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We had to walk for a good half an hour, on a narrow path, through the wild grass, under the blazing sun, sometimes even through the mud, to finally reach the site of the former Roma concentration camp in Lety, about an hour drive from Prague. There, where still-incomplete historical research indicates that between a thousand and fifteen hundred Roma people died, we found only a tiny plate, lost in the middle of the field, briefly explaining what had happened seventy years ago. Constantly churned up by the wind, the foul odour of thousands of pigs was ever-present: today an industrial pig farm defiles this site, and the memory of those who died.

An additional symbolic violence: a sign with the European Union flag certifying the receipt of grants by the farm from the EU hangs from a fence. A few hundred meters from there, above the mass graves, the Czech government decided to build a small memorial, difficult to access and bordering agricultural fields.

What does the Lety site defilement tell us?

It tells us about an attempt to erase a past that will not go away; about the indifference regarding certain sufferings and certain individuals; about the connection of the then genocide to today’s racist violence.

But it also tells us a story of commitment to memory: a manifestation of dignity and solidarity, with which human rights militants, Roma and non-Roma, have organized the first European commemoration on this site. Eighteen countries were represented at this event, which spoke of the shared sentiment of European belonging, of common attachment to the values of democracy.

In this way the defilement of Lety expresses part of contemporary European history.

Indeed, all over the continent racist acts of violence are perpetrated against the Roma people. They sometimes take the shape of physical violence, from aggression to lynching or murder; of territorial segregation or settlements; of neighbourhoods separated by walls where the electricity and running water are cut off. Racist acts are equally to be found in discourses marred by stereotypes or even calls for hatred from authoritative figures, particularly elected officials or ministers. Racism is present in political measures, in particular ethnically targeted expulsion; in daily discriminations in all sectors of life. Roma children are forced not to attend school or to attend second-rate schools designed especially for them, thus destroying all hope for the future.  And everywhere, the racial persecution is articulated by relentless social domination.

“Roma Pride!” is the name of our civil response to this deadly dynamic. It is in order to manifest Equality and Dignity in Europethat we come together to enthusiastically organise, on the same day (October 5^th) in more than 15 countries, this fourth edition of the Roma Pride.

This mobilisation is rooted in the solidarity with which millions of people all over Europe are engaged in local or national, individual or collective initiatives against racism and discrimination. Roma Pride is possible due to the inalienable attachment of the citizen to human rights and the values of democracy all over the continent.

Roma Pride aims to give the youth hope for the future, and to fight for their right to benefit from a good education, an education that would allow them to find their way, to shape their own life without the suffocating constraints imposed by racism. It also strives to re-establish the dignity of the living and the deceased, by trying to convince the Czech government to relocate the pig farm, in order to heal a painful wound in our memory.

Moreover, it aims to consolidate solidarity networks, which can function as safety-nets against racism and as stepping stones towards an egalitarian society. Equally, it seeks to push the European, national and local authorities to engage in and promote active, incentivizing and binding policies which will lead to an end in racial and social discriminations.

And finally, the Roma Pride intends to be a joyful celebration of the diversity of Roma identities and cultures, which have been for centuries organically linked to European ones.

Let’s come together for the Roma Pride on October 5^th in more than fifteen countries and celebrate, across Roma cultures, a Europe of Dignity and Human Rights!

Benjamin Abtan, President of the European Grassroots Antiracist Movement-EGAM

And a European Collective of Roma and antiracist NGOs from 27 countries.

By country:

Albania: Aldo Merkoci, President of the Mjaft! Movement and Adriatik Hasantari, Director of Roma Active

Austria: Claudia Schaefer, CEO of Zara, Alexander Pollak, President of SOS Mitmensch, and Andrea Harle, Executive Director of Romano Centro

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Jovan Divjak, Executive Director of the “Education Builds B&H” association and Alma Masic, Director of Youth Initiative for Human Rights-Bosnia-Herzegovina

Bulgaria: Krassimir Kanev, President of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, and Deyan Kolev, Chairman of the Roma Center Amalipe for interethnic dialogue and tolerance

Croatia: Mario Mazic, Director of Youth Initiative for Human Rights-Croatia, Sinisa Music, Director of the Roma National Community and Veljko Kajtazi, President of the Roma National Council

Czech Republic: Miroslav Broz, Spokesperson of Konexe and Jarmila Balazova, President of Romea

Denmark: Jette Moller, President of SOS Mod Racisme

Estonia: Sandra Vokk, CEO of Unitas Foundation, and Roman Lutt, Head of the the Estonian Roma Association.

Finland: Christian Thibault, Executive Director of Rasmus Network

France: Dominique Sopo, President of SOS Racisme, Alain Daumas, President of the French Union of Gypsy Associations, Christophe Louis, Director  of “Enfants du Canal” and the Roma Collective Rom Civic.

Greece: Ahmed Moawia, President of the Greek Forum for Migrants, and Maria Dimitriou, Spokesperson of the Greek Roma community

Hungary: Jeno Setet, Roma national Leader, Janos Farkas, President of the Roma community of Gyongyospata, Erika Muhi, Director of Neki and Stefania Kapronczay, Executive Director of Tasz Organisation

Italy: Angela Scalzo, Secretary General of SOS Razzismo, and Graziano Halilovic, Chairman of Roma Onlus

Kosovo: Raba Gjoshi, Director of Youth Initiative for Human Rights-Kosovo, and Muhamet Arifi, Director of Balkan Sunflowers

Latvia: Sigita Zankovska-Odina, Researcher of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights

Macedonia: Hristo Ivanovski, President of Alliance for Human Rights and Asmet Elezovski, Executive Director of National Roma Centrum

Moldova: Valerian Mamaliga, President of the Moldovan Institute of Human Rights and Nicolae Radita, Chairman of Roma National Centre

Montenegro: Boris Raonic, President of the Civic Alliance

Norway: Rune Berglund Steen, Director of the Antirasistisk Senter

Poland: Paula Sawicka, President of the Open Republic Association, Roman Kwiatkowski, President of the Roma People Association in Poland, Klaus Witold, President of the Association for Legal Intervention, Katarzyna Kubin, Director of the Foundation Forum for Social Diversity

Romania: Marian Mandache, Executive Director of Romani Criss

Serbia: Anita Mitic, Director of Youth Initiative for Human Rights-Serbiaand Jovana Vukovic, Coordinator of the Regional Centre for Minorities

Slovakia: Irena Bihariova, President of Ludiaprotirasizmu

Spain: Mikel Mazkiaran, Secretary General of the Federation of SOS Racismo and Beatriz Carrillo de los Reyes, President of Fakali

Sweden: Daniel Poohl, Director of EXPO, Kalle Larson, Chairman of Centrum Mot Rasism

Turkey: Levent Sensever, Spokesperson of DurDe ! (Say Stop to Racism and nationalism!) and Elmas Arus, Chairwoman of the Zero Discrimination Roma Association

Ukraine: Anna Lenchovska, Executive Director of the Congress of National Minorities and Zola Kondur, President of the Roma Fund Chiricli

With the support of:

Ruus Dijksterhuis, Executive Director of the European Roma Grassroots Organisations – ERGO Network, Rob Kushen Chair of the Board of Directors European Roma Rights Centre, Jane Braden-Golay, President of the European Union of Jewish Students, Robert Rustem, Head of Secretariat, European Roma and Travellers Forum and Nicolas Tavitian, Director of AGBU-Europe (Armenian General Benevolent Union)