TENET Center for Social Transformations
Thank you Madame Chair. I am [inaudible], head of the Roma Youth Organization Tenet. I
speak for the Roma youth of Ukraine, living at the intersection of two wars, the inherited
memory of the genocide, and the brutal reality of Russian oppression. I know the price of
historical silence personality. I reconstructed my family history from fragments, hidden not
out of shame, but fear. Invisibility and the loss of identity is the true cost of forgetting. Today,
Roma youth defend Ukraine, yet, we risk becoming invisible again. The absence of memory
about our contributions today lays the ground for exclusion tomorrow. That is why Tenet is
working on two fronts: preserving memory. We document war experiences and transform
them into advocacy so that the next generation will not have rebuild their history from pieces.
Building capacity. Through the Roma youth coalition we engage displaced youth to counter
hate speech, turning vulnerability into competence. But civil society cannot do this alone.
We need a strategic shift from the UN and member states on two dimensions: first, invest in
Roma leadership. We need a structural approach to education that empowers the new
generation with real competencies, without it, in a decade, no one will be left to advocate for
us. Second, shift from aid to agency. Prioritize institutional support over short-term aid. This
ensure our participation at the negotiations table is based on equal partnership rather than
symbolism. Only strong, sustainable institutions and youth conscious of their history can be
the true foundation for peace.