Video message delivered to the ‘National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity’, organised by the NGO Voice of Romni, Kyiv, 30 January 2025:
Dear friends, thank you so much for inviting me to participate in this conference. I'm sorry that I cannot be with you in person. I very much look forward to getting back to Ukraine in the coming months.
I welcome the initiative of this conference. I think that standing up for the human rights of the Roma peoples right across Europe is arguably one of our top human rights priorities. The challenges that face us are enormous. They are not unique to any country. We find them right across the Council of Europe member states. Allow me this afternoon to share with you just three thoughts.
The first is that as we focus on tackling and standing up for the human rights of the Roma people, we need to zero in on antigypsyism. We need to target the profound inequalities between the Roma and other members of our societies. And we have to find ways to celebrate the wonderful cultural diversity of Roma communities everywhere. That's the first range, if you will, of things to address.
The second dimension of how we stand up for the human rights of the Roma peoples is by working together. We can do so much more united than we can separate. That is why I so very much welcome the initiative of this conference. And I pledge to play my part in cooperating with you in this vital project.
And the third and final dimension, and in a way the Voice of Romni organisation has done such a good job of focusing on it, is the role of women. I firmly believe that women are vectors of change for Roma communities, not just in your country, but everywhere. We need to find ways to work with Roma women so that they become all the more empowered to be the champions and the leaders who can make such a profound difference.
But again, thank you again for the invitation, and I wish you every good fortune for this important event.
Thank you.