"I Will Not Be Silent": Slovo 21 and RomanoNet launch a campaign against antigypsyism

On the occasion of International Roma Day, April 8, 2025, the "I Will Not Be Silent" campaign launches, aiming to publicly reject and combat anti-Gypsyism—the deeply rooted prejudices and unfair treatment faced by Roma people. Support for this initiative can be shown by wearing a special ribbon. The campaign, running from April 7 to 11, is organized by the Slovo 21 association and the Romanonet network of Roma and pro-Roma organizations.

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International Roma Day is an opportunity to express solidarity and support for those whose experiences often remain outside the public eye. In this context, the "I Will Not Be Silent" campaign publicly rejects anti-Gypsyism, which manifests in the daily lives of Roma in various ways:

"This includes the segregation of Roma children in education, the forced housing of Roma in segregated areas with substandard conditions, or discrimination in the labor market, which prevents Roma from obtaining adequate work that matches their experience and education," says advocacy worker Jan Husák.

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Support for the campaign can be shown between April 7 and 11 by wearing a ribbon featuring the Roma and Czech flags, which symbolizes responsibility and a willingness to actively defend the values that strengthen citizens' trust in democratic institutions. A letter calling for participation in the campaign, along with the ribbons, was sent to the Prime Minister, government ministers, and selected members of Parliament and the Senate. The ribbons were also offered to the largest Czech television stations, including Czech Television.

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"The goal of our campaign is not only to highlight the injustices that Roma face in their daily lives, but also to show Czech society that we cannot be indifferent to how Roma live, because we all live here together. If the Roma community in the Czech Republic suffers, the negative consequences will eventually affect the entire society," says Jelena Silajdžić, director of Slovo 21.

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For over 25 years, the Slovo 21 association has focused on integrating Roma into mainstream society and is involved in the fight against antigypsyism as part of the international Jekhipe project. This project is funded by the European Union and coordinated by the ERGO Network – a European network of local Roma organizations bringing together more than 30 organizations from across Europe. RomanoNet is the largest network of non-profit organizations in the Czech Republic, which brings together more than 15 prominent Roma and pro-Roma organizations, including the Slovo 21 association.

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Contact person:

Marie-Anna Růžičková

732 268 201

marie.ruzickova@slovo21.cz

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Jekhipe is a continuation of the successful project "Chachipen – Path to Truth and Reconciliation for Addressing Antigypsyism in Europe" and is funded by the European Commission under the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values Programme (CERV).

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.