DEDICATED TO ROMA INTERNATIONAL DAY, 8 APRIL
How to Counter Denial and Distortion of the Genocide of the Roma in the Context of the War and Displacement
Interactive session and toolkit presentation
Date: Friday, 10 April 2026
15:00-16:30 CEST (Berlin, Warsaw)
16:00-17:30 EEST (Chișinău, Kyiv)
18:30-20:00 IST (Kolkata)
Registration link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XKpOPV2SSfGXWUAkTiz1vg
About the session:
Refugees are not a uniform group. They differ in ethnicity, religion, gender, and disability. These differences shape their experiences of displacement.
Displaced Roma communities are especially vulnerable in the war. They often face discrimination in access to housing, education, public services, as well as unequal treatment at borders.
This situation results from a combination of various factors: historical injustices, including past oppression, such as the legacy of Roma slavery in parts of Europe, and a lack of recognition and memorialisation of past atrocities, as well as persistent antigypsyism (anti-Roma racism).
The genocide of the Roma (Porajmos) during the Second World War was recognized relatively late. The delayed recognition leaves spaces to its denial and distortion, reinforcing stereotypes. These narratives continue to shape the treatment of Roma communities, including in the context of the war and displacement.
What this session offers:
- International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) approaches to countering denial and distortion
- their application in humanitarian and protection contexts.
Session contributors:
IHRA approaches to counter denial and distortion of the Roma genocide in the current context
Mirjam Karoly, Chair of the IHRA Committee on the Genocide of the Roma
Practical strategies to identify and respond to denial in humanitarian settings (toolkit)
Natalia Sineaeva, Holocaust Researcher and educator, ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association
Elena Sirbu, Founder, Roma Women Platform ROMNI
How the history of Roma communities – including the genocide – is reflected or overlooked in current responses to the war in Ukraine
Mykola Homanyuk, Sociology professor, Kherson State University
Valentin Zharonkin, Researcher, Cofounder, Ukrainian Centre of Romani Studies.
Moderator:
Sayan Lodh, PhD Research Scholar, Presidency University, Kolkata.
Organisers:
- ‘NEVER AGAIN’ Association
- Roma Women Platform ROMNI
- Ukrainian Centre of Romani Studies.
The activities are being carried out as part of a bilateral exchange focused on the effective implementation and use of International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) resources, with the support of the ENCATE network within the framework of IHRA activities.
