George Soros Awarded European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma
The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) commends George Soros on receiving the European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma, in recognition of his decades-long commitment to advancing the rights and empowerment of Roma communities across Europe.The prize was established in memory of Holocaust survivors and pioneers of the Roma civil rights movement, Oskar and Vinzenz Rose, and was endowed by Germany’s leading charitable institution Manfred Lautenschläger Foundation.
For over four decades, George Soros, founder of the Open Society Foundations, has been an enduring partner in efforts to advance Roma rights and inclusion. In 2017, the Open Society Foundations, together with the Council of Europe, supported the establishment of the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture in Berlin, a milestone in the shared commitment to strengthen Roma arts, culture, and equality.
Through sustained philanthropic efforts, George Soros has backed Roma-led organizations working to address discrimination, expand access to education and justice, improve early childhood development and healthcare, and strengthen Roma participation in public life. This commitment led to the establishment of the European Roma Rights Centre, the Roma Education Fund, and the Decade of Roma Inclusion, initiatives that advanced equal opportunities and representation for Roma communities across Europe.
This sustained engagement consolidated the 2024 launch of the Roma Foundation for Europe, an independent Roma-led institution established with a €100 million endowment from the Open Society Foundations. Soros’s engagement also includes work on economic inclusion; through the Soros Economic Development Fund, the Open Society Foundations supported a Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative pilot program, which demonstrated that Roma entrepreneurs perform on par with their non-Roma peers when given equitable access to financing.
Accepting the award on behalf of his father, Alexander Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundations, expressed:
“My father’s partnership with Roma communities has always been grounded in a deep belief in justice, dignity, and self-determination. This prize is a powerful recognition of that shared journey—and a call to continue the fight against prejudice and exclusion. As a child, I accompanied my parents on visits across Europe to meet Roma leaders and their families. Those experiences left a lasting impression on me and shaped my own commitment to human rights. Today, as chair of the Open Society Foundations, I am proud to carry forward this vital work and stand alongside Roma communities in their pursuit of equal rights and freedom. The discrimination that Roma experience is a threat to all of Europe. None of us are free until we are all free.”
George Soros has stated that full integration of Roma communities requires addressing the disadvantages they face due to their ethnicity. He frames their situation as an important measure of Europe’s commitment to equality and human rights. In a statement, he reflected on his long-standing relationship with the Roma community:
“The Roma have endured centuries of discrimination and marginalisation, rooted in a long history of violence—from the Holocaust to forced sterilization, child removals, and evictions. These injustices continue to resurface, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, when Roma fleeing the war in Ukraine faced barriers to shelter and aid. I’ve always believed that open societies must protect the rights of all people—especially those who are excluded. Working alongside Roma leaders and communities has been one of the most meaningful parts of my life’s work.”
The European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma, established in 2007 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma, honors individuals, groups, or institutions—primarily from the majority population—who make extraordinary efforts to improve the human rights situation of Sinti and Roma. Since 2019, it has been awarded in memory of Holocaust survivors Oskar and Vinzenz Rose, pioneers of the Roma civil rights movement in Germany. The 2023 recipient was American architect Daniel for his contributions to the culture of remembrance and for his architectural work that memorializes both the Sinti and Roma and Jewish victims of the Holocaust. In 2021, it was awarded to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, for her leadership in promoting inclusion and confronting discrimination.
George Soros announced he will donate the prize money to the Roma Education Fund, which empowers Roma communities through access to skills and employment programs and quality education—from early childhood to tertiary levels—strengthening their resilience and capacity to thrive amid social and economic challenges.