ROMfest

According to unofficial data, there are around 2000 Roma living in Maribor and its surroundings, who were moving here in last decades and therefore don't have the status of indigenous inhabitants. In 1996 the Romano Pralipe Roma society was founded in Maribor with the purpose of preserving Roma cultural identity, ensuring mutual help and arranging the situation of Roma in the Republic of Slovenia. The society is dedicated to cultural activity, cooperation with various institutions in the Republic of Slovenia, solving the Roma issue and particularly to improving the situation of Roma inhabitants in Maribor and its surroundings.

Nevertheless, the Roma community is still faced with discrimination and violation of human rights, as the question often arises whether the non-Roma children will attend school together with Roma children, and whether the parents and kids of non-Roma population will accept the Roma community. Based on these and other facts, we are certain that the ROMfest cultural programme, which has been organised by KIBLA Association for Culture and Education (ACE KIBLA) and Romano Pralipe Roma Society, could make a substantial contribution to inter-ethical harmony and coexistence in common environment by bringing the Roma culture closer to us.

Maribor as the future European Capital of Culture 2012 has to start activities to take advantage of breaking stereotypes and fight discrimination in the critical public eye. The time has come for better cooperation between the Roma, local communities and administrations as well as the Slovenian government. Therefore the mission of ROMfest is to contribute to current developments as well as to preserving the Roma cultural heritage not only in Maribor but also around Slovenia – in regions of Prekmurje as well as Dolenjska, Posavje etc. To achieve this, Roma cultural groups will be invited to cooperate.

By the time when in 2012 Maribor and its partner cities are the European Capital of Culture, we wish for ROMfest to have assumed the key role in cultural music programme of ethnical groups and communities in this part of Slovenia, where Roma population is the most numerous.

ROMfest 2008
ROMfest 2009
ROMfest 2010

Sections

Festivals

Coproductions and international cooperation