The memorial to the Nazi persecution of the Roma and Sinti stands in Salzburg-Aigen. For Vesna Kilom, this is also part of their own family history. “My grandma told me many stories that she witnessed herself – how, for example, her father, brother and nephew were sent to the Jasenovac concentration camp and never came back. She always told me that with tears in her eyes.”

Minorities have too little space in society

The fact that there is a memorial for the murder of Roma and Sinti by the Nazis in Salzburg is good and important – but the location can be discussed, said Alina Kugler from the Platform for Human Rights. “It also shows that the ethnic minority group of Roma and Sinti and also the Yeniche actually have far too little space here. Here the memorial is in a playground – fenced off and rather isolated. Not much has happened there and our society needs a little more knowledge,” says Kugler.

Prejudice is difficult to abolish

World Roma Day was also created centuries ago for more knowledge. But prejudices – such as the fact that many people automatically equate poverty and begging with Roma and Sinti – are difficult to abolish. It is also about, for example, that the characteristic of poverty and characteristics that people may have because they are poor are always automatically linked to Roma, said Alina Kugler.

Women at the heart of the event

On Friday, women – the Romnia – will be the focus of an event in the “Jazzit” in Salzburg. “The Romnia are not so valued, not so valued. Dark-skinned Romnia in general are treated differently,” said Vesna Kilom. You have often felt this yourself. And Alina Kugler adds that if there is little knowledge about Roma and Sinti, there is even less about Romnia. But she wants to change that with events like this.