President Milanović Receives Members of the World Roma Organization in the Fight Against Discrimination, Racism, and Poverty
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović today received a delegation from the World Roma Organization in the Fight Against Discrimination, Racism, and Poverty, a Zagreb-based association that has been actively working since 2009 to combat racism and improve the position of Roma in society.
During the meeting, the association’s president, Toti Dedić, presented its key projects to President Milanović, with particular emphasis on sports initiatives that bring together children and young people from different national, religious, and social backgrounds. He highlighted the success of one of the association’s flagship projects: sports camps for girls and boys aged eight to eighteen from national minority communities. To date, 31 such camps have been successfully organized across Croatia. It was also noted that UEFA recognized the initiative in 2017, including the camps among the best youth sports projects in Europe.
The association also actively participates in the activities of FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe), a European network dedicated to combating racism and other forms of discrimination in football and sport. As part of these activities, football tournaments are organized to demonstrate that sport transcends national, cultural, and religious differences, and that playing and working together can help build a society founded on mutual respect.
The delegation also included members of Parag Football Club from Međimurje, which was described as a source of pride for Croatia’s Roma community. Founded in 2010, the club competes in the Croatian Football Federation’s Third Football League in Međimurje County. Its members see the club as an example of Roma integration through sport. Nevertheless, they continue to encounter a lack of understanding in some communities and face the additional challenge of not having a football pitch of their own.
The meeting also addressed the overall situation of Roma in Croatia. Although progress has been made, it was noted that change remains slow. One positive development highlighted was that an increasing number of Roma children are completing their schooling.
In addition to the association’s president, Toti Dedić, the delegation included Marijeta Rajković Iveta, Full Professor at the Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb; the association’s vice-president, Rehat Ristemi; its adviser, Nikola Kriković; members Damir Azizi and Andrej Schilling; and members of Parag Football Club from Međimurje: Vjeran Balog, Božo Ignac, Vlado Oršuš, Alen Oršuš, Davor Oršuš, Karlo Kalanjoš, Milan Oršoš, and Krešo Tomić.
President Milanović was accompanied by Tomislav Paškvalin, Commissioner of the President of the Republic for Sports.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek