The non-governmental organization “Durmish Asllano” in the municipality of Prizren, which operates with three departments that protect and promote Roma culture through old songs and dances, through the theater “Romano Teatro Rexhip Menekshe” and the radio station “Roman Avazo,” is an organization that is not receiving significant support from institutions.
The ideas to build something artistic for the Roma community are numerous, but financial support is lacking.
The executive director of the non-governmental organization “Durmish Asllano,” Fatmir Menekshe, spoke to KosovaPress about the performances staged at his theater.
Menekshe stated that their latest drama was “In Search,” inspired by a work by Bertolt Brecht, in search for justice, science, and the spy.
The reason for staging this drama, Menekshe said, is due to discrimination, which may be evident in the life of the Roma community.
“Thelatest play was very challenging, and even professional theaters do not challenge themselves with the author Bertolt Brecht. It had the aim of reflecting the social and public life of the population, which is considered undesirable. The drama was titled In Search, inspired by one of his works that had several acts, but we have dealt with only three acts in search of justice, science, and the spy, where some sequences and themes of that drama can be said to still be evident today due to discrimination in the life of the Roma community,” said Menekshe.
Menekshe expressed that it is difficult to pay professionals and set designers because financial support from the Municipality of Prizren is lacking.
He also mentioned the Directorate of Culture in this municipality, which allocates very little funding for the Roma community.
“Financial support exists, but not at the proper level. A €7,000 drama achieving great success is extremely difficult because human resources, as you know, must be paid, professionals, set design, and all the other logistics… I haven’t been paid as a translator or actor. On the other hand, the Directorate of Culture also allocates very little funding for the Roma community, and they need to raise the level of support for the community,” he said.
Menekshe added that, in the meantime, he and his sister have created a mini-library, which has over 400 titles in four languages.
“We created a mini-library that could serve as a public space, and we have more than 400 titles. We publish, archive, and collect them there for readers who are interested — not just Roma,” Menekshe added.
Menekshe is calling on institutions to bring the play In Search to the theater in Pristina and to support it.
(This product was created in collaboration between CFID and KosovaPress. within the framework of the project: “Countering negative stereotypes about Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities through media initiative” , which is funded by UNMIK.)
