Noted human rights advocate and philanthropist George Soros has received the European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma for his many years of work supporting Roma communities across Europe.
The prize, awarded at a ceremony in Berlin where former Chancellor Angela Merkel was a speaker, was accepted on his behalf by George Soros’ son, Alex, who is the chair of the board of directors of the Open Society Foundations founded by his father.
The prize comes with an endowment of €15,000 (around $17,400).
What did Soros’ Open Society say about the award?
A press release issued by the Open Society Foundations said George Soros was awarded the prize for supporting “Roma-led organizations to confront discrimination, expand access to education and justice, improve early childhood development and health care and amplify Roma voices in public life.”
Soros himself said in a statement that “[t]he Roma have endured centuries of discrimination and marginalization, rooted in a long history of violence — from the Holocaust to forced sterilization, child removals, and evictions.”
“These injustices continue to resurface, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, when Roma fleeing the war in Ukraine faced barriers to shelter and aid,” he wrote. “I’ve always believed that open societies must protect the rights of all people — especially those who are excluded. Working alongside Roma leaders and communities has been one of the most meaningful parts of my life’s work.”
According to the press release, he has said he will donate the prize money to the Roma Education Fund, which provides Roma communities with access to skills and employment programs and education.
Previous winners of the prize include Simone Veil, the former president of the European Parliament, the former Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, Thomas Hammarberg and Merkel, among others.
Who are the Sinti and Roma people?
The Sinti and Roma people trace their roots back to the northern Indian subcontinent and had arrived in Europe by the 15th Century.
The term “Sinti” specifically refers to communities traditionally inhabiting Central Europe, including Germany, while “Roma” and “Romani” are used as broader umbrella terms.
The ethnic minority group was subjected to systemic extermination under Germany’s Nazi regime — it is estimated that up to 500,000 Sinti and Roma were murdered by the Nazis and their allies by the end of World War II.
Today, some 80,000-140,000 Sinti and Roma live in Germany, while they number around 10-12 million in Europe in total.
Sinti and Roma people are still subject to considerable discrimination and prejudice. Last year, German authorities reported that there had been a significant increase in antiziganist incidents in 2024.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
