News
The Ars Baltica -
Romani Writers' Congress of the International Romani Writers' Association
July 02-03-04, 2004 - Tammisaari, Finland
The International Romani Writers' Assocation (IRWA) is organizing an Ars Baltica - Romani Writers' Congress in Finland in the City of Tammisaari the 2, 3 and 4th of July 2004.
The Association acts as a link between Roma writers strengthening the position of Roma literature, language, and culture throughout the world and it aims at strengthening the solidarity and creative ability of the Roma writers' culture, developing the Romani language as a language of modern literature, as well as make the Romas' own voice heard, and to make Roma literature a respected and well-known part of European culture.
The purpose of the congress is to maintain and develop contacts with other national and international writers' and cultural organisations from the Baltic countries. The Congress is an inspiring opportunity to discuss current issues in Roma literature as well as create useful contacts and channels of interaction.
To organize an Ars Baltica congress in Finland is particulary important because the presidency of IRWA is triennial and is thus in Finland only until summer 2005.
Organizers:
The International Romani Writers' Assocation (IRWA).
In collaboration with the Ars Baltica initiative for cultural cooperation in the Baltic Sea region,
the city of Tammisaari,
the city of Helsinki,
the Finnish Ministry of Education, the Finnish Ministry of Culture.
With the backing of Elisabeth Rehn.
Topics of the Congress:
The task of IRWA
Literature as interpreter of Roma culture
What does the statement "There is no people without literature" mean?
The Roma people - especially the Finnish Roma people and Roma activists - is the only people in the world which does not support artists. Is the writer alone?
Influential Roma writers
Literature as a political tool and as a voice of people
Where is the line between politics and art literature?
How does the majority on Roma writers and Roma literature?
How can Roma art influence the attitude of the majority?
Holocaust
What do Roma writers write about?
The themes of Roma literature
The situation of Roma literature and Roma writers in the Baltic sea area?
Insights to the production of the writers
Reader's digest read by the writers themselves
Side-events at the conference:
Photo and art exhibition Polibosko Drom (Maailman Tie)
Rakkauteni Maria (Love and Maria): a theater play and an oratorium
Jumalten Paratiisi (The Paradise of Gods): a urban mythology
Romani theater performances : multicultural youth projects in co-operation with the Helsinki Caisa International Cultural Centre
Music from the Romani band Drom and new finnish Romani music
The Ars Baltica -
Romani Writers' Congress of the International Romani Writers' Association
July 02-03-04, 2004
Programme and Schedule
Friday, July 2 (Tammisaari, Snåre-hall)
15:00-16:00 Welcoming remarks and the task of IRWA
16:00-18:00 Workshop: Literature as interpreter of Roma culture
What does the statement "There is no people without literature" mean?
The Roma people - especially the Finnish Roma people and Roma activists - is the only people in the world which does not support artists.
Is the writer alone?
18:00-19:30 Dinner
20.00-21.00 Rakkauteni Maria (Love and Maria): a theater play and an oratorium
Romani theater performance : a multicultural youth project in co-operation with the Helsinki Caisa International Cultural Centre
21.00 Music from the Romani band Drom, new Finnish Romani music
Saturday, July 3 (Tammisaari, Snåre-hall)
10:00-12:00 Workshop: Influential Roma writers
Literature as a political tool and as a voice of people
Where is the line between politics and art literature?
How does the majority on Roma writers and Roma literature?
How can Roma art influence the attitude of the majority?
12:00-14:00 Lunch
14:00-16.00 Workshop: Holocaust (Tammisaari market place, open to public)
18:00-20:00 Dinner, offered by the town of Tammisaari
20:00-21:00 Jumalten Paratiisi (The Paradise of Gods): an urban mythology
Romani theater performance : a multicultural youth project in co-operation with the Helsinki Caisa International Cultural Centre
Sunday, July 4 (Tammisaari, Snåre-hall)
10:00 - 12:00 Workshop : What do Roma writers write about?
The themes of Roma literature
The situation of Roma literature and Roma writers in the Baltic sea area?
Insights to the production of the writers
Reader's digest read by the writers themselves
Side-events at the conference: Photo and art exhibition Polibosko Drom (Maailman Tie, World's Way)
Johanna Putrycz is the new Secretary of IRWA (February 2004)
Anu Rinkinen has resigned as the Secretary of IRWA (end of January 2004)
The following important news come today 28.September 2003 from our President:
Dear Brothers and sisters!
I have a great news for you: IRWA has been accepted as a member of European Writers' Congress (26. - 28.9) here in Fribourg, Switzerland.
This is a big step for all of us. From now on we will have the professional and legal support from the EWC.
I am here in Fribourg to represent IRWA with our secretary Anu Rinkinen.
I will return as soon as possible about the meeting of IRWA that we must organize this year.
Yours sincerely,
Veijo Baltzar
Please read this important message of our President!
Send it to all your colleagues that might be interested!
Dear brothers and sisters!
We are now looking for romani writers from Baltic countries to participate to an ARS BALTICA ROMANI WRITERS' CONGRESS here in Finland 18.-20.6.2004 in a beautiful little city by the sea, called Tammisaari.
Please let us know about yourselves so that we could send you an invitation to the most important congress!
Yours sincerely,
Veijo Baltzar, writer
president of International Romani Writers' Association
The new
Secretary of IRWA is Anu Rinkinen
Shocking news from Finland!!
Today (11.04.2003) we received the following mail from Veijo Baltzar (President of IRWA) and Leena Marsio (secretary of IRWA)
quote:
Dear friends,
For our grief we have to inform you about the tragedy that has faced us recently.
On early morning 28th of March Villa Baltzar in Karjaa was totally burned down, only the chimneys and stairs were left. The hole house, all the files, books, furniture, paintings, etc. that were inside were destroyed. Nobody got hurt, because we all stayed in Helsinki that night. It was an accident. It was a big shock.
This means that we live in Helsinki and that the office of IRWA has been moved there to address
Museokatu 11b43 FIN-00100 Helsinki Finland.
Life goes on and we won't give up. Also the files of IRWA were destroyed so what we have is quite a lot there in Italy. We'll go on with our work but now we need some time for recovery.
Best wishes, Veijo and Leena
unquote
We ask all members, friends and Roma organisations for solidarity and help to build up the office again!
We kindly ask you to send us address-files of Roma organisations, governmental and nongovernmental organisations and institutions interested in Roma affairs so that we can reconstruct our files!
If you have some savings, think of the IRWA account:
Villa Baltzar, seat of the International Romani Writers’ Association (IRWA) and home of Veijo Baltzar (President) und Leena Marsio (Secretary) burned down completely in the night of March 28, 2003!
All files, pictures, books, office equipment, computers, furniture etc. were lost in the flames.
Villa Baltzar, Sitz des Internationalen Roma SchriftstellerInnen Verbands (IRWA) und Heim von Veijo Baltzar (Präsident) und Leena Marsio (Sekretärin) ist am 28.03.2003 völlig niedergebrannt!
Alle Unterlagen des Verbands, alle Bilder, Bücher, Büroeinrichtungen, Computer, Möbel etc. wurden ein Raub der Flammen!
This is a catastrophe for IRWA !
Das ist eine Katastrophe für IRWA !
We kindly ask you for your help
Wir bitten Sie dringend um Hilfe
Address:
IRWA
c/o Veijo Baltzar
Temppelikatu 25 A
FIN-00100 Helsinki Finland
Phone: +35 850 34 34 808
E-Mail: vbaltzar@saunalahti.fi
Home page: http://www.romaniwriters.com
A Board Meeting was held on 11.11.2002 in Stockholm. Here a summary of good news:
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Three romani writers have applied for membership in IRWA. Their names, pictures, bibliographies and addresses will be published here as soon as all formalities are settled. |
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A number of Albanian, Belarus, Bulgarian, Czech, English, Latvian, Macedonian, Moldavian, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Slovak and Ukrainian romani writers have shown interest to join our association. |
We welcome all applications!
Please send curriculum, bibliography, copies articles in the press and a picture to our President or one of the members of the Board. Their addresses are here!
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We are looking for the addresses of the following Romani writers:
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If you know one or more of them, please send the address(es) to the Webmaster
If you know other important Romani authors, please send names and addresses to the Webmaster
If you are a Romani author, please write to the President of IRWA. You find his address here!
The IRWA-Homepage in the INTERNET
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