The Czechoslovak Roma Union, a non-profit organization that has long been engaged in social and educational work that brings help not only to the Roma community but also to the entire majority society within the European Union, recently organized an exceptionally significant and beneficial clean-up event focused on cleaning a landfill located near local communities.

This activity is being carried out under the leadership and coordination of Mr. Marcel Packert, who is one of the key members of our association and also serves as the chairman of the organization’s ethics committee.

Marcel Packert, a tradesman who is known for his long-term and intensive involvement in charitable events and activities aimed at helping needy people in difficult life situations, decided to use his organizational skills and his belief in the importance of protecting the deep environment to initiate and oval this environmental event. Mr. Packert, who, as part of his work in the Czechoslovak Roma Union, actively participates in other people found in difficult life situations, whether through the provision of social counseling, material assistance or the organization of various community projects, demonstrated through his leadership of this cleaning event that environmental protection and care for common spaces are an inseparable part of comprehensive social work and community development.

The cleaning event, which concerns a large landfill coming up, was planned and scheduled in the location with great emphasis on the wider community and on the principles of mutual cooperation between different groups of residents. This event was joined by volunteers from Předlice and Mojžíř, who demonstrated great determination and willingness to devote their free time and energy to a common goal, which was to clean this municipal landfill from accumulated waste, which had been deposited there for a long period of time and which represented not only an aesthetic problem, but also a potential health and environmental risk for local residents.

Volunteers from Předlice and Mojžíře, a district of Ústí nad Labem located in the northern part of the city and home to a large community of residents of various social and ethnic backgrounds, are participating in the event with great vigor and enthusiasm. These volunteers, who came from different age categories and groups, spent several hours of intensive work, during which they collected various types of social waste, from plastic packaging and glass bottles to metal objects and bulky waste.

The entire event was planned with an emphasis on the safety of all participating volunteers, which is why all participants were equipped with protective equipment, including gloves, protective vests with reflective elements for better visibility, and other necessary equipment that ensured that the work could be carried out safely and effectively. Coordination of the event also included the identification of previous terrain surveys, potentially dangerous locations and types of waste, and the creation of a plan to most effectively divide the work between the individual volunteer groups so that the entire landfill area was covered and no part was left uncleaned.

A big thank you and recognition for the successful implementation of this clean-up event also goes to the relevant municipal district of the city, which provided absolutely necessary support in the form of ensuring the removal of the collected waste from the event site. Without this logistical support from the local government, the entire event could not have been completed as successfully as it ultimately was. The municipal district coordinated the removal so that the waste was subsequently properly processed and disposed of in accordance with applicable environmental regulations and standards.

This cooperation between the Czechoslovak Roma Union, local volunteers and municipal authorities is an excellent example of how an effective partnership between non-profit organizations, active citizens and public administration can work in solving specific problems that affect the quality of life in local communities. The Czechoslovak Roma, which has adopted in its mission the adoption of a just society where diversity is respected and where every person has equal opportunities for development and self-realization, demonstrated with this action that the protection of the environment and the environment of common public spaces are part of its mission.

The cleaning action also reflected one of the main goals of the association, which is to strengthen the self-confidence of socially excluded people and their involvement in solving problems that affect their lives and the lives of their communities. By being involved in this action, the residents of Předlice and Mojžíře had the opportunity to contribute to positive change in their immediate surroundings, feel the meaning of joint work and experience a sense of belonging with other members of the community. This type of activity is for building bridges between different groups of people and for overcoming prejudices and stereotypes that can in some cases hinder effective cooperation and mutual understanding.

Marcel Packert, who coordinated the entire event with his characteristic great commitment and empathy, expressed deep satisfaction with how successful the event was and how positively both volunteers and representatives of the city district responded to it. He emphasized that such events are important not only in terms of the practical result in the form of a cleaned environment, but also in terms of building a community and creating a sense of shared responsibility for the place where we live. Mr. Packert, who has long been trying to make the world a better place for all who need support and understanding, sees in these environmental activities an important tool for strengthening community ties and for a practical demonstration that when people join forces and work together towards a common goal, they can achieve significant and visible results.

The Czechoslovak Roma Union plans to organize similar events in other locations where it is needed in the future, and hopes to further expand the circle of volunteers and partners who will be willing to participate in these activities. The association believes that through such practical projects that combine environmental goals with social aspects and community development, it can significantly contribute to creating a harmonious society based on respect, solidarity and mutual understanding, which are values that are rooted in the organization’s mission and statutes.

Karel Karika, Chairman of the Association