Khamoro shares experiences. We teach young Roma from all over Europe how the largest Roma festival is made.
Culture changes perspectives. It breaks down prejudices and gives a voice to those who are often left on the sidelines. Yet, young Roma people are still more often spectators than creators. We want to change that. That is why, for several years now, Slovo 21 has been opening the doors to the backstage of the largest Roma festival in the world – Khamoro. This year, the cultural management training will take place on an international level. Young people from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland will attend to gain experience and self-confidence.
The festival as an iceberg
"We drew an iceberg and labeled which festival work is visible and which remains underwater. At the very bottom, a lot of people wrote 'stress'," says project coordinator Jana Hejkrlíková, describing how program participants learn about organizing cultural events. Organizing such a festival is no small feat, and without the necessary experience, it is hard to know where to start. For young Roma, acquiring this "know-how" is a great opportunity. If they don't get involved in shaping the cultural scene, it is difficult for culture to reflect their worldview. That is also why, for more than ten years, Slovo 21 has been organizing the Khamoro Shares Experience program, through which participants gather the necessary experience to organize their own cultural events.
We know it has an impact.
The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland – four participants from each country will arrive during Khamoro, with the entire exchange supported by the Visegrad Fund. "Most of them showed strong motivation. Everyone is mainly looking forward to the festival, that's clear," Jana laughs. "But there was also a great interest in really learning these things. Many of them have already helped with something in their local areas and would like to get more involved in public life." The motivation for expanding the program abroad this year was clear: "We know it has an impact and that, thanks to this, new initiatives have emerged in recent years, such as the Ostrava Note, which organizes multi-genre cultural events. And this is an opportunity to teach cultural management at a professional level to people from other countries. So that the events they create in their regions can reach this level," adds coordinator Jana Hejkrlíková.
Turning vision into reality
Each participant should leave with the skills to manage cultural production in their own country. Financial support from the Visegrad Fund will help with this by covering basic costs, such as venue rental, helping participants turn their vision into a real event. However, Khamoro Shares Experience is not just about practical skills. It is crucial to boost the self-confidence of young Roma and to reinforce the feeling that Roma culture deserves to be seen. Because it simply deserves it.
The project Roma Youth in Action - Through Culture Against Antigypsyism is co-financed by the governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to promote ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
Related projects
Romani Youth in Action: Through Culture Against Antigypsyism
We want young Roma to be heard more. Not from the audience, but from the position of those behind major cultural events. We already have experience with this. Over the last 10 years, through our "Khamoro Shares Experience" program, we have trained dozens of young Roma from the Czech Republic in cultural management and taught them how to organize Khamoro, the largest Roma festival in the world. Now it is time to share our know-how further – to all countries of the Visegrád Group. It is not just about new knowledge. It is about young Roma gaining self-confidence, being proud of their heritage, and becoming true leaders.
