2022 Museum of Romani Culture Prize in Czech Republic goes to the Romani Studies scholar Helena Sadílková
The Museum of Romani Culture's annual prize for 2022 has been earned by Helena Sadílková, an Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Romano džaniben and a Romani Studies scholar. News server Romea.cz learned of the award from the museum's press spokesperson, Karolina Spielmannová.
“This year the award was given to an excellent, longtime collaborator of the museum, an exceptionally inspiring woman, a Romani Studies scholar, an Editor-in-Chief of the journal Romano džaniben, Mgr. Helena Sadílková, M.A., Ph.D. The prize was given for her longtime academic contribution to the conservation, development and study of the Romanes language and for the inspiring results of her research into ethnic Roma in the history of the 20th century. Last but not least, she was given this prize for her deep, genuine interest in Romani and Sinti people and for her persistent striving for society to take a dignified approach toward their communities,” Spielmannová said in a press release sent to news server Romea.cz.
The award ceremony for the Museum of Romani Culture Prize took place on Thursday, 20 October at the museum itself. Dr. Sadílková is known in the academic world as a Romani Studies specialist.
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She leads Charles University’s Romani Studies Seminar and coordinates the activities of the Prague Forum for Romani Histories at the Czech Academy of Sciences’ Institute for Contemporary History. Her work concentrates on the postwar history of Romani people on the territory of the former Czechoslovakia, in addition to which she focuses as a professional Romani Studies scholar on linguistic subjects such as the Romanes language and its sociolinguistic situation, supporting instruction of the Romanes language, and literary subjects such as the editing and translation of literary works by authors of Romani origin.
Dr. Sadílková is an Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed journal of Romani Studies, Romano džaniben. She has been dedicated to English Studies, the Romanes language and Romani Studies since 1996.
The ceremony included a cultural program with a musical performance by the Gypsy Guitar Trio and songs by Margita Michaelová’s choir. Another interesting point was readings of poems by Romani authors, undertaken by Štefan Ferenc, Jana Horváthová, and Margita Lázoková.
The award has been given annually since 2009. Its purpose is to express appreciation for figures who contribute to the development, promotion and preservation of Romani culture and to the Museum of Romani Culture. Nominations for the award are made by employees of the museum and other experts.
The Board of the Museum of Romani Culture chooses the awardees by vote. In previous years the Museum of Romani Culture Prize has been given to Ctibor Nečas, Ignác Zima, Karel Holomek, Jana Šustová, Margita Lázoková, Bartoloměj Daniel (in memoriam), Emília Rigová and others.
