The workshop organised by the Inter-Autonomous Strategic Rroma Forum (FEIG) highlighted the need to strengthen institutional commitments to the Rroma People, warning of the risks of abandoning specific strategies and calling for progress in the monitoring of public policies at both national and regional levels
On 28 July, Jerez de la Frontera Town Council hosted the conference ‘The Impact of Rroma Strategies and Policies at Local and Regional Level’, organised as part of the 2026 Inter-Regional Rroma Strategic Forum (FEIG 2026), an initiative jointly promoted by the National Association for Rroma Presence (ANPG), the Federation of Rroma Associations of Catalonia (FAGIC) and La Fragua Projects (LFP).
The opening of the event was attended by the Mayor of Jerez de la Frontera, María José García-Pelayo, who welcomed the organisations and individuals present and expressed her support for the objectives of the event and for the work carried out by Rromani organisations to promote equality, participation and inclusion. In her speech, she highlighted the importance of strengthening collaboration between public authorities and civil society in order to continue making progress on rights and full citizenship.
The event brought together institutional representatives, representatives of the National Council of the Rroma People and the Andalusian Council of the Rroma People, Rromani organisations, social organisations and experts to analyse the state of public policies aimed at the Rroma People and to discuss the challenges currently faced by the various administrations in fulfilling their commitments regarding equality, inclusion and participation.
The choice of Jerez de la Frontera as the venue for the meeting held special significance for the participating organisations. The city occupies a prominent place in the history and contemporary reality of the Rroma People. As a cultural, social and artistic hub, Jerez represents one of the places where the Rromani contribution has been recognised and valued as a fundamental element of collective identity. The historical presence of Rromani families, artists and leading figures has contributed decisively to the city’s cultural prestige, making it a particularly symbolic place for Rromani civil society. Holding a conference there dedicated to public policy and participation provided an opportunity to link the institutional debate with a region deeply connected to the history, culture and contributions of the Rromani people.
During the session, the FEIG 2025 report – drawn up by the project’s partner organisations – was presented; it analyses the development of strategies and policies aimed at the Rroma People in Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid and Navarre. The report notes that the National Strategy for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of the Rroma People 2021–2030 remains the main framework of reference, but also highlights the difficulties involved in translating its objectives into fully operational and assessable policies across the various regions.
One of the main issues addressed during the debate was concern over certain regressive trends that call into question the need to maintain specific strategies for the Rromani community at regional level. Participants warned that replacing these tools with generalist inclusion plans could dilute the focus on the specific inequalities still faced by the Rroma People and undermine the commitments made at both national and European level.
In this regard, the situation in Madrid and Navarre was analysed with particular concern. In both regions, approaches have been proposed that aim to dispense with specific strategies for the Rroma community and to integrate measures targeting the Rroma People into general frameworks for social inclusion. The participating organisations agreed that this approach carries the risk of a loss of visibility, political priority and the ability to monitor measures designed to combat the inequalities affecting the Rroma population.
Alongside these trends, the conference also highlighted the accumulated delays in the approval or updating of regional strategies in other territories. Although Andalusia and Catalonia are continuing with processes aimed at developing new strategic frameworks, delays in their final approval are hindering the implementation of fully operational policies and limiting the ability to properly assess the commitments made. The participating organisations emphasised that allowing strategies to remain pending renewal for years conveys a worrying lack of political priority regarding the rights and inclusion of the Rromani people.
Another cause for concern was the absence of the 2025 national progress report, a document considered essential for assessing the extent to which the National Strategy is being implemented. The participating organisations pointed out that accountability, transparency and the regular publication of up-to-date information are essential for assessing the real impact of public policies and guiding future courses of action.
Within this framework, La Fragua Projects has been playing a significant role in the development of the FEIG by conducting analyses, producing strategic content and generating knowledge on public policies aimed at the Rromani community. The organisation is actively involved in preparing monitoring reports, conducting comparative analyses of regional strategies and coordinating a broad network of partner organisations that help to enrich the debate and strengthen the advocacy capacity of Romani civil society.
The event also featured the participation of guest organisations such as the YILÓ Association, the Association of Teachers Working with Rroma (AEGIT), the KAMIRA Federation of Rroma Women’s Associations, the FAKALI Federation of Rroma Women, the Secretariado Gitano Foundation (FSG) and Unión Romaní Madrid (URM), alongside local organisations from Jerez de la Frontera, such as the Calle Nueva and Cantarería Cultural Association, as well as other social and institutional stakeholders, creating a diverse space for the exchange of experiences and the development of joint proposals.
The meeting once again highlighted the importance of maintaining forums for dialogue, coordination and monitoring to ensure that the commitments made by the various public authorities are translated into real, measurable public policies that are sustainable over time. Against a backdrop where some strategies are at risk of being abandoned and others are years behind schedule, the participating organisations emphasised the need to strengthen participatory mechanisms and to maintain specific policies that enable progress towards effective equality for the Rroma People.
Source: La Fragua Projects Photos: La Fragua Projects
The memory of the Rroma genocide reminds us that human dignity cannot depend on a person’s origin, identity or status.
La Fragua Projects took part in the Samudaripen Memorial 2026, an event of remembrance and recognition dedicated to the victims of the genocide of the Rromani People during the Nazi era. The event brought together representatives from institutions, social organisations and Rromani organisations to pay tribute to those who were persecuted and murdered by the Nazi regime, and to call for the pledge of ‘never again’ to become a genuine commitment to human rights, equality and the dignity of all people.
The memorial was a space for remembrance, reflection and collective commitment. A place to honour the memory of those who suffered persecution and extermination, but also to reaffirm the need to continue fighting racism, intolerance and any form of dehumanisation in the present day.
Remember so as not to repeat
Samudaripen, which in Rromani means «total murder» or «the great slaughter», is the term used by the Rromani People to commemorate the genocide perpetrated by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during the Second World War. The Rromani and Sinti communities were persecuted, deported and murdered on racial grounds in a campaign of extermination that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people across Europe.
2 August marks the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Samudaripen. The date commemorates the night of 2–3 August 1944, when the Nazi authorities liquidated the so-called Zigeunerlager or «Rromani family camp» at Auschwitz-Birkenau, murdering thousands of men, women and children who were being held prisoner there.
However, the legacy of the Samudaripen is not merely about remembering a historical tragedy. It also forces us to ask ourselves how it was possible for a society to accept that part of its population should be singled out, excluded and ultimately exterminated.
Because no genocide begins with murders.
First come the prejudices. First come the narratives that turn difference into a threat. First, discrimination becomes the norm. First, the dignity of those perceived as different is called into question.
Poster for the 2026 Samudaripen Memorial
A memoir that challenges the present
For the Rromani People in Spain, this report also ties in with another pivotal episode in our history: the General Round-up of Rroma (La Gran Redada) of 1749, when approximately 12,000 Rroma people were arrested, separated from their families and deprived of their liberty in an operation designed to destroy their way of life and their collective identity.
Although separated by centuries, the Great Round-up and Samudaripen share the same root cause: the persecution of people on the basis of their origin and the formulation of policies based on exclusion.
That is why remembrance remains necessary.
We live in a world marked by armed conflict, forced displacement, hate speech and human rights abuses that affect millions of people. Given this reality, remembering the past ceases to be merely a historical exercise and becomes an ethical responsibility.
The lessons of Samudaripen remain relevant today because violence begins long before weapons are involved. It begins when we cease to recognise the humanity of those in front of us.
La Fragua Projects at the Memorial
The Samudaripen Memorial also served as a place to remember all the people and communities who were persecuted by the Nazi regime on the grounds of ethnicity, religion, sexual option, politics, ideology, or simply for being considered different.
During the event, a series of statements and messages were delivered, focusing on remembrance, recognition and a commitment to human rights, emphasising the need to build an inclusive memory that leaves no victim behind.
On behalf of La Fragua Projects, our colleague Iñaki Vázquez Arencón took part in one of the most moving moments of the day, saying the following:
“For all Jewish people, LGBTIQ+ people, people with disabilities and all those who, because of their circumstances, were persecuted and murdered by the Nazi regime.”
A statement which served as a reminder that memory cannot be built on the basis of forgetting or exclusion.
Remembering the Samudaripen also means acknowledging the suffering of all those who fell victim to Nazism and keeping alive our commitment to a society based on equality, diversity and respect for human dignity.
Because when a person’s dignity is attacked, the dignity of all humanity is put at risk.
Let «never again» be a genuine commitment
The Samudaripen Memorial is not merely a commemoration.
It is a call to action.
To challenge prejudices wherever they arise.
To combat racism and discrimination in all their forms.
Let us reject hate speech.
To defend human rights with the same determination for everyone.
Let us build societies where no one has to live in fear because of their background, identity, beliefs or way of life.
At La Fragua Projects, we believe that memory only has meaning when it serves to transform the present.
Because Samudaripen forms part of the memory of the Romani people, but also of the democratic memory of Europe and of humanity.
Remembering this means defending human dignity today, combating racism and rejecting all forms of hatred or dehumanisation.
Only in this way will «never again» cease to be a phrase uttered at commemorative events and become a shared responsibility with the present and with future generations.
On 22 July 2026, the inaugural meeting of the Racial Justice and Empowerment Network was held; this network comprises organisations operating at national level that are committed to defending the rights of refugees, migrants, Rroma and racialised people.
The Racial Justice & Empowerment Network was established with the aim of strengthening access to rights and justice for refugees, migrants, Rroma and racialised people by creating a space for collaboration, the sharing of resources, training and mutual support. The network aims to develop coordinated responses to racial discrimination and to promote equal rights through collaboration and mutual support.
Laying the foundations for a national network
The aim of the session was to lay the foundations for the Network’s operation, defining its purpose, vision and initial coordination mechanisms. An initial assessment was also carried out of the participating organisations’ capabilities, expertise, resources and needs, with the aim of identifying synergies and establishing a shared roadmap for the network’s development.
Key objectives that will guide the Network’s work include sharing resources and knowledge amongst participating organisations, facilitating referrals and mutual support mechanisms, expanding opportunities for specialised training, developing joint advocacy initiatives, and strengthening organisations’ capacity to defend rights. Furthermore, the Network will work to improve the identification of and response to situations of discrimination, helping to combat phenomena such as under-reporting, which, in many cases, hinders effective access to justice for those affected.
During the meeting, it was also agreed to promote tools that would facilitate smooth communication between organisations and encourage the coordination of actions, thereby consolidating a stable collaborative network capable of responding to shared challenges from a national perspective.
This meeting marks the first step in a process of collective development that will help to establish a collaborative framework between organisations operating in different regions and fields of work, but which share a commitment to working towards a fairer, more inclusive and more equal society.
From September 2026, the Racial Justice & Empowerment Network will enter a more operational phase, focusing on the development of specific actions, strengthening cooperation between organisations, and implementing the priorities identified at this founding meeting to improve the defence of rights and access to justice for refugees, migrants, Rroma and racialised people.
Source: La Fragua Projects Photos: La Fragua Projects
As part of the ‘Orgullo Gitano. Sevilla 2026’ event, three declarations have been presented which set out a collective stance and launch a nationwide process aimed at strengthening the rights of LGBTIQ+ Rromani people.
These documents stem from the opportunities for participation created during the meeting and reflect a clear commitment to recognising sex and gender diversity within the Rromani community as a historical, political and social reality that requires recognition, resources and specific responses.
Three complementary perspectives for a shared agenda
The statements relate to three distinct areas, which have made it possible to explore specific experiences and needs in greater depth from a context-specific perspective.
On the one hand, the Aliades Space Declaration highlights the role of the alliance as a tool for transformation. The document argues that change cannot rest solely with those who suffer discrimination, but requires the active involvement of other social actors, based on shared responsibility and sustained commitment.
The text emphasises that being an ally is not merely a symbolic stance, but a practical commitment that involves examining one’s own privileges, taking action against inequalities and helping to create safer and more inclusive environments.
Furthermore, the GTBIQ Space Declaration, which focuses on Rromani men and non-binary people, directly addresses the intersection between anti-Romani sentiment and LGTBIQphobia. The document highlights how these forms of discrimination reinforce one another and give rise to specific situations of exclusion.
It also emphasises the need to establish role models, strengthen networks and move towards a political agenda of its own that will enable these issues to be placed at the centre of public debate and public policy.
The LBTIQ Space Declaration, which focuses on Rromani women and non-binary people, highlights their historical invisibility, the silence surrounding their experiences, and the material and emotional impacts of discrimination.
The document highlights the importance of reclaiming collective memory, creating spaces of their own and strengthening leadership that enables Romani women and people of diverse gender identities to participate fully in social, community and institutional life.
From reflection to the establishment of a national network
Beyond the analysis, the three documents share a common goal: the establishment of a national network of LGBTIQ+ Rroma people.
This proposal is not merely intended as an organisational structure, but as a space for mutual support, the generation of our own knowledge and political advocacy. It is a necessary step towards overcoming the current fragmentation and moving towards collective responses to inequalities.
The statements also highlight the limitations of current public policies, which in many cases fail to incorporate an intersectional perspective capable of simultaneously addressing anti-Rroma bias and sex and gender diversity.
A starting point for a sustained process
The Seville Statements 2026 is not intended to provide a definitive assessment, but rather to mark the start of a new phase.
A process that places dignity, equality and human rights at its heart, and which positions LGBTIQ+ Rroma people as key players in developing responses to discrimination.
From this starting point, the challenge is no longer simply to share a common framework, but to translate it into concrete actions, genuine partnerships and sustainable change over time.
The Madrid Summit brought together activists and organisations in Madrid to tackle LGBTIQ+ issues, in a forum where the voices of Rroma people are still missing.
On 3 July, Madrid hosted the latest edition of the Madrid Summit, MADO’s international human rights conference, which focused on defending LGBTIQ+ rights in a context characterised by polarisation, hate speech and various setbacks at a global level.
Held at the offices of the European Parliament and the European Commission in Spain, the event brought together activists, institutional representatives, experts and civil society organisations, who shared their analyses and proposals for tackling the inequalities that continue to affect the lives of this community. The full event can be watched again via the Madrid Summit 2026 broadcast.
During the Summit, key issues were addressed, such as the historical memory of LGBTIQ+ people who have suffered reprisals, trans rights, the situation of migrants and refugees, and the role of sport as a space for inclusion. The programme once again highlighted that discussing human rights means starting from the specific realities in which discrimination remains a reality.
Madrid: visibility and inequalities
Madrid is a beacon for the LGBTIQ+ movement, a space for visibility, organisation and mobilisation. But this central role coexists with a more complex reality: the city continues to be rife with inequalities, racism and LGBTIQ+phobia, which affect people differently depending on their background, social class or identity.
Not everyone in Madrid enjoys equal opportunities. For many, particularly those who belong to racialised communities such as the Rromani people, access to rights, safe spaces and a life free from discrimination remains a daily challenge.
Broadening the debate: a Rromani, anti-racist and feminist perspective
In this context, La Fragua Projects’ stance offers a much-needed perspective. As a Rromani, anti-racist and LGTBIQ+ organisation, its presence at the Madrid Summit highlights a fundamental issue: the defence of LGTBIQ+ rights cannot be understood without addressing racism, anti-Rromani sentiment and other forms of structural exclusion.
Being present in these spaces also means highlighting their limitations. At present, the participation of LGBTIQ+ Rroma People remains low in many such forums, which makes it difficult for their experiences and realities to form a central part of the debate.
It is not just about being present, but about participating on an equal footing: being heard, influencing the agenda and having a say in the decisions that affect our lives.
Rights exercised in everyday life
Talking about equality cannot be limited to mere rhetoric. It means asking who can live in safety, who is able to exercise their rights in practice, and who continues to face barriers to exercising them.
Along the way, it is also important to establish a presence, forge alliances and create spaces for dialogue – which are not always comfortable, but are necessary if we are to move towards a fairer society.
A challenge that remains unresolved
The Madrid Summit 2026 once again made it clear that LGBTIQ+ rights are not guaranteed and need to be defended constantly and collectively. But it also highlighted that such defence will only be complete if it includes all voices.
Because equality is not just about being present. It is about being able to take part in the conversation and in decision-making.
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