An evening that changed the view of what is possible
On February 12, 2025, the ZDŠ gymnasium in Mojžíře transformed into something that few could fully appreciate and predict in advance – it became the living heart of the community, a place of meeting, sharing and mutual recognition, a place where the most important and valuable thing that can exist in any human community was fully demonstrated: a community that can organize itself, that believes in itself and that knows how to celebrate itself regardless of external circumstances and regardless of whether someone from the outside praises or supports it. This evening was not the result of chance or a spontaneous impulse – it was the result of careful preparation, determination and belief that even in a location that has long struggled with the label of social exclusion and a whole range of everyday challenges, moments of pure joy, pride and belonging can arise that remain in the memories of the participants long after the event itself has ended. The gym, which is otherwise a place of sports performance and physical exertion, became a stage for human stories, dreams and courage that February evening – and in doing so, it confirmed the fundamental truth that the Czechoslovak Roma Union has believed in since the very beginning of its work in Mojžíř: that the people of this community have something to say, something to show and something to offer to the world around them.

An event that was not just an event
It would be very easy and superficial to describe the Mojžíř has talent event simply as an entertainment program or a cultural evening – and although the entertainment and cultural elements undoubtedly formed an important part of it, such a description would be a gross simplification of what actually happened that evening and what the event meant to all those involved. The Mojžíř has talent event was, first and foremost, a living, tangible, and undeniable demonstration of what can happen when people in the community take matters into their own hands—when they stop waiting for someone from outside to come and do something for them, and instead take the initiative themselves, prepare the program themselves, moderate the evening themselves, evaluate the performances of their neighbors and friends themselves, and support each other in every step that needs to be taken. This approach—a grassroots approach to community organizing, based on the belief that the best solutions to a community’s problems come from the community members themselves—is the cornerstone of the work of the Czechoslovak Roma Union in Mojžíř and Předlice, and the Mojžíř has talent event was one of the clearest and most inspiring examples of what this approach looks like in practice, when it is fully implemented and when the community truly takes responsibility for its own development and its own celebration. The event organizers – led by Karel Bača, a graduate of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs’ specialized educational program focused on developing community leadership – demonstrated that they are able not only to plan and implement a project with a real impact on the lives of people in their community, but also to create a space in which everyone present can feel welcome, appreciated, and part of something bigger than themselves.

Courage to Take the Stage
One of the most powerful and moving moments of the entire evening was watching more than twenty children and adults from Mojžíře step onto the stage and courageously demonstrate their art in front of a packed hall full of neighbors, friends, family members, and other community residents. Each of these performers – whether it was a child dancing in front of an audience for the first time in their life, or an adult overcoming years of shyness and deciding to sing their favorite song – did something extremely important and symbolically very powerful in that moment: they showed that the voice of the community has value, that the talent they carry deserves to be heard and seen, and that the courage to be themselves in front of others is in itself a form of bravery that deserves recognition and applause. Dancers rocked the hall with their choreography, singers filled the gym with melodies that resonated with the hearts of the audience, and other participants demonstrated talents that many present did not even suspect in their neighbors – and it was these mutual surprises, these revelations of hidden abilities and skills, which took place right before the eyes of the entire community, that were among the most precious moments of the entire evening. Everyone who stood in front of the audience crossed a certain line – the line of fear of evaluation, the line of self-doubt, the line of conviction that what I can do is not worth the attention of others – and by crossing this line, inspired others to do the same, and contributed to creating an atmosphere of mutual support and encouragement that permeated the entire evening from the first to the last performance.

The moderator who gave the event a face
The entire evening was hosted by moderator David Mirský, whose presence on stage gave the event a professional and cordial character, which was absolutely crucial for the overall tone of the event. David Mirský was able to connect the individual performances with natural ease and authenticity, keep the energy of the hall at a high level, encourage nervous participants, and at the same time convey to the audience the context and meaning of what was happening in front of them. His moderation was not just technical guidance of the program – it was part of the message of the evening itself, because David Mirský himself comes from the community and his performance in front of the audience was further living proof that there is no shortage of talents and abilities in Mojžíř, they just need the right opportunity and space to shine. It was the combination of professionalism and personal proximity to the audience that David Mirský brought to his moderation that contributed to the fact that the entire evening was carried out in a friendly and encouraging atmosphere, in which everyone present could feel part of one great common story – the story of a community that decided to celebrate itself and that finds strength and motivation for further growth in that celebration.

A jury from its own ranks – the decision-making belongs to the community
One of the aspects of the Mojžíř has talent event that was particularly important and symbolically very eloquent in terms of the values ​​and approach of the Czechoslovak Roma Union was the composition of the jury that evaluated the performances of the individual participants. The evaluation of the performances was not undertaken by any external experts, no invited experts from the cultural sphere, or no representatives of institutions – it was undertaken by volunteers of the Czechoslovak Roma Union, i.e. people who themselves come from the community or have worked with it for a long time, who know its reality from the inside, understand its specifics, share its joys and sorrows, and are able to evaluate the performances of their neighbors with understanding, empathy, and respect for their determination and courage. It is precisely this approach – an approach that says that decision-making belongs to those who are directly affected by the issues, and not to those who come from the outside with ready-made judgments and templates – that is key for the Czechoslovak Roma Union and is part of the deep conviction that real change in a community can only come when members of that community accept responsibility for their own affairs and become active co-creators of their environment, not passive recipients of decisions made for them by others. At the end of the evening, the ten best participants were awarded with material prizes as an expression of recognition of their courage and talent – and even this symbolic act had its own deep meaning, as it told each of the awardees and every audience present that the courage to show yourself, be yourself, and share your talent with others is a value that deserves to be celebrated and rewarded.

Community organizing as a path to change
Events like Mojžíř has talent are not isolated events that happen, bring a moment of joy, and then are forgotten – they are part of a much broader and longer-term effort by the Czechoslovak Roma Union to organize community in the localities of Mojžíř and Předlice, an effort that stems from a deep conviction that lasting and meaningful change in community life comes from below, from the community itself, and not from above, from decisions by institutions or organizations that direct and lead the community from the outside. Community organizing, as the Czechoslovak Roma Union understands it, is not about coming to a locality with a ready-made solution and telling people what to do – it is about identifying their needs, their strengths, and their dreams together with people from the community, and then creating conditions and opportunities in which these people can take the initiative themselves, implement projects and activities that they consider important, and reap the fruits of their work and determination. This philosophy is why Karel Bača – as a graduate of a community leadership education program – initiated, prepared, and implemented the Mojžíř má talent event, and why his success is so important not only for himself, but for the entire community and for all who believe in the power of a participatory approach to community development. Every success of a community leader like Karel Bača is both proof that investing in the development of human capacities within the community brings real and visible results, and an inspiration for other community members to think about how they could contribute to a better life in their surroundings.

The ROVA Project and the European Dimension of Community Work
The approach that the Czechoslovak Roma Union is applying in its work in Mojžíř and Předlice is not just a local matter – it is part of a wider European context and is fully in line with the values ​​and objectives of the European ROVA project, whose mission is to strengthen Roma and pro-Roma civil society organizations across Europe to be more effective, better connected and more resourceful in promoting equality, dignity and the fundamental values ​​of the European Union. The ROVA project, which the Czechoslovak Roma Union is implementing between 2025 and 2027, is based on the belief that strong and professional Roma organizations are a key prerequisite for a real and lasting improvement in the situation of the Roma minority in Europe – and that this improvement must be the result of the work of the Roma themselves, who take responsibility for their fate and become active agents of change, not just passive recipients of it. Events like Mojžíř has talent are exactly the type of activity that embodies and puts this approach into practice – they are proof that the Romani community in Mojžíř is not just a set of problems that need to be solved, but a living, creative and dynamic community that has its talents, its dreams and its ability to organize and celebrate itself, and that deserves to be perceived and presented just like that – in its fullness, strength and beauty.

Every talent counts – a message that goes beyond one evening
The basic message of the Mojžíř has talent event is simple, but all the more powerful and important: every person in the community has something to offer. Talent on stage – dancing, singing, other artistic or creative skills – is just one of many ways to show this wealth and share it with others, but behind every talent presented on stage there is much more: it is courage, work, preparation, overcoming doubts and the fear of failure, and by celebrating and appreciating these talents, the community tells each of its members that their contribution has value, that their voice matters and that the place where they live is a place that sees and hears them. The mission of the Czechoslovak Roma Union is to create just such opportunities – opportunities where people can discover, develop and share this strength and potential with others – and the Mojžíř has talent event was one of the most beautiful and impressive realizations of this mission that Mojžíř has managed to achieve in three years of intensive community work. Gratitude goes to all the participants who dared to perform, to all the volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to the preparation and implementation of the event, to all the judges who accepted the responsibility of evaluating their neighbors and friends, and to all the spectators who, with their presence, encouragement and applause, created an atmosphere that made the whole evening what it was – a celebration of a community that believes in itself, that organizes itself, grows and celebrates its existence with joy, pride and unwavering faith that a better tomorrow is possible if we are willing to create it together.

The contribution was created as part of the community activities of the Czechoslovak Roma Union z.s., which are part of the ROVA project – a European initiative to support Roma civil society organizations (2025–2027). More information: www.romskaunie.cz | romanonet.cz/rova