"Hatred is rising. Education has to be the response," said Govt Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs at the commemorative ceremony for the Holocaust and its Romani and Sinti victims in Lety u Písku, Czech Republic

Fuková also noted that a wave of hateful commentaries on social media was sparked by the opening of the memorial and recalled that a definition of antigypsyism has been adopted, calling it an important step by the state toward persistent anti-Romani attitudes. She emphasized that the response to the current situation must be an education system that will not be afraid to work with the prejudices children bring with them to school from home.

The commissioner expressed appreciation for ongoing efforts to include the history of the Roma in school curricula, mentioned the possible extension of the deadline by which the illegally sterilized can apply for compensation, and announced the first year of the Roma Friendly prize for firms supporting diversity. News server Romea.cz is publishing her speech in full here.

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Speech by Lucie Fuková at the commemorative ceremony in Lety u Písku, Czech Republic, 11 May 2025

Lačho ďives,
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear descendants and loved ones of those whose stories are connected with this place,
Your Excellencies, Mr. President of the Senate,

I greet you all as the Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs and on behalf of Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

I am returning to Lety u Písku one year after we opened the memorial here together.

That was one of the most significant moments in the modern history of the Roma.
A dignified place of memory has now been created.
This place belongs to those who suffered here, or who were victims of the Holocaust, and to those who never forget.

I thank everybody who fought so consistently for so long for its creation.

One year ago, another important event transpired.
The Government and other institutions officially adopted a definition of antigypsyism.
By doing so, we clearly said, as a state, that anti-Romani attitudes still exist in our country – and that we must not ignore them.

However, the opening of this memorial sparked a wave of hateful commentaries on social media.
According to monitoring by the ARA ART organization, that issue was the most frequent source of anti-Romani hatred in the first half of 2024.
The second most frequent source was welfare reform.

What can be done about this?
One way forward is education.

Along with the Education Ministry and other partners, we have pushed for the culture and history of the Roma to become a regular part of instruction in the schools.
I hope that the subject of the Holocaust of the Roma will also reach the wider awareness of both adults and children.
It should be a matter of course for schools to visit the memorials in Lety u Písku or in Hodonín u Kunštátu.

Of course it is not enough just to say what should be in the curriculum.
We must also discuss how to teach such subject matter.

How to respond to the prejudices children bring to school from home.
How to cope with racist remarks in the classroom.
How to work with our own stereotypes.

These subjects are not just about the Roma.
They enrich all children.
They can also be a source of pride for those who have been afraid to publicly espouse their identity as Roma.

During this past year, several other important steps have been taken.

The Chamber of Deputies has extended the deadline by which people can apply for compensation for illegal sterilizations.
Hundreds of women now have a second chance at justice, or at least a small remedy
for the grave injustices perpetrated against them.

Along with the Czech Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs, we have adopted definitions of community work and participation as crucial paths to change.

Soon, for the first time, we will be appreciating companies which actively espouse support for diversity and equality through an award for being a Roma Friendly firm.

Despite all of this, we must admit that many things are changing slowly.
Segregation in the schools continues to destroy the lives of whole generations of Romani children.
Discrimination and trafficking in poverty prevent people from living in dignity.

Today, 80 years from the end of the Second World War, we are in a world that is being shaken once more, a time when fighting is again raging beyond our borders.

That makes it all the more important to remind ourselves of the values on which our society stands.

Humanity.
Compassion.
Respect.
Democracy.

Again, I want to say: Support to the most vulnerable will always redound to the benefit of us all.

Thank you.