Interview of Valery Novoselsky (Roma Virtual Network) to Irina Tkachenko (Ukrainian Roma Radio "Chiriklo")
Roma Virtual Network
Irina Tkachenko (IT): We are talking with famous Romani journalist; I
think all the world knows about him. I am talking with Valery Novoselsky.
Hello!
Valery Novoselsky (VN): Good afternoon, Irina! Laco deves savoren!
My name is Valery Novoselsky and I am the editor of Roma Virtual Network. I am a
founder of it since year 1999.
IT: Today the first part of our program
is dedicated to Romani media and we wanted to talk with you on how you came to
the idea on establishing of Roma Virtual Network.
VN: Many Roma
activists have interesting path in their lives, the path that led them to be
Roma activists. Because international Roma movement is an interesting and unique
notion even so it is known for more than 40 years. I am from a family with both,
Romani and Jewish roots. I was born and lived in Ukraine, the city of
Dnepropetrovsk. I was born in 1970, it was Soviet Union then. I received a
Soviet education. And in 1995 I emigrated from ex-USSR to Israel, after living
for 2 years in Moscow.
I am a Christian and while living in Moscow was
very active in Evangelical movement. And after emigration to Israel got involved
into it again. And while working as English-Russian translator in Evangelical
Bible College in Haifa I was praying a lot for a possibility to help to Roma
nation. Why I was thinking about that? I did so, because I saw on how Jewish
people, who are also not loved much and also having own dramatic history, are
having own state, well developed, well known, not only due to political turmoil
happening here, but also due to technical innovations and positive aspects in
social life. And I was thinking on why Roma do not have own state. I was praying
about that and was sharing my thoughts with the colleagues and students in a
Bible College in Haifa. And we were together praying about that.
And in
year 1998 among the members of one Evangelical church in Haifa one small group
of Romani believers have emerged and we started to meet often in our families
and pray for the progress of Roma nation. Starting from the summer of 1999 we
started to send out through Internet the letters to international Roma
activists.
Actually, in September 1995 I started correspondence with the
people who are connected to Roma movement, but as a representative of a group
only in July 1999. And since then 19 July 1999 is considered to be a day of the
beginning of Roma Virtual Network even so it did not have such title then. At
that time it was only a communication service of a group of Evangelical Roma
living in Israel, of those Roma who emigrated to Israel due to family links with
Jewish people.
Gradually we started to have a circle of friends, because the fact of
Roma living in Israel is unique by itself. It is known that on the territory of
Israel/Palestine for the last 1000 years exists the community of Domari Gypsies.
They do not call or consider themselves as Roma and they are not Roma. But this
is a part of the same nation, which was formed after the ancestors of Roma left
from Armenian and Persia to Byzantine Empire and the ancestors of Domari went to
Arabic countries. We very quickly established friendship with Domari Gypsies of
East Jerusalem (who live mostly near Lion`s Gates there).
At that time
while working as an interpreter in a Bible College in Haifa I had a time to
write something, to communicate with someone via telephone or emails. Sometimes
some activists of international Roma movement visit Israel (I would say every
half year), also representatives of Evangelical Roma churches and not only them.
Those Roma who are sharing solidarity with Palestinian movement are also coming
here and communicate.
And it was interesting to see that since July 1999
we have got thousands of contacts. It was the time when the crisis in the
International Romani Union was very sensible, when European Roma Rights Center
was only becoming strong, when European Roma Information Office and Roma
Education Fund were not open yet. It was the time when the lack of a kind of
Roma information center was obvious. And in this exact time Roma Virtual Network
with the help of contacts started to function in order to transform, at least, a
fragment of chaotic and prejudiced anti-Roma Internet into a friendly pro-Roma
micro space. A micro space where the news are checked, reviewed and analyzed
even if they are biased, where it is possible to launch an instant response on
any anti-Roma attack. This was the time when the Roma Virtual Network started to
be. It has received such title after about 2.5 years after its establishment. It
was in the spring of year 2002.
In the summer of 2002 I was on Roma
Summer School in Wandgreben organized by Romano Rat organization lead by Dr.
Rajko Djuric, who lived in Germany then. It was the time when Roma Virtual
Network started to be known by this name. There was a time when we had 27 000
email addresses, but after many technical checkups and confirmation requests now
we have more than 10 500 verified emails on 33 listserves, and this is even
without counting of tens of thousands contacts on Facebook, LinkedIn and
Twitter.
Actually, new social networks are an interesting notion. We
have a big audience and as an editor I am very accurate in approach to
information which should be delivered.
Starting from July 1999 it was daily and starting from May 2003
hourly work with Roma news. In May 2003 I completed my work in the Bible College
in Haifa. I have BA on Theology, which means that I have a formal diploma to be
a minister in an Evangelical church, but I do not practice this work. I work in
translation of socio-political and Christian texts, but the main attention is
shared to Roma Virtual Network, whom I dedicate the majority of a time I have.
IT: How to define the main goal of this Network right now, not at times
when it was established, but these days? Which functions it fulfils? Why so many
people need it?
VN: You know that there is a necessity to give the
information to provide information on painful topic so that Roma civil society
in particular and civil society in general would react promptly. For example,
about two weeks ago there was a threat on eviction of 20 Roma families in Milan.
And instantly Roma Virtual Network jointly with European Roma Grassroots
Organizations Network held online campaign and collected more than 1 000
signatures. We also sent direct electronic letter to the authorities of Milan
and thus halted the plans on evictions of Roma. This work is very responsible.
And the work with social media differs from a job in the office. And many Roma
activists manage to work promptly in emergency situations.
In general,
for the last 5 years we share a lot of attention on a work with Roma youth.
Especially starting from 2011 in unison with the activities of the Council of
Europe we send out a lot of information on vacancies, trainings, events, also
information for Roma women. Actually, such work is intensive and hourly. If
earlier there was a need to educate Roma about themselves and to educate
the friends of Roma on who Roma people are, then now we have to highlight the
actions, because anti-Gypsism is the same, there is a need to combat it, there
are the ways to do so. There is a need to follow the events, to protest, to
cooperate with European Roma Rights Center, European Roma Information Office,
European Roma and Travellers Forum. To cooperate with organizations in various
actions, for example, in the parades of Roma pride, so that Roma would not be
shy about own identity. There are a number of key issues to fight for and it is
possible to use the Internet for this goal. I wrote about it since year 2006 in
various publications and these ideas are now posted on Academia.Edu. I and the
others are writing that Internet can be used correctly and we do so. But without
the help of various organizations I would not reach such level of editorial work
as I have today. It means that there is a need to establish links, to be
diplomatic, sometimes patient, sometimes practical and to know the situation.
Sometime altruism is possible also. For example, when you give the
information and possibility for the others to participate in the events, but you
do not fit there according to the requirements. Well ... that`s ok, may they,
and especially the youth, go to participate in these
events!
IT: The next phase of our interview has started and we have a
following question: Are there any difficulties in your work? What kind of
difficulties and their reasons? Which difficulties do you have now, because
following what you say we have very positive image of your work, that there are
no problems, there are a lot of money and all is okay!
VN: The thing is
that financial issue is not simple. And it requires I would say an art of
acrobatics. There was the time before year 2011 when Roma Virtual Network had a
number of sponsors; it was in a period of 2006-2010. It was not simple, because,
for example, it was a bit difficult for me at that time to combine the principle
of work of Roma media activist with the criterias for a project funded by
European Commission, the institution having own administrative criterias.
And then from the year 2011 till 2015 the Open Society Foundations in
Budapest, in particular it`s Roma Initiatives Office, remained the only sponsor.
Actually, this is a positive and good-willing institution, but it is not really
normal when there is only one sponsor, especially, taking into view the fact
that there can be changes in priorities in different years, also analysis of
activities of each project. Since year 2014 I was advised to find new sponsors
and I am trying, but did not find them yet. It does not only depend from me. For
example, starting from 2009 I am connected with Allerhanda Institute in Krakow,
Poland, and since last year they are trying to help me by including me as an
editor into various projects, which should be funded by European Union, but the
process of projects selection is not simple and in December 2015 one project,
where I had to be involved did not pass the examination for funding. And this
project had to cover part of the expenses for Roma Virtual Network during this
year.
Starting from previous year we were sending various messages with
calls to donate via PayPal. And Katalin Barsony, the director of Romedia
Foundation in Budapest, strongly advised me to do so. And I was doing such
fundraising also. And donations via PayPal are a kind of help which is needed.
IT: Valery! Do you think if every person who is a member of Roma Virtual
Network would donate modestly it could solve the problems of such needed
Network?
VN: Look, if every person among 10 500 current subscribers of
RVN listserves would donate 2 USD, then all would be perfect. Then I would not
have a annoying situation that I have now.
IT: Let`s try to launch a
call so that the people who are listening us now would understand this topic
that that there is nothing without cost in this world. And that the information
also costs something, because when you are informed you are equipped, you know
and you can make decision about your life, and there is a need to pay for this
also. Let`s try to appeal to our listeners and to your subscribers with a simple
call for help.
VN: The initial calls of Roma Virtual Network in year
2002 were about the necessity to help to pay for administrative expenses. Few
people were sending donations, but there was no stable help before 2006. And
then in year 2006 the Open Society Institute (part of Soros Foundations Network)
started to be a sponsor of RVN. And this is great that they are helping to many
Roma projects. But let`s think on how Roma society should carry the
responsibility for Roma projects.
If Roma Virtual Network helps you,
then help to this Network also!
In Romanes:
Romalen!
Chavalen!
Me som Valery Novoselsky. Me som Redaktoro andi Romani
Virtualni Drakhin. Tumen janen so me kerav 17 bersha ando Interneto. Thaj me
bicalav lace Romane nevipena thaj me dav tumen godjya sar shai te kerav Romane
traja mai but lace. Me dav tumen duma, me dav tumen nevipena sar shai te kerav
akcija pala Romen. Thaj ame keren khetani buti s varesavi Romani organizatziya
andi Evropa thaj andi Amerika.
Akana Romani Virtualni Drakhin, proekt so
me kerav 17 bersha, trubul loventza pala telefono, pala Interneto thaj pala miri
buti. Me pucav tumen te gindisarav so shai te pomojinav Romani Virtualni
Drakhin.
E laco sponsoro ando Budapesto, si i Open Society Foundations.
The akana trubul mai but neve sponsuria pala buti so me kerav thaj kadi buti
ajutirel tumen. Te del o Del pala Open Society Foundations! Von den laco vast
pala Romen, the ame Roma musaj te dav vast yekh yakhentza.
Thaj me pucav
tumen te pomojinav man akana sostar man akana pharo te pokinav Internetno thaj
telefono serviso. Thaj man trebi vryama te kerav buti ando Interneto vi na andi
fabrika, te kerav lace Romane nevipena thaj laco Romano profilo pala lumiakeri
manusha.
Thaj me pucav tumen te bicalav mange vareso drom PayPal o ando
konto ando Budapesto, vareso so pomijinel mange te kerav buti ando Interneto
thaj na ando varesavo aver than.
Tumen janen so me kerav but bersha buti
pala Romentza thaj den man vareso te kerav miri buti mai but bersha angle! Kana
tumen kamen bicalen man lila thaj me bicalava tumen varesave koordinata ando
PayPal thaj ando banko. Thaj tumen musaj te janav so man trubul pala
administrativno servico (Internet, telefon, postako, komputero) 4 300 USD pala
bersh. Thaj so trubul pala miri redaktorski buti si e spetzifichno rakiripe thaj
kana tumen kamen me bicalava tumen spetzifichno lil.
Kana tumen shunen
miro interview thaj kamen te pomojinav man keren mantza phurt drom Skypo, drom
Facebook, drom email. Tumen janen sar shaj te rodav man.
Te del tumen o
Del so tumen kamen! Shunas amen thaj dikhas amen! Kerasa amen bari buti pala
amari Romani manusha andi Lum. Te del tumen o Del!
Devlesa!
My professional address: romal...@yahoo.com
Also personal
address: valery_n...@yahoo.com
IT: We always have a lot of music in our broadcasts and now we would
like you to ask on what you would love to hear after your interview. It can be
Roma music or non-Roma music as well.
VN: I would like to hear a song
"Dark Eyes", may be performed in a modern format. This song is very popular
among everyone, it is an international song.
IT: Thanks a lot! Our
virtual guest was Valery Novoselsky, founder of Roma Virtual Network. Thanks a
lot for your story! We wish the Health to you and your subscribers, energy, more
funding so that you will be able to do such activity, useful for both, Roma and
non-Roma! Thanks a lot!
VN: Thanks to you too! And may the Lord give you
Health and Success in all, to you and your loved ones. See you again in your
programs. I am glad for our cooperation. As we say: Te del tumen o Del! May the
Lord bless you!