The award is intended for personalities, organizations and projects that contribute to improving the social status of the Roma community and promoting inclusion. The renowned ethnologist Professor René Lužica received the award in the Personality category.
Prof. René Lužica, PhD, ArtD., was honoured for his many years of professional and research activities aimed at deeper knowledge and preservation of Roma culture. His work represents an irreplaceable contribution to the development of interpersonal understanding and mutual respect, thus making a significant contribution to building an inclusive society.
"At the Department of Roma Culture we have promoted equal relations and pointed out the negatives of cultural stereotypes. In my lectures I presented intercultural dialogue, ethical principles. And today we have a new PhD student at the university - a Roma woman. I am lecturing on ethics, she is conducting a seminar," Lužica himself told the Romaspirit.sk website.
René Lužica started to work on Roma issues during his studies, when he discovered literature about Roma and realised the lack of knowledge accompanied by a lot of stereotypes. This area deeply appealed to him, and his personal commitment gradually manifested itself not only in his scientific works, but also in his practical activities. On television, he was involved in the production of the Romale programme, which brought the life of the Roma community closer to the general public.
After leaving the television environment, he returned to academic work, where he devoted himself to teaching and research on Roma issues. At the University of Trnava he worked under the guidance of Professor Krčméry, who gave him the space for professional and personal expression. At the same time, he taught as an external lecturer at the Department of Roma Culture in Nitra. He gradually replaced his scriptwriting work with writing professional articles, studies, textbooks and monographs in order to help students gain a deeper understanding of Roma identity. In his work, however, he often encountered disapproval, which he perceived as evidence of a persistent generational tradition of cultural stereotypes.
His professional interest has focused primarily on Roma history and culture, with particular attention to the Roma Holocaust during World War II. An important part of his career is also supporting Roma students and their education. He actively lectures on Roma inclusion and guides students to understand cultural differences, emphasizing ethical principles and intercultural dialogue.
His activities have a significant impact not only on students and educators, but also on the Roma communities themselves. Thanks to his personal commitment, he contributes to the dismantling of negative stereotypes and to improving the social integration of Roma.
The Roma Spirit 2024 award is organised by the Association for Culture, Education and Communication (ACEC) in cooperation with the Slovak Television and Radio, as well as the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities. The prestigious Roma Spirit 2024 gala was held under the auspices of the President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, in the Great Hall of the Slovak Radio.
Sources:
https://fsvucm.sk/profesor-rene-luzica-oceneny-za-vyznamny-prinos-k-uchovaniu-romskej-kultury-2/
