VIDEO: Museum of Romani Culture Award given to Romani activist David Tišer

The 10th annual Prize of the Museum of Romani Culture has been given by the Czech Public Defender of Rights, Anna Šabatová and museum director Jana Horváthová to the Romani activist David Tišer. The 34-year-old graduated in Romani Studies from the Faculty of Arts at Charles University and for more than 10 years has been dedicated to educating social workers, students and teachers, most frequently on the subject of Romani people’s sociocultural specificities and on how to break down prejudices and stereotypes.

“We are giving David this award for organizing cultural life, for his ability to create solidarity across the generations, and for his brave, persistent efforts in the matter of improving the quality of coexistence between the majority society and Romani people here. He is also receiving it for combating stereotypes both in the majority society and inside Romani communities and for his activity in the area of the LGBT members of the Romani community,” the director said.

Tišer has also taught the Romanes language at the Faculty of Arts. He is the co-founder of the ARA ART nonprofit organization, which concentrates on supporting art  by Romani people and raising awareness about the LGBT members of the Romani community, to whom they offer professional aid.

He has directed two Romani theatrical productions, disseminates and supports the concept of the “theater of the oppressed”, and performed in the production “My Neighbor, My Enemy” (Můj soused, můj nepřítel), at the national Theater, which earned him a nomination for the Alfréd Radok Prize in the category of Talent 2011. “I thank you very much for this award, I greatly appreciate it, but everything mentioned here has been collective work, and I would very much like to thank all of the people who liked my ideas and have aided in their development,” Tišer said when receiving the award.

Since 2009 the Museum of Romani Culture Prize has been awarded annually to a significant figure who, through his or her actions, has contributed to the development, preservation and promotion of Romani culture and thereby has contributed to the functioning of the Museum itself. Previous recipients have been Eva Davidová, Karel Holomek, Gejza Horváth, Emílie Machálková and Ctibor Nečas.