The "Singing Heroes: From the Margins to Centre Stage" project was all about celebrating resilience and the power of community. It focused on Roma communities and whistle-blowers, highlighting the challenges they faced while showing how they stood up for their rights and the broader good of society. Over 14 months, the project brought together music, journalism, and activism to shine a light on their stories.
The highlight of the project was a music tour featuring Kal, the most famous Roma band in the Western Balkans, which combined powerful performances with meaningful discussions on Roma issues, whistleblowing, and activism. The aim was to create spaces where these communities could connect with journalists, share their experiences, and find ways to work together toward common goals.
Before each concert, the project hosted round-table discussions on topics like whistleblowing, journalism, and the lives of Roma people. These conversations gave everyone, from Roma communities to the broader public, a chance to reflect on how similar their struggles were and what solutions might work for everyone. The idea was to show that the issues faced by Roma people and the challenges of whistleblowers were shared by many and needed collective action.
The goal of "Singing Heroes" was to empower Roma communities and whistleblowers to speak up for their rights through music, journalism, and activism. The project was designed to bring people together using the universal language of music, while also using the power of journalism and activism to highlight the problems Roma communities and whistleblowers faced, as well as the inspiring success stories.
Implementing partners of the “Singing Heroes from the Margins to Centre Stage” project: Eutopia Association (SER), the Roma Cultural Centre (SER) and Aksiom (B&H).
Singing Heroes from the Margins to Centre Stage is supported by the British Council through “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” project funded by the European Union. CC4WBs aims to foster dialogue in the Western Balkans by enhancing the cultural and creative sectors for increased socio-economic impact.