SUMMARY OF THE EXPERT CONFERENCE ON THE GENOCIDE OF THE ROMA
The conference took stock of existing research on the genocide of the Roma; identified obstacles, gaps and needs; shared IHRA knowledge and recommendations; stimulated cooperation and proactively worked together for impact. The conference also aimed to highlight current research on how the genocide of the Roma feeds into the discrimination and prejudice that many Roma face today.
In addition to a summary of the conference and the program, the Summary Report includes a list of key takeaways – the main messages, requests and recommendations put forward by participants at the conference. Read them below:
1. There is a need to systematically and structurally enhance work on remembrance, research and education on the genocide of the Roma and antigypsyism. To contribute to this, the IHRA could – and should – continue to regularly organise conferences like the one in Stockholm, to allow for continued exchange, stock-taking and networking involving IHRA expertise, the Roma civil society and other relevant actors. A concrete suggestion was that the upcoming Croatian IHRA Presidency could arrange such a conference.
2. Remembrance and memorialisation of the genocide of the Roma should be further promoted. This could be done with the help of dedicated memorials that are strategically placed and politically supported. A specific recommendation was that more IHRA Member Countries should commit, adopt and promote the 2nd of August as the ‘Roma Holocaust Remembrance Day’ in line with European Parliament Resolution adopted in 2015. A related recommendation was for the Chair of the IHRA to always make a statement on this date.
3. IHRA and its Member Countries should promote long-term and sustainable research on the crimes against humanity against Roma before, during and after the Holocaust. This should be done ensuring proper funding for specific academic programmes at academic institutions and universities through scholarships and/or fellowship programmes. It could also include the promotion and protection of knowledge and archival files, i.e. by promoting the digitisation of such material.
Research on the fate of Roma groups that haven’t been given the same attention as others also needs to be ensured.
4. Education about the genocide of the Roma needs to be further promoted. For the IHRA, the main tools to ensure this would be to continue developing the foreseen IHRA Recommendations for Teaching and Learning on the Genocide of the Roma, include Roma experts in the process and ensure that the recommendations are translated and implemented by the IHRA Member Countries, in accordance with their national contexts. Training of teachers about the genocide of the Roma and antigypsyism should also be promoted.
5. Further steps to enhance the recognition of the genocide of the Roma need to be taken. One way of doing this would be to establish truth commissions or similar processes of recognition. Furthermore, in this context it would be important to continue the discussion on terminology and how it is linked to the recognition of the genocide of the Roma. Several Roma civil society actors stressed the importance of changing the terminology for the genocide of the Roma in order for the Roma to be recognised as victims in the same way as other groups.
6. Continued promotion of the work to combat antigypsyism is essential. This should be done through more explicit and targeted efforts against antigypsyism within the framework of the ongoing implementation of national strategies against racism. Countries were recommended to enact national legislation recognising antigypsyism as a specific form of racism in line with ECRI General Policy Recommendation No. 13. Another, complementary, measure for IHRA Member Countries was to promote the IHRA working definition on antigypsyism/ anti-Roma discrimination in their respective countries, and at both the national and local level. Yet another recommendation, linked to the above-mentioned work for recognition, was for countries to establish independent commissions against antigypsyism and to enable Roma civil society to actively participate in the commissions’ work, including by providing sufficient resources and time for the work.
7. Inclusion, participation and empowerment of Roma – and not least Roma youth – in the work for remembrance, research and education on the genocide of the Roma and to combat antigypsyism, was mentioned as crucial – at the political, academic and civil society level. It was added that it is essential to secure both financial and political support for this.
Download the entire report here.
The Swedish Presidency of the IHRA hosted an international conference on the genocide of the Roma and combating antigypsyism, in Stockholm on 20–21 October 2022. The summary report of this conference is now available.
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