Prague, Dec 10 (CTK) – The society R-Mosty (Bridges), the Evangelical Academy and Czech Television (CT) reporter Richard Samko received the Roma Spirit prize for aid to ethnic Romanies and efforts at good co-existence Saturday.
Teaching assistant Olga Fecova was awarded for cultural contribution and in the category of personalities, it was scholar Ctibor Necas.
The sixth annual ceremony was held on the international Human Rights Day in Prague.
Organisers say the project wants to highlight the efforts of all those contributing to the improvement in the situation of Romanies in the Czech Republic and the removal of prejudices.
The jury nominated 15 organisations, firms and personalities in five categories.
The award carries a financial reward. Each winner received 20,000 crowns in order to continue with the activities.
R-Mosty won in the category of non-profit organisations thanks to the project Fair Housing providing housing to Romany families, lone mothers and other people.
The Evangelical Academy was awarded for having served as a springboard for hundreds of Romanies to get jobs and education.
Samko, who has been working for the public broadcaster CT for 17 years, Saturday called on the public to respect Romanies and to give them a chance.
Fecova was awarded because she had been heading the child group Chavorikani Luma (Child World) for 20 years.
Necas is the first Czech historian to have examined Romany forced labour camps from World War Two.
The ceremony was held under the auspices of Culture Minister Daniel Herman (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL), former foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg and Prague Auxiliary Bishop Maly.
The ceremony was attended by former human rights minister Jiri Dienstbier (Social Democrats, CSSD).
At first, the prize was called Gypsy Spirit, but it was renamed to Roma Spirit last year.
($1 = 25.588 crowns)
pv/dr
