Slovo 21

Slovo 21 is a non-governmental non-profit organization that was established in 1999. We

promote the interests of Roma, migrants, and representatives of the majority at the local,

national, and international levels. So far, we have assisted more than 15,000 individuals

from these target groups. The work we do allows us to positively influence the lives of

thousands of people in need, positively impacting society. Slovo 21 is implementing

various projects in education, women empowerment, social inclusion, history, culture and

art and capacity-building activities. Slovo 21 is also highly active in advocacy work,

promoting the rights and participation of Roma people at the local, regional, and national

levels. We are one of the founders of the RomanoNet, the network that contributed to the

creation of the governmental Strategy of Roma Integration in the Czech Republic, and a

member of ERGO, the largest European network of Roma NGOs. Over the past 27 years,

we have supported at least 20,000 Roma individuals in various fields, with over 150 Roma

students obtaining higher education and more than 1,000 students enrolling in secondary

schools thanks to our assistance.

Our work focused on the Roma community is divided in various fields. One of them is

education of Roma children and youths (for example through tutoring), rising capacities of

Roma people in the fields to activate citizenship, advocacy and opening the topics from

Roma history and present. Other parts of our work are focused on Romani women and

their empowerment, mostly in a group so called Manusche. A great example of our work is

also the World festival of Roma Culture Khamoro which we have organised every year

since 1999. At the festival, we present Roma music, culture and artists from all around the

world as well as other forms of Roma art such as literature and theater, to the wider

public as well as (local) Roma people.

Within our work we also combine the preservation and enhancing of Roma culture with

empowerment of Roma women. We offer them the opportunity to express themselves

creatively and share their unique perspectives with the world. Therefore in February 2019,

the first meeting of Paramisara, a Czech Club of Roma writers, was held at the Prague City

Library.

In our work with foreign nationals, we oversee the methodology and organization of

adaptation and integration courses, including the management of 60 instructors and 182

interpreters in 20 languages. We offer courses for beneficiaries of international

protection, and over the past two years, we have organized 78 Czech language courses

throughout the country and provided over 1,100 escort services (e.g., to doctors’ offices

or government agencies) for refugees from Ukraine. We also organize outreach activities

with the majority population, such as courses for public administration and law

enforcement employees, as well as events for the general public such we We Are

Neighbours or Family Next Door.

Our WHY:

Since 1999, we have strived to contribute to a better mutual understanding within our

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diverse society. We are an organization that is open to new ideas, and therefore we

cooperate with state and non-governmental non-profit organizations and institutions from

the Czech Republic and abroad. We fight stereotypes while encouraging the self

confidence of minorities and supporting their education. We want the 21st century to be a

century of change that will lead to greater solidarity and respect. As Slovo 21, we want to

be part of this change and even become its voice.

General Vision

● combat racism, xenophobia and discrimination

● protect and develop human rights

● to create a multicultural society

● improve the media image of minorities.

Slovo 21 has broad experiences with youth work, education and also work on topics of

commemoration.

Education and youthwork

Since the year 2000, one of our most important focuses is education on the elementary

and high schools in the form of tutoring and mentoring (project Dža Dureder, project

Avela). More than 1000 elementary school pupils passed this project, of whom at least

60% improved their grades and 135 successfully passed the high school entrance exams.

Also, thanks to our support, more than 150 high school students enrolled for university

studies. In the field of youth work, we organize trainings for youth with usage of methods

of non-formal learning focused on various themes. One of them is training called Khamoro

Shares Experiences where we teach young Roma people how to organize their own

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cultural events on a professional level. We are using methods of non-formal and informal

learning - as the participants are receiving workshops but also they have the opportunity

to try everything in practice during the festival Khamoro under the guidance of

professionals. Our other training for youth is called We Are On The Long Way which is

focused on themes such as Roma identity and history and active citizenship. Within this

trainings we are using methods as debates, theatre, experiential learning and other non

formal methods. The third type of training for youths we are holding is called Manushe

Junior where we open up with Roma youths topics such as gender and so on.

Roma history and remembrance of Roma Holocaust

In the theme of Roma history, we are experienced with organizing events and activities

which connect art with history. Within the last year we managed together with the

Museum of Roma Culture the exhibition Stories of Survivors on the topic of the Roma

holocaust. Under the same name we are running the theatre of the oppressed with the

descendants of Roma holocaust survivors which is under the experienced theatre director

and is open to the public and played all over the Czech Republic. Besides that, we are

publishing a book of stories of Roma women authors which in beletristic way discusses the

sterilization of Roma women in the Czech Republic. Besides that, in last years, we have

held lessons on the topic of Holocaust for more than 600 primary and high school

students. Within the Khamoro festival and other cultural and educational projects, we

introduced subsequent exhibitions: Rasova diagnoza: CIKÁN” [ Racial Diagnosis: GYPSY],

“Zaniklý svět” [The Dead World], (RE)conceptualizing Roma Resistence, “Genocida Romů v

době 2. světové války” [Genocide of the Roma during World War II] – we have also

published a book by a Roma historian Jana Horváthová with the same topic and name.

Support of Romani culture

Since 1999, Slovo 21 and Studio Production Saga have organized the World Roma Festival

Khamoro every year. It is one of the largest festival of its kind in the world. Khamoro

presents professional Romani culture and art (music, dance, theatre, visual and alternative

art, literature) to the general public from the Czech Republic and abroad in all its

dimensions and forms. It proves that Romani culture and art are a full-fledged part of the

Czech and world cultural heritage. The festival also features a component on expertise and

education. Khamoro is a recipient of the prestigious international EFFE Label award.

As it is visible, we are experienced in the field of youth work, organizing (cultural and

educational) events as well as in working with heavy topics from the Roma history.