From August 17 to 22, 2025, an international summer educational camp took place in Świdnica, Poland. The meeting was hosted by … and attended by around … young Roma together with their leaders from partner organizations from four countries: the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia.
On the first day, Sunday, the week was beautifully opened with an integration campfire, where everyone got to know each other. The atmosphere was perfect – there was food, singing, and wonderful Romani music, mostly performed by our children. This marked the start of a memorable week together.
On the second day, Monday, each partner country introduced itself. Every organization shared about its activities, projects, and daily work for Roma communities. In the evening, there was a disco, where Ms. Dziunia Blz wore her beautiful traditional costume. The children loved it – they felt free to be themselves.
On the third day, Tuesday, there was a workshop with DJ Delfin Lakatosz, where both children and adults could try video editing and filming, which everyone greatly enjoyed. Afterwards, they watched the piece they had created together. In the afternoon, one of the participants cooked Romani goulash using her mother’s recipe. It was unusual but very tasty – with dill and pickles, and even five corks from wine bottles, which she said help the meat soften more quickly.
On the fourth day, there was a lecture with Ms. Monika Szewczyk on the theme My Romani Wealth. Everyone was asked to create a project called My Pride, where they wrote their own mottos and slogans, such as:
- Romano jekh avres pačiv – One gives respect to the other
- Romano kokal šoha či vareko phagela – A Romani bone cannot be broken.
In the afternoon, there was a cooking challenge called what you cook, you eat. Each group was given certain ingredients and recipes they had to use. For example, Mr. Giovanni had to cook nettle burgers with beetroot, honey-mustard sauce, and more. In the evening, there was again a disco.
On the fifth day, the lecture Save the Planet was held, where participants learned about saving energy, nature, and the environment. The children enjoyed it, saying they learned things they didn’t know before, and it gave them a lot. In the evening, they recorded a music video based on the slogans they had created. It had to be sung entirely in Romani. The clip is not finished yet but should be uploaded to YouTube by the end of the month. Later that evening, there was a night adventure game in the forest, which the children enjoyed most of all. The task was to find a hidden treasure along a marked route while completing challenges.
On the sixth and final day, everyone went on a trip to the town of Świdnica. Scouts guided them through the city, showing landmarks and organizing a game of finding the city’s coats of arms.That evening, the closing campfire was held. There was a dance workshop led by Angelo Ciurea with his wife and colleague. Afterwards, the others were invited to sing and dance along.
The summer educational camp in Krzyżowa was a wonderful opportunity for young people from different countries to meet, share experiences and opinions, and deepen their sense of Romani identity without shame. Thanks to this event, they discovered cultural diversity, made new friendships, and learned new things. They also practiced their language, and for many children it was truly an experience of a lifetime. The people there were kind and welcoming, and the atmosphere throughout the whole week was absolutely fantastic. The children loved the great breakfasts, the beautiful palace where they stayed, and the evening activities, which they described as “top of the top.”
As one of them said: “Yes, we are definitely coming again next year!”
Feedback from our children.
With love from Ostrava!
15.09.2025
