Celebrating Roma Culture in Bucharest

This past weekend, as an organisational member, Azadî had the honour of travelling to Bucharest to participate in the 2025 ERIAC General Assembly and the Tajsa Roma Cultural Heritage Prize Concert and Ceremony. It was a deeply inspiring gathering dedicated to celebrating Roma arts, culture, and community, and to collectively imagining brighter futures for Roma people across Europe.

Throughout the weekend, we met extraordinary individuals doing transformative work in their communities. Their stories, dedication, and creativity left us energised and full of ideas about how Azadî can better support the Irish Roma community at home. We returned to Ireland buzzing with new perspectives, strengthened connections, and a renewed sense of purpose.

One of the highlights of the visit was celebrating Selma Selman, the brilliant artist and this year’s recipient of the Tajsa Roma Cultural Heritage Prize. Selma is a powerful representative for Roma women and young girls, and her work continues to challenge, inspire, and amplify voices that deserve global recognition. We were truly honoured to witness her achievement.

The ceremony, held in the historic Romanian Athenaeum, also featured breathtaking performances by the stunning Zejna, the mighty Mahala Rai Banda, and Antonio Piculeață, Romanian Cultural Ambassador and distinguished violinist. This awards night was one of pure cultural brilliance that will stay with us for a very long time.

Beyond the celebrations, we engaged in workshops, discussions, and networking sessions that opened up fresh pathways for collaboration and strategic growth. We left feeling not only welcomed, but uplifted and empowered.

Azadî would like to extend our deepest gratitude to ERIAC for welcoming us into the fold and for cultivating a space where meaningful cultural exchange and forward-thinking action can flourish. This experience has strengthened our organisational vision and will undoubtedly enrich the work we do moving forward.

We are excited to bring this momentum into the year ahead, and to continue standing with and for Roma communities in Ireland and beyond.