Stories of Roma Holocaust survivors. Slovo 21 and the Museum of Romani Culture are launching original educational programs

Over the next two years, 500 high school students will participate in a special educational program that immerses them in the history of the Romani Holocaust through the authentic memories of survivors' descendants. The first workshop begins on Wednesday, September 25, in Hodonín u Kunštátu, home to the Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Moravia. These educational programs are part of a broader project Stories of Survivors, led by the organization Slovo 21 and the Museum of Romani Culture.

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The Romani Holocaust is one of the darkest chapters of our history, yet it is rarely discussed. The project Stories of Survivors, which runs from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2026, seeks to confront this historical injustice and reflect on the contemporary understanding of Romani history and the Holocaust in the Czech Republic. "We want to give this complex topic a human dimension through the authentic stories of people who endured unspeakable suffering during the Second World War," explains Natálie Klee, the project coordinator from Slovo 21.

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A major part of the project consists of these educational programs, which launch today for the first 100 students in Hodonín u Kunštátu, where the Memorial to the Holocaust of the Roma and Sinti in Moravia is located. This specific workshop, prepared by the Museum of Romani Culture, a state-funded organization, will be dedicated to Květa Ondrášová, who was sixteen at the time and was a prisoner in the local so-called "Gypsy camp." "It is essential for us that students encounter the topic through an authentic personal story, which will have much greater value for them than a general explanation in textbooks," adds Natálie Klee.

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The format of future educational programs will be developed in collaboration with the Museum of Romani Culture and will involve the descendants of Romani Holocaust survivors themselves. In addition to educational activities, the Stories of Survivors project also includes an exhibition of the same name at the Museum of Romani Culture, which can currently be visited in Hodonín u Kunštátu until October 31, 2025. As part of the project, a theatrical performance will be created next year, using the "theatre of the oppressed" method to transform the memories of survivors' descendants into a stage production.

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For over 25 years, the organization Slovo 21 has been dedicated to integrating Roma into mainstream society through various activities, such as tutoring Romani students, working with the Romani women's group Manushe, and organizing the Khamoro World Romani Festival. The Stories of Survivors project is supported by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ).

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This text does not express the opinion of the EVZ Foundation. The author is responsible for all claims contained in this text.

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Contact person:

Marie-Anna Růžičková
732 268 201
marie.ruzickova@slovo21.cz