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A Feminist Reading of Roma Political Movement: A conversation with Roma women activists, scholars and artists

On June 11, 2019 ERIAC and RKI will host a panel discussion “A Feminist Reading of Roma Political Movement”, featuring outstanding Roma women activists, scholars and artists: Carmen Gheorghe, president of Roma women organization E-Romnja (Romania); Dotschy Reinhardt, CEO of Landesrat der Roma und Sinti Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (Germany); Jelena Jovanovic, scholar, policy and research coordinator at ERGO Network (Serbia/ Beligum); Ramona Cara, young Roma activist and social worker (Romania/ Germany); Sandra Selimovic, actress, artist and singer (Serbia/ Austria/ Germany); and Mihaela Zatreanu, ERIAC Barvalipe Academy member, linguist and activist.

The discussion is a final event of the series of activities organized by ERIAC and RKI around the joint exhibition “Roma Women Weaving Europe – Roma Feminist Thought and Contemporary Art”.

Gender inequality has become a major focus of contemporary debates in recent years throughout the world. The approximately 6 million Roma women in Europe know all too well about the impact of gender inequality. Roma women face multiple and intersectional discriminations – as women, members of a stigmatized ethnic minority, being at higher risk of social exclusion and poverty – which has pushed them to creatively challenge patriarchal and racialized oppression. The every-day struggle of Roma women has become a focal foundation for the gradual emergence of Roma feminism as a movement against injustice. The voices of Roma women – tales of resistance and survival, as well as solidarity and pride – become a source of inspiration and a point for reflection for contemporary debates in Europe. In this way, Romnia (Romani women) become the fore-front of a new revolution – drawing power from their own communities and their transnational solidarity networks, they imagine a new social fabric, weaving together threads of minority and majority struggles and achievements.

The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture – ERIAC and the Rumänisches Kulturinstitut Berlin brings together outstanding Roma women figures to discuss the diverse approaches to Roma feminism today. The conversation – at the intersection of scholarship, politics, activism and arts – will present diverse approaches to the struggle for gender and ethnic equality. Drawing from rich and diverse strategies of opposing sexism and racism, Roma women become an important source of inspiration for women worldwide.

Program:

June 11, 2019

17:00 – 20:00

Guided tour of the “Roma Women Weaving Europe” exhibition

June 11, 2019 at 17:00-18:00 pm. Venue: ERIAC, Reinhardtstraße 41-43, 10117 Berlin

Panel Discussion: June 11, 2019 at 18:00-20:00 pm. Venue: Rumänisches Kulturinstitut – Reinhardtstraße 14, 10117 Berlin

18:00 – 18:10 Opening Remarks

Timea Junghaus, executive director of ERIAC

RKI executive director (tbc)

18:10 – 18:25 Introduction: A short history of Roma Feminism by Jelena Jovanovic, scholar, policy and research coordinator at ERGO Network (Serbia/ Beligum)

18:25 – 19:25 Moderated discussion: “A Feminist Reading of Roma political movement – Different faces of Roma Feminism”

Panelists:

Carmen Gheorghe, president of Roma women organization E-Romnja (Romania)

Dotschy Reinhardt, singer and activist, CEO of Landesrat der Roma und Sinti Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (Germany)

Jelena Jovanović, scholar, policy and research coordinator at ERGO Network (Serbia/ Beligum)

Ramona-Maria Cara, young Roma activist and social worker (Romania/ Germany)

Sandra Selimovic, actress, artist and singer (Serbia/ Austria/ Germany)

Moderator: Mihaela Zatreanu, ERIAC Barvalipe Academy member, linguist and activist

19:25 – 19:40 Questions and Answers from the audience

Closing remarks by Mihaela Zatreanu

19:40 – 20:00 Reception at the RKI

Photos: Nino Pusija/ ERIAC