By reading the most beautiful songs of Roma poetry from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatian, Kosovo, Montenegro, Slovenia and Macedonia – pooled and published in the new issue of the Sarajevo Notebooks dedicated to literature of national minorities – International Roma Day was marked in Sarajevo. Anthology of Roma Poetry is a unique publication from this region that indicates support for the largest ethnic minority in Europe, and celebrates and nurtures Roma culture and language.

The promotion was attended by members of the editorial board of Sarajevo Notebooks, the poet Hedina Sijercic Tahirovic, Head of EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative Ambassador Peter Sorensen, Ambassador of Sweden to BiH Bosse Hedberg, and Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH Ambassador Fletcher Burton.

“Works like Sarajevo Notebooks are a unique way to contribute to improvements in the difficult areas of ​​reconciliation, normalization and bringing people together, in the way of seeing and promoting awareness of society about those challenges. This anthology is the best evidence of the contribution that the Roma population has given to the culture of the region. In all the reports that we send out of this country, it is clearly emphasized the need to make an effort in individual and official to prevent discrimination and to improve the socio-economic integration of Roma and other minorities. We have to try to eliminate practices that openly or disguisedly foster discrimination against Roma,” said Ambassador Sorensen.

In addition to highlighting the beauty and richness of the Roma culture this day is celebrated in order to draw attention to the problems that are facing this minority.

“Financial and material support are important, but dialogue and consultations in the breaking down of barriers posted by discrimination against Roma are even more important,” said Swedish Ambassador to BiH, Bosse Hedberg.

The promotion was organized by the Open Society Fund and Mediacenter Sarajevo, with the support of the Delegation of the EU to BiH, the Swedish Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the OSCE Mission to BiH.