ROMA PROGRAM for CAFE KYIV 2025: Europe's most outstanding event on Ukraine
11.03.2025 Colosseum Berlin
Following the tradition from the previous year ARCA is an official partner of the CAFE KYIV 2025 event.
This year ROMA PROGRAM will include:
- Panel discussion “Roma in Ukraine: Fighters for Democracy, Justice & Diversity” as a part of political conference
9:00 am - 9:45 am at OG | KINO 9 - SEWASTOPOL
More than a thousand Roma in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (UAF) are deterring Russian aggression and defending Ukraine. Many of them have been killed. Others do humanitarian work or support the UAF or Ukraine in different ways. They consider themselves as Ukrainians, an integral part of Ukraine, despite the existence of antigypsyism and the violence against them prior to the full-scale invasion. Unfortunately, their contribution and dedication to Ukraine are hardly noticed. However, it would be of utmost importance to recognise and appreciate their contribution to the defence of Ukraine and accept them as an integral part of Ukraine. Without accepting Roma as an integral part, there will not be a democratic and diverse Ukraine, ensuring the highest respect for human rights and minority rights.
Panelists:
Michael Roth, Former Minister of State for Europea at German Federal Foreign Office and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 20th Bundestag
Arsen Mednyk, Roma veteran of the Ukraine Armed Forces (UAF)
Nataliia Tomenko, Co-chair of the Ukrainian Roma Advocacy Alliance “AURA” and Deputy Director at the “ARCA”
Yanush Panchenko, Co-chair of the Ukrainian Roma Advocacy Alliance “AURA” and Research Associate at the Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Moderated by Stephan Müller, Advisor International Affairs at “Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma”
- Documentary movie “Named Voices” screening
2:45 pm - 4:30 pm at EG | KINO 2 - DONEZK
The movie was screened during the documentary theatre play, Named Voices, which examines the Nazi genocide of Roma in Ukraine during the 1940s and the ongoing experiences of Roma communities under Russia’s current war against Ukraine. The film interweaves stories of Roma people affected by WWII, connecting their past and present struggles. Produced by the Youth Agency for the Advocacy of Roma Culture “ARCA” in partnership with the Inclusive Theatre Association ART-PLAYBACK, the film draws upon ARCA's archives and interviews with Roma provided by the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies. The film was created in 2023 within the project funded by the EVZ Foundation (Stiftung "Erinnerung, Verantwortung und Zukunft"). The film is in Ukrainian with English subtitles (78 min).
Following the screening will be a Q&A session moderated by Nataliia Tomenko, Co-chair of the Ukrainian Roma Advocacy Alliance “AURA” and Deputy Director at the “ARCA”
About CAFE KYIV
CAFE KYIV is an initiative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation that combines politics, science, culture, innovation and networking. With the Skrynya Pop-Up Market as well as film screenings, exhibitions and concerts, we create an exceptional experience focusing on Ukraine when discussing the topics of freedom, security and reconstruction.
Don’t miss CAFE KYIV event on the 11th of March in 2025!
The full program of the event
The Roma program at the CAFE KYIV 2025 is organized by the Youth Agency for the Advocacy of Roma Culture “ARCA” and Zentralrat Deutscher Sinti und Roma, in partnership with the Inclusive Theatre Association ART-PLAYBACK with the donor support of Evangelische Akademie zu Berlin and Bundesministeriums für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend within the programme "Demokratie leben!".