was definitely a lot of demand for it. We would really like to bring it back on an international level, the only question is whether we can manage it by next year. At the end, we classically got questions about whether it would happen again next year or if we could stay longer. (laughs) That’s just how it is. We can prepare anything, but the most important thing is the active participation of the attendees. And it’s clear that they are interested. Interested in being active, learning new things, trying new things, and getting to know themselves. Then it doesn't matter where a person comes from or what education they have. All that's needed then is to find a way to pass those things on.

The event was held as part of the We Are On the Long Way project with the financial support of the ERGO Network.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.