Change begins with Slovo. We are celebrating 25 years!

We are celebrating our birthday. And there is plenty to celebrate! It hasn't always been easy, but for a quarter of a century, we have been helping those in need: Roma, foreigners, and for the last two years, Ukrainian refugees as well. Our vision has always been, and remains, a society based on mutual understanding and respect. A society where diversity is seen as an asset rather than a shortcoming or an obstacle. We believe that over these 25 years, we have taken at least a small step toward living in such a world. A world of the 21st century.  
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HOW IT ALL BEGAN
It didn't start with a "word," but with an unpleasant experience. An experience that could not go unanswered. "Shortly after my husband, our children, and I left war-torn Yugoslavia, we were organizing a cultural event in Prague. In addition to popular Czech stars, we also invited a Roma group. The performances went off without any technical issues until the moment the Roma band appeared on stage. Their name was Khamoro. Suddenly, the sound stopped working, and at times, there was complete silence. We soon discovered that the sound engineer had intentionally sabotaged the production. We were shocked by such a level of xenophobia. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, we had experienced what ethnic hatred can cause. So, that very evening, my husband Džemil and I decided that we would create the biggest Roma festival in the world in Prague," recalls Jelena Silajdžić, director of Slovo 21.

And that is how it all began. The founding of Slovo 21 is closely linked to the World Roma Festival Khamoro, named after that very band that was sabotaged. Soon, however, we realized that a festival was not enough. We began helping Roma in other areas as well. For example, we founded the Roma women's group Manushe, which still works to strengthen the self-confidence and emancipation of Roma women today. We helped children with tutoring and adults with finding employment. And then came the foreigners. "As refugees ourselves, we knew how difficult it is to find your way in a new country. After arriving in the Czech Republic, we didn't know who to turn to. So we decided that we wanted to make life easier for foreigners in the Czech Republic in this regard," explains Silajdžić. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, our "portfolio" expanded to include aid for Ukrainian refugees. Standing on the sidelines was simply not an option.

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WE DON'T WORK FOR TARGET GROUPS. WE ARE THE TARGET GROUP

25 years of operation is enough time to reflect on what makes our work unique. What makes Slovo 21, Slovo 21? First and foremost, it is our team. Not just the current one, but all the former employees who spent time with us, whether long or short, and remain in contact with us to this day. We don't work for "target groups" because we are the target group ourselves. That is why our team includes Roma, Czechs, and migrants from various corners of the world. And, of course, Czech men and women who help disadvantaged groups that the majority society often forgets. Thanks to this, we truly know what the people around us need and are able to help them effectively.

Over a quarter-century of our work, so many diverse projects have passed through our hands that it would be difficult to describe them all in a few sentences. Behind these projects are people and life stories, often very complex ones. But there are also beautiful memories, pleasant meetings with wonderful people, and the joy of a job well done. We have always tried to support everyone who needed our help. However, we have never provided social services in the true sense of the word. Our programs have always been based on support, education, developing competencies, and, above all, bringing the Czech majority and minorities closer together. Without that, our efforts would be in vain.

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Let's look at the flagship projects that have grown alongside our organization:

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• The Khamorofestival, with which Slovo 21 began, has been running for 26 years. Over the past quarter-century, it has been visited by over 200,000 people. During that time, more than 1,600 professional Roma artists from over 30 countries around the world have performed there.

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• The Dža dureder project, through which we provided tutoring to children from Roma families, has ensured instruction for 1,054 Roma children, with 139 students being accepted into secondary school and 150 students making it into university thanks to us.

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• The Romani women's group Manushe has been bringing together Romani women across the country for 24 years under the motto of education, self-confidence, and emancipation.

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• Over a shared lunch, Families Next Door has brought together nearly 1,870 families since 2004, totaling around 5,200 people.

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• Training in Strengthening Intercultural Competencies has helped 1,290 public administration and security personnel improve their intercultural communication skills.

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• 31,426 foreign nationals from third countries have completed the adaptation and integration course Welcome to the Czech Republic, which we provide methodologically and which is mandatory for certain newly arrived foreigners in the Czech Republic.

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• Since the beginning of the Russian aggression in Ukraine, we have helped 17,329 Ukrainian refugees.

How will we celebrate it all? At the upcoming Khamoro festival, of course, but not only there. For our birthday, we have gifted ourselves a new visual identity as we enter our next quarter-century. We want you to be even closer to us. That is important to us. That is the driving force for our future work. Happy birthday, Slovo! We look forward to the next twenty-five years! Thank you to everyone who is rooting for us. Change begins with Slovo…