On 11 July 2025, within the framework of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC 2025) in Rome, a high-level discussion titled “Ensuring the Inclusion of Roma and National Minorities in Ukraine’s Recovery: Contribution to Social Cohesion and Reconciliation” took place.
The Roma Women’s Fund “Chirikli” co-organised the event, which brought together representatives of the Italian government and parliament, Ukrainian MPs, the Ombudsman of Ukraine, and international organisations. The session provided a platform to highlight the crucial importance of ensuring the participation of Roma and other national minorities in Ukraine’s reconstruction process.
Speakers — including Roma leaders Gennaro Spinelli, Vira Drangoi, and Daniel Hromyko, representing the younger generation of Roma activists — shared personal experiences and perspectives on building trust within communities and promoting equality as a foundation for a peaceful future.
The discussion underlined that the inclusion of Roma is not merely an act of goodwill, but a strategic necessity for sustainable recovery and long-term peacebuilding. The event also demonstrated how Roma organisations continue to contribute to humanitarian response and social cohesion efforts during and after the war.
The participation of ROCIT project researcher reflects the team’s continued engagement in documenting Roma transnational mobilisation and advocating for inclusive, research-informed recovery policies that leave no one behind.
