Today, 2nd August, 2024, marks the 80th anniversary of the Roma Genocide, where an established 500,000 Roma and Sinti were murdered in concentration camps or mobile death squads in Nazi-occupied regions of Europe between 1939 and 1945.
In the lead up to European Holocaust Memorial Day this year, Pavee Point attended a week of commemorative events taking place in Krakow, which included a youth exchange visit to Auschwitz and workshops on Roma History, hosted by Dikh He Na Bister (Look and Don’t Forget), the Roma Genocide Remembrance Initiative. The week of events culminates today in an international conference and Commemoration Ceremony held at Auschwitz.
The theme of this year is, “My testimony is for young People: Passing on Memory for the Future of Holocaust Remembrance and Education’ and honours the late Roma Holocaust survivor, Raymond Gurême. It focuses on recognition, remembrance and action in the face of anti-Roma racism and far-right hatred. The purpose of these events is to share knowledge and awareness about the Roma Genocide, further develop relationships and sharing of experiences between Travellers and Roma; and to strengthen solidarity at local and international levels to challenge racism in all of its forms, including anti-Traveller and anti-Roma racism
Dikh He Ne BIster participants and Pavee Point Roma Worker, Vanessa Paszkowska
Vanessa Paszkowska, Pavee Point Roma worker, highlighted the importance of recognising and commemorating the Roma Genocide, stating
“It’s vital that young people everywhere, including Travellers and Roma, preserve the memory of the survivors, so that mistakes of the past do not repeat themselves.”
Today, Pavee Point returned to Auschwitz for a commemorative closing ceremony, which is attended by State dignitaries and delegates from all over Europe and further afield. The European Commission, Council of Europe and Human Rights bodies and Roma organisations from across Europe were in attendance. The EC and CoE are running a #ProtecttheFacts campaign alongside The Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, OSCE, the United Nations and UNESCO, which aims to tackle Holocaust denial and distortion and commemorate the Roma victims. More information on this campaign can be found here: https://www.againstholocaustdistortion.org/
Speaking about European Holocaust Memorial day and the events taking place, Lynsey Kavanagh, Pavee Point Co-Director said, “The events were also an opportunity to reflect on anti-Roma racism more broadly both in Ireland and beyond, which is more important than ever given the alarming rise in hate speech and the activities of the far right in pursuit of a racist agenda. By attending this commemorative ceremony, we are strengthening the network of organisations, State and European officials working together to combat increasing racism and discrimination against Roma. We are sending a message that Roma rights are human rights and need to be protected, respected and upheld.’
Ms. Kavanagh continued, “Pavee Point has been commemorating the Roma Genocide for over 10 years as part of our ongoing work to create the space for the Roma community to remember and recall, and for Irish society to become more aware of the Roma Holocaust.”
On the 18th September 2024, Pavee Point, supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and in association with Holocaust Education Ireland, Musicantial and Cairde, will host ‘Never Again – Recognition, Remembrance and Reflection on the Roma Genocide’. This will be a national event, bringing together a range of people including Travellers and Roma, policymakers, civil society organisations, to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Roma Genocide. There will be several speakers at the event, including Dr Ethel Brooks, Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexual Studies at Rutgers University, USA, Christian Pfeil, Roma Genocide survivor, and family members of Roma Genocide victims.
Please contact michaela.quinn@pavee.ie for further information.
Dikh He Ne Bister exchange