The jury
The gypsy Spirit awards prize-winners receive their awards from renowned judges of merit in the field of inter-human relations, peace policies and human rights in the social sphere and culture.
The specialist panel of judges is made up of a 5 member commission which assesses the nominations and work in all categories with the exception of the 'Activity of the year' category. The winner in this category is to be decided by popular vote, In this case a five member panel made up of project partner representatives, the media and the organisation committee.
The panel's decisions will not be published and shall remain secret until they are officially announced at the awards ceremony itself. The specialist and popular vote panels are legitimate if more than half the members are present.
The voting process takes place over three rounds. The first round will be judged by the preparation and organisation committee (POC), with submitted nominations being assessed on a scale of 1 to 100, whereby 100 is the highest score possible. On the basis of the attained score, the organisation committee creates a list of five nominations in each category who are to proceed to the next round. In the second round the respective panel selects three finalists from the five nominations from the first round for each category via means of a secret ballot. The third round is the final held on the 16th of April, where the panels announce the winners in each category.
Michael Kocáb
The Czech minister for human rights and national minorities
„As the Czech minister for human and minorities, Roma affairs fall under my agenda. It’s certain that the Slovak public has registered the rise of extremist power in the Czech republic as well as other alarming events in segregated areas which have occurred over the past few months.We are currently working on a proposal featuring specific systematic steps aimed at Roma inclusion - however I am convinced that as long as there is will and willingness on the part of all involved, ineffective and spineless legislative mechanisms will continue to be put in place.It is for this very reason that I whole-heartedly welcome all activities which lead towards support for the positive perception of Roma uniqueness and culture. The Gypsy Spirit project in my opinion is a great example of how to show society benchmarks of positive communication between the majority and the Roma minority“
Michael Kocáb is an artist and a politician who has had a wealth of experience in involvement against totalitarianism. After completing his composition and organ studies at the Prague School of Music , he went on to perform with the band Pražský výber – a group which often met not only with displeasure and repression from the Czech communist political nomenclature, but also with affection from fans. The breaking point in Michael Kocáb’s life came with the velvet revolution. In the spring of 1989 he established the Most (bridge) initiative, which went on to become the first platform for his future political career. Since the 17th of November 1989 he has been the founder member of Občiana fóra (Civic forum), which was the equivalent of the Slovak Verejnosť proti násiliu (the public against violence) civic initiative. As a member of the Civic forum centre crises management team, he organised all the negotiations with the then prime minister Adamec. In addition to this he also negotiated with military representatives and Soviet military emissaries on non-intervention in the course of the revolutionary events. Furthermore, he initiated steps which lead to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Soviet forces coming to an end and recommended Vaclav Havel as the republic’s president. From December 1989 he acted as a Czechoslovak Federal assembly deputy in the international committee. In the first free elections in 1990 he gained 54% of the popular vote (coming in second behind A. Dubček) and once again became a member of parliament. It was during this time that he intensively became involved in the withdrawal of the Red Army from the former Czechoslovakia. He took time out from his political career in 1991. In 1992 he amassed 250 000 signatures in support of a referendum on the Czechoslovak federal republic being split. Between 1993 and 2003 he worked as an external advisor to Vaclav Havel. In 2001 he established a foundation for literature support Between 2003 and 2008 he continued working prolifically with Vaclav Havel in various areas. Additionally, between 2003 and 2005 he fully revamped his musical activities, resulting in a Pražský výber comeback featuring the original line-up. In 2008 he accepted a Czech senate candidature proposal as an independent senator for the Green party. After being successfully elected in 2009, he was named as the Czech minister for human rights and national minorities.
Alexian Santino Spinelli
Musician and organiser of the Roma culture and arts festival in Italy
„Dear Sirs,
I want to express my deeply positive emotions about the competition named Gypsy Spirit. As a member of the Romani community in Italy I feel close relation with all Roma all over the Europe. This kind of the activities – in my opinion – make the issue of Roma more visible, show the positive things and give the society really human dimension.
It was pleasure for me to cooperate with the team and to learn about so many good things done for the community in Slovakia, to learn about the brave men and women working, helping and supporting those who need it the most.
I am really sorry that the situation in my region Abruzzo doesn’t allow me to participate at the event. As you know the earthquake caused real disaster of many people and my help is needed there.
I wish you all the best and hope to meet with you next year since I truly believe this is just the beginning of our further and wider cooperation. „
Santino Spinelli is a Roma who is active in his home town of Lanciano in the Italian Abruzzo region. This accordionist, singer and composer – along with his group Alexian – presents Roma culture via tours in locations where Roma roots can be found, from Punjab to the French Camargue. In terms of education he is a musical theoretic, having been awarded a doctorate of music and being one of the first Roma to become a lecturer at the Pescare university of music. In addition to his academic, research and publishing work in Lanciano, he has also built his own art school, at which he teaches accordion and singing. In 2001 he was elected into parliament as the only Italian representative in the international Roma Union. He is the founder and president of the Romano Them (Roma world), which supports artistic efforts, talents, talent development and education within Roma communities. This organisation hosts an annual international competition under the name of Amico rom (friend of the Roma) where personalities from the international Roma movement are given awards – which in turn also highlight non-Roma activists and institutions which are helpful towards the Roma. Spinelli was also one of the founders of the international Roma writers collective in Helsinki in 2002. Since the same year Spinelli has been the head of the Triest university Roma language and culture faculty. He is the first Roma in Europe to have obtained a position of this magnitude at a university. Spinelli’s poem Auschwitz is set to be immortalised on a well which is an as yet unfinished memorial to the Roma murdered during the national socialism period in Germany’s capital city – Berlin.
Rumyan Russinov
The Roma Education Fund – based in Budapest. Executive director
Dear Sirs,
When I started to work in the field of the Romani issues (what was about 15 years ago), I many times met with people – both Roma and Non-Roma, from Slovakia. I knew Slovakia as the country which was young, fighting with many problems but it was always in progress. Nowadays you in Slovakia managed re-shaping of the society, changed the way of the people’s thinking and brought the theme of supporting Roma to the daylight.
I am very happy that I could have been a part of the whole procedure of the competition Gypsy Spirit. I feel honoured that I was asked to participate as the juror – which was really very hard work.
I made decisions about the nominees according to my best beliefs and knowledge and I hope the final results of the competition will bring out those who really are the best.
I see the whole initiative of Gypsy Spirit as a really big step forward for Roma as well as for the whole society. I wish the organizers as well as the participants good luck and success.
Rumyan Russinov has a Master of Economics qualification. Since 1993 he has been an active participant in the Roma rights movement, and in 2000 worked in Sofia for the Human Rights Project, which defends the human rights of Roma. In 1997 he initiated and lead a campaign for the policies on the fight against Roma discrimination to be accepted by the government. Subsequently, in 1998, the Bulgarian government accepted a framework program on the equal integration of Roma into Bulgarian society. This political bill brought Bulgarian Roma wide support and space for growth. As a result he became the establisher of government policy towards the Roma for the next few years. Between 2002 and 2005 Rumyan Russinov was the director of the Open Society Institute and the Roma Participation Program in Budapest. It was in this position that he initiated and headed up actions which led to the desegregation of Roma in schools in central and eastern Europe.
Dr. Sylvia Porubänová
Work and family research institute, deputy director and research worker
“The open ambition of modern society is integration. Integration as mutual acceptance between the minority and the majority. Integration as a long term. Dynamic process of mutually respected rights and responsibilities such as social adjustment which guarantees the individual’s right to keep their identity based on their roots as a component of a wider identity.
The point is that Roma identity should not be a stigma for anybody! Moreover, fellowship, solidarity and cohesion should not be mere ‘politically correct’ expressions. Activities and projects such as Gypsy Spirit which prove that we want to and know how to live together as opposed to next to each other are a precedence of integration itself. The key issue is the goodwill to mutually perceive, understand, respect and support each other.“
Dr Sylvia Porubänová studied sociology at the Bratislava Comenius university philosophical faculty. After completing her studies in 1994 she was a scientific research worker at the Slovak academy of science sociology department until 1994. In 1994 she became a scientific research worker in the international centre for family studies, where she is still employed today and where she has also been the deputy director since 2004 (in March 2006 the institute was renamed the Institute for research, work and family). She is the founder of the young family support movement. During her career she has written an abundance of specialised articles and publications dedicated to family issues and various social matters.She has received many awards for her work, including the UN certificate of merit (1995), the International year of the family gold medal (1995) and both silver and bronze international year of the family medals (1994)
Jaroslav Kiska
Consumer Finance Holding Inc. – chairman of the board of directors, and the co-founder of the Quatro and Triangel groups and also the founder and board of directors member of the dobry Anjel (good angel) project.
"In my opinion, currently more is said about supporting the Roma community than is done, and this is one of the reasons I accepted a place in the Gypsy Spirit project judging panel . I would be glad to personally contribute to negative stereotypes being transformed into positives and remain convinced that improved circumstances for the Roma in Slovakia equates to an improved situation for us all in the end.”
Jaroslav Kiska was born beneath the Tatras and apart from a brief stint in America has lived there all his life. In Poprad he studied at the industrial high school an in Kosice at the technical university engineering faculty. After finishing his education he joined Tatramat as a development constructer. But he wanted to achieve more in life. He was lured by international business and life to Australia. He spent five years learning English and eventually travelled to America at the age of thirty with his brother. It was there that they both learned about social investment at petrol stations whilst eating hamburgers and steaks. First of all less, and then more successful ventures. Since 1996 they have taken turns in setting up new loan sector companies. First of all triangle in 1996 and then Quatro in 1999. In 2005 they sold Quatro, triangle, Q – car, SLPO and SKK, however they agreed to run the companies for a further three years. Jaroslav Kiska still runs them to this very day. In 2006 became a part of Consumer Finance Holding inc. In 2008 Jaroslav Kiska was nominated as manager of the year. In addition to business, Jaroslav Kiska is also involved in charities – where he has also met with great success – in August 2006 he played a role in setting up the well known Good Anjel charity project.
© Gypsyspirit.eu 2009