29 – 30 November 2023
Berlin, Germany

The Association EPEKA – Štefan Simončič is invited to the General Assembly of the ERIAC Institute Berlin and the TAJSA Awards at the Gorki teater in Berlin.

ERIAC has a unique and unified mandate as a transnational organisation at European level for the recognition of Roma arts and culture.

The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) is a joint initiative of the Council of Europe, the Open Society Foundations and the Roma Leaders’ Initiative – Alliance for the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture. ERIAC is an association registered under German law in April 2017 in Berlin, Germany. ERIAC was launched in June 2017.

ERIAC exists to increase the self-confidence of Roma and to reduce the negative prejudices of the majority population towards Roma through art, culture, history and media.

ERIAC acts as an international creative hub, supporting the exchange of creative ideas across borders, cultural domains and Roma identities. ERIAC aims to be a promoter of Roma contribution to European culture and talent, success and achievement, and to document the historical experiences of Roma in Europe. ERIAC is a communicator and public educator, spreading a positive image and knowledge of Roma for dialogue and fostering mutual respect and understanding.

ERIAC’s main long-term objectives are:

  • to educate and inform the non-Roma population about Roma art and culture and to help create understanding, tolerance and mutual respect between the Roma and non-Roma communities;
  • raise awareness of the role of Roma arts and culture among European institutions, policy makers and stakeholders, and build broad partnerships across Europe (and beyond) to support Roma arts, culture and communities.

The Tajsa Prize embodies ERIAC’s core principles and the spirit of Roma history and cultural heritage, while looking to the future, shaping and reinventing forms of Roma cultural expression for generations to come. The purpose of the Award is to honour outstanding Roma individuals who are today leading voices of the Roma cultural movement. It aims to foster Roma pride and to promote the creativity, virtuosity and talent of Roma cultural artists.