EHO organized a roundtable discussion on the media image of Roma with representatives of institutions, activists and journalists
12. Dec 2025.
On November 28, the ecumenical humanitarian organization organized a roundtable discussion on the topic of "Media Image of Roma: From Slovenia to Serbia - Hate Speech, Stereotypes and Institutional Responsibility" at the ENVOY Conference Center in Belgrade. The meeting brought together Roma journalists, editors of Radio Belgrade and Telegraf, representatives of institutions: the Ombudsman of Serbia, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, the Provincial Ombudsman, the Ombudsman for the City of Belgrade, the Ombudsman for the City of Novi Sad, the Ombudsman for Žitište and activists from civil society. Creating a space for discussion and support in responding to current media content that offends the Roma community is supported through the project "Social Inclusion for a Dignified Life of Roma and Other Vulnerable Persons in Serbia 2023-2026".
The round table was organized with the aim of creating a space for discussion about the attitudes and challenges faced by Roma media workers, providing support and demonstrating institutional and social responsibility towards members of the Roma community.
The participants actively discussed how negative narratives about Roma are created, how hate speech is normalized in the public space and the importance of a timely and strong response from institutions. The presence of representatives of the Ombudsman and the Commissioner for Equality was particularly significant, which once again emphasized that this is not the issue of one city or one community, but a matter of systemic responsibility. The representative of the Ombudsman of Serbia took the initiative to, within her jurisdiction, take the next steps and respond to the current spread of hate speech.
The situation in Slovenia after the adoption of the Šutar’s Law was discussed, as well as the parallels with Serbia. The participants spoke about the mechanisms of spreading stereotypes in the domestic media, the consequences of publicly expressing discriminatory attitudes and the role of the media in preventing hate speech. Special focus was placed on the responsibility of journalists, editors and newsrooms to be active partners in the protection of human rights.
In addition to the challenges, positive examples were also highlighted – culture, education and narratives from the Roma community that are rarely seen in the media, and which have the potential to change perceptions and contribute to an inclusive society.
This roundtable once again showed that the fight against hate speech is possible only when institutions, media and civil society stand on the same side and act together, in the interest of human dignity and equality.
See also (online content in Serbian language):
