This summer, from June 26–29, the RUTA Annual Conference “Imagination: New Visions and Connections” took place in the Ukrainian Carpathians. The event brought together scholars, artists, and activists from Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia to reimagine knowledge and build new connections within the region, with a special focus on decolonization.
The head of our organization, Tetyana Storozhko, represented “Tenet” at the conference, joining two key discussions about the future of Roma communities.
Two Dialogues on the Future: From Survival to Reconstruction
Tetyana Storozhko spoke on two panels:
- “Romani Visions for the Future,” where she, along with leading Romani scholars and human rights advocates, discussed ways to build better futures from difficult pasts.
- “Surviving, Remembering, Storytelling,” where she presented on the topic “Roma Youth Artivism: Telling Stories, Resisting Silence, Shaping Futures.”
From Crisis Response to Strategic Reconstruction
In her speeches, Tetyana emphasized that the full-scale invasion demonstrated the effectiveness of previous investments in Roma civil society, as it was youth and women’s networks that organized evacuations and first aid. However, today, due to the departure of key donors, a “gap” is forming, leaving a new generation of activists without sufficient support for development.
“If we’re talking about post-war reconstruction, we must think beyond infrastructure. We need to work with young people right now—giving them the tools, trust, and space to participate in decision-making. Without this, in 5–10 years, we won’t have the voices to advocate for the interests of Roma communities,” Tetyana noted.
She also paid special attention to the importance of documenting stories and experiences of the war because, as the history of the Roma genocide shows, what is not documented risks being forgotten.
The Power of Horizontal Connections: Initiatives That Work
As examples of successful practices, Tetyana presented the activities of networks co-founded by “Tenet”:
- The Roma Youth Coalition in Ukraine, where young leaders cooperate rather than compete. https://www.tenet-org.com/en/coalition-en/
- The TENET Media Platform, which creates an alternative narrative and a space for discussing complex topics. https://www.instagram.com/media.tenet/
- The Young Diversity Ambassadors Network, which prepares activists to participate in post-war reconstruction based on human rights and inclusion.
- The Ukrainian Feminist Network for Freedom and Democracy, demonstrating the importance of intersectional solidarity.
These initiatives prove that the future lies in strong horizontal connections and mutual support.
The conference was made possible with the support of Uzhhorod National University, the International Renaissance Foundation, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Razom for Ukraine, the Mieroszewski Centre, the Goethe-Institut in Ukraine, House of Europe, and other partners.
