In the second half of August 2025, the next edition of the Summer Workshop Camp – a week-long workshop camp for Roma youth from the Visegrad countries – took place at the International Youth Meeting Centre in Krzyżowa, Poland.
The event brought together four partner organizations: Fundacja Dom Kultury (Poland – project leader), Vzájemné soužití o.p.s. (Czech Republic), ETP Slovensko (Slovakia), and Khetanipe Romano Centro (Hungary). The project was made possible thanks to the support of the International Visegrad Fund.
The camp was designed for Roma youth from Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary. As in previous years, 24 participants – both girls and boys aged 13 to 23 – were selected by the partner organizations. The main goal of SWC 2025 was to develop social skills, strengthen Roma identity, and foster international collaboration among organizations working with the Roma community.
A special role was played by the venue itself – the International Youth Meeting Centre in Krzyżowa, operated by the Krzyżowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe. Participants had access to fully equipped workshop rooms, including beautiful halls in a historic palace, integration spaces, a large park, sports fields, and a community garden full of herbs and cherry tomatoes – perfect for shared meals. Vegetarian and vegan meals were also available, and the entire space was accessible to people with disabilities.
The camp opened with a late-night bonfire while waiting for all groups to arrive. Though everyone was tired after the journey, curiosity and excitement were in the air. From the very first day, workshops were in full swing. Each group gave a short presentation about their organization and its activities. Then began several days of Roma identity and storytelling workshops, led by Dr. Monika Szewczyk from Jagiellonian University – a Roma scholar and activist. Her sessions encouraged participants to explore their personal and family histories and to find meaning in their roots.
One of the camp highlights was the video and rap workshop led by filmmaker and music creator Delfin Łakatosz. Participants wrote their own lyrics, which they then performed and recorded. The result was a moving video clip capturing their voices, stories, and shared experience at SWC 2025.
Equally powerful were the Roma cooking workshops, led by Dziunia – a warm, charismatic cook, artist, and performer. Everyone took part in preparing traditional dishes that included foraged herbs, wild apples, and plums. Dziunia gladly shared the secrets of her recipes, and the kitchen became a space of joy, storytelling, and community.
Another key part of the program was focused on environmental awareness and sustainable development. During the “Save the Planet” session, the group discussed the impact of industrial meat production and prepared a fully vegan lunch together. Since traditional Roma cuisine is typically meat-based, organizers initially had concerns about how the group would respond. However, those fears quickly vanished. The participants embraced the challenge and – importantly – chose what they wanted to cook themselves. The result was a colourful spread: Hungarian lecsó, Czech-style dumplings, and a variety of vegetable-based spreads and dishes that everyone enjoyed with enthusiasm.
Evenings were filled with games, dances, and group bonding. One night, the Slovak team organized a thrilling scavenger hunt through the forest and surrounding village – a creative and slightly spooky terrain game that brought lots of excitement.
The final day of the camp featured a trip to Świdnica, where the scouts from the “Mrówkojady” troop prepared an engaging urban game. After returning to Krzyżowa, everyone gathered for the closing music and dance workshops led by Angelo Ciureja, accompanied by dancers Klara and Otylia from the group Romano Drom. The evening ended with a deeply emotional moment: a group performance of the Roma anthem “Gelem Gelem”, which brought the whole camp together in unity and pride. Afterward, participants shared a last meal by the fire and reflected on their time together.
SWC 2025 was full of incredible people, each contributing something unique. From Slovakia came group leaders Dávid and Antoine, along with youth participants Maroš, Anastázia, Jaroslava, Lukáš, Mária, and Kristián. From Czechia came leaders Věra and Milan, with special guest Kumar Vishwanathan, and youth participants Nikola, Jozef, Tomas, Nela, and Samanta. A new partner this year was Khetanipe Romano Centro from Hungary, with leaders Adrienn and Abigel and participants András, Szilárd, Dávid, Bianka, Rómeó, and Renátó. Representing Poland were Gloria, Alwaro, and Valeriia, with group leader Marta.
Though each person arrived from a different country, speaking a different language and carrying different experiences, in Krzyżowa they formed a community. What remains are the photos, videos, new skills and knowledge – but most importantly, the connections, memories, and warmth that each person took home in their heart.
