On Friday 7 February, the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts hosted an event titled ‘Remembering the Roma Holocaust’, as part of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Programme at Sussex.

Open to all, the event attracted a diverse audience including University leaders, academics, community representatives, and students. Attendees sought variously to better improve their own understanding, develop their knowledge and professional practice; and in some instances, explore their own family histories.

This initiative, led by Widening Participation, was developed in partnership with colleagues across the University (including the EDI Unit, Student Engagement and Enhancement, and the School of Media, Art and Humanities) along with external partners Friends, Families and Travellers.

The programme included an exhibition, a film showing (Roz Mortimer’s ‘The Deathless Woman’, 2019), and a discussion panel. The event sought to re-centre the experiences of Roma and Sinti communities within the broader Holocaust narrative, whilst also reflecting on contemporary issues of equality, diversity, and inclusion for all people of Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller heritage.

Our programme was also supported by a parallel ‘open exhibition’ at the Jubilee Library in Brighton which attracted many visitors, and comments. The Widening Participation team also worked with local secondary school partners to raise awareness of the experiences of Travellers during the Holocaust, sharing testimonies, audio content and books as part of wider engagement with the schools.

This event was aligned with the University’s commitment to Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showman, and Boater (GTRSB) equality and inclusion. Learn more about the University’s GTRSB Pledge.

This work supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal: SDG 10 (reduced inequalities). You can read more about our work on the SDGs.