Our Berlin youth group “WIR SIND HIER!” celebrated with and supported with all their might the International Roma* Day on April 8 with moderation, parade and theater.
The time for the preparation was short, because it started already on April 5th. And that was with an interview at radioeins! RBB broadcasted live from Bikini Berlin. Estera, Davis and Ali were on board and we talked about our workshops, role models, theater and many other topics.
This year ROMADAY opened with a vernissage of the exhibition “Still Hope In Paradise?” at ACUD MACHT NEU, continued the same evening with the performance “Newly Forgotten Technologies” by Wesley Goatley and finally celebrated with a set by DJ, artist and author D.R.E.E.A.. It was great to connect with so many people, share ideas, and it made us even more excited for the upcoming parade!
In between, we made banners, thought about demo slogans and, very important, the moderation and formulated our own contributions for the demo. From “WE ARE HERE!” David Paraschiv and Estera Elisa Paraschiv were present on the parade truck as a moderation duo.
The two accompanied their fellow campaigners during the procession from the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe murdered under National Socialism to the Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz on April 8. The culmination of the powerful, self-confident parade was the performative renaming of the site as Roma-Luxemburg-Platz, which was especially enjoyed by children and young people from various Roma communities.
Arriving at the Volksbühne, we went to the backstage of the Grüner Salon and then onto the stage. This was followed by perhaps the punchiest performance of our youth group with the Forum play of the same name “WIR SIND HIER!” in front of the crowded theater hall.
Hardly had the applause and the sounds of the subsequent jam session dedicated to the Roma* anthem “Djelem Djelem” died down, we went to the Maxim Gorki Theater for the concert of the Romnja rap band from Serbia “Pretty Loud”.
What a day! What an energy! It strengthens us and makes us want to do more! Stay tuned!