In cooperation with representatives of the Serbian Ombudsman Association (UOS) and the local Ombudsman of the Žitište municipality, a roundtable with representatives of independent human rights institutions was organized in Žitište on March 11-12, 2026. This event is part of the activities of the project "Social Inclusion for a Dignified Life of Roma and Other Vulnerable Persons in Serbia 2023–2026", which is supported by the Swiss organization HEKS EPER and implemented by the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization.

On this occasion, activists gathered within the informal group of ambassadors against discrimination and gypsyism and representatives of independent human rights institutions reviewed joint activities and initiatives undertaken over the past year, but also agreed to continue cooperation within the framework of two important challenges faced by the majority of members of the Roma community in Serbia.

Two important topics marked this year's meeting:

• Hate speech and institutional responses to discrimination against Roma, and 
• Social image of Roma in Serbia – challenges, obstacles and opportunities for systemic solutions. 

This year's round table in Žitište opened a space for information on several specific situations of initiating proceedings under the jurisdiction of the Protector of Citizens, as well as getting to know the social picture of Roma in Žitište and surrounding municipalities. The director of the Center for Social Work of the Municipality of Žitište spoke about the social position of Roma in Žitište and practical examples. The participants also discussed the topic of media reporting. The specific case of the recent disappearance of a young man from Zrenjanin was discussed. Here, the power of the media to influence citizens and institutions when reporting, both positively and negatively, was particularly emphasized. Among the participants of the meeting were also media workers who had the opportunity to better connect and receive support from representatives of independent institutions for the protection of human rights and advising lawyers.    

Participants from independent institutions, representatives of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, the Provincial Ombudsman, the team of ombudsmen of the city of Belgrade, ombudsmen of the cities of Kragujevac, Novi Sad and Kikinda, local ombudsmen of the municipalities of Žitište and the city municipality of Vračar, members of the UOS from Smederevska Palanka and Bačka Topola, demonstrated a high level of institutional and social responsibility and openness to cooperation and direct support to activists who, through their work and everyday life, are present and active in socially excluded communities.

One of the key conclusions of this meeting is the importance of continuing cooperation and maintaining the continuity of such exchanges so that each participant, from their own position, can contribute to the prevention and fight against discrimination against Roma and other socially vulnerable persons, who are most often exposed to this type of social behavior.

Following meetings in Smederevska Palanka and Belgrade in 2025, the participants of the meeting in Žitište once again promoted the culture of dialogue and a high level of social responsibility of individuals from the wider social community in Serbia. We continue to work on creating a more tolerant and inclusive society.