Concerts and a gastronomic show. For the twenty-sixth time, the Khamoro festival will bring the best of Romani culture to Prague.

Unbridled flamenco with a modern twist, energetic Vlax Romani dances, Macedonian brass music, brilliant gypsy jazz, as well as film screenings and a gastronomic show. Khamoro will offer all this at the turn of May and June. The festival, organized by Slovo 21 and Studio Production Saga, has been bringing the best of Romani culture to Prague for 26 years. It is a festival that helps Roma find their often-lost identity and fights against stereotypes and xenophobia. A festival that brings people together because—just like the sun—it shines for everyone.

"We were fine-tuning the program until the very last moment, and I can promise that there is truly something for everyone. I believe this year's Khamoro will be at least as successful as last year, when we celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary and enjoyed tremendous interest from visitors. We are very much looking forward to everyone who loves Romani culture or is just beginning to discover it. Khamoro shines for everyone." - Džemil Silajdžić, chief dramaturg and producer of the festival 



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The week-long marathon kicks off on Sunday, May 26, with the Khamoro party at Gauč na Výstavišti. This year, it will feature favorites of Czech and Slovak Roma—funk star Igor Kmeťo and the exceptionally talented sixteen-year-old singer Vanesa Horáková. There will also be concerts of traditional Romani music. Their concept is based on the fact that Roma live scattered all over the world, and therefore offers performances by Romani artists from across the globe. This year, visitors can look forward to, among other things, an authentic cimbalom band. "The Erik Holub Cimbalom Band has everything in its repertoire that one could imagine under the term traditional Romani music of Czech and Slovak Roma," describes festival spokesperson Claudie Laburdová.

Performers will also include the legendary Ciganos d'Ouro from Portugal, who are returning to Khamoro for the umpteenth time. The Barcelona Flamenco Ballet ensemble will also bring a special show to Prague, offering a completely new perspective on the heritage of Spanish Roma. The group was founded seven years ago by dancer and choreographer David Gutiérrez, who is considered one of the most talented flamenco dancers in the world.

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"In addition to groups from the Czech Republic, Portugal, or Spain, visitors can look forward to bands from Hungary, Latvia, or North Macedonia." - Claudie Laburdová, press spokesperson

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Khamoro will once again offer concerts of world-renowned gypsy jazz this year. The organizers promise world-class stars. For the first time ever, the Khamoro festival will also include a gastronomic show, "Aven te chal!" (translated as "Come and eat!"). The leading role will be played by the biggest Romani culinary star in the Czech Republic and Slovakia—food blogger and chef Pavel Berky. Part of this year's Khamoro accompanying program will also be the Slovak National Theatre's production "Budete mať luft!". The performance is a reconstruction of a tragic event from 1928, when a group of rioters from the West Slovak village of Pobedim attacked a nearby Romani settlement. "The performance is not exactly for the faint of heart," admits festival spokesperson Laburdová.

The largest Romani festival in the world will also include a professional program this year. Together with the Romea organization, the organizers have prepared a debate on education, which will be attended by education experts, leaders of scholarship programs for young Roma, as well as Romani graduates of secondary schools and universities themselves.

Khamoro is currently visited by approximately 10,000 people annually. Over its 25 years of existence, more than 260 bands from 33 countries have performed there. The main purpose of Khamoro is to connect the Romani minority and the majority through art. From the beginning, the festival was supported by, among others, Václav Havel. Khamoro is a holder of the prestigious EFFE Label—a European quality mark.