The International Scientific Conference 2026 Annual Meeting of the Gypsy Lore Society was held, co-organized by the Pilar Institute; Zagreb, 02-05/09/2026
The Pilar Institute was one of the co-organizers of the international scientific conference 2026 Annual Meeting of the Gypsy Lore Society, which was held in Zagreb from 2 to 5 September 2026. In addition to the Institute, the co-organizers of the Conference were the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Zagreb, the Institute for Migration Research, and the The Croatian Romani Union „Kali Sara“. There were approximately 90 participants in total, mostly from Asia, Europe, and North America
The Conference began with an official opening at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, with the keynote presentation by Tatiana Zachar Podolinská, “How a Tradition Is Born: From Invisibility to a Voice of One’s Own — the Cult of Saint Sara in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France”, in which she analysed the development of the cult of Saint Sara among Roma pilgrims in the French town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. This was followed by welcoming speeches, one of which was delivered by the Director of the Pilar Institute, Professor Željko Holjevac, PhD, who highlighted the significance of the Institute itself in the development of Romani studies, particularly in the field of Roma history. The final opening speaker was Danijel Vojak, PhD, who, as Chair of the Conference Organizing Committee and representative of the Pilar Institute, thanked the other members of the Organizing Committee for their work and support in organizing the Conference.
Conference invitation Book of abstracts Conference program
Following the opening speeches, the exhibition The History of Romani Studies in Croatia was opened at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The author of the exhibition was Danijel Vojak, PhD, together with Petar Radosavljević, PhD, Ivan Andrijanić, PhD, Filip Škiljan, PhD, and Ivan Olujić, PhD. The exhibition presented the development of Romani studies in Croatia from the late eighteenth century to the present day. The exhibition was opened with speeches by Danijel Vojak and Ivan Andrijanić, who highlighted numerous scholars from Croatia who contributed to the development of Romani studies through their work.
Over the following three days, presentations were held at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Pilar Institute, and the Institute for Migration Research. At the Pilar Institute, presentations were held on 3 September 2026. The presentations covered the fields of Roma language, culture (particularly music), and history.
On the second day of the Conference, participants visited the premises of the Roma Association in the Republic of Croatia “Kali Sara”, where they were presented with the cultural and other activities of the organization. The working part of the Conference officially concluded on 4 September 2026, when the next Conference in Hungary was announced. On Saturday 5 September 2026, a study visit to Uštica was organized for the participants, as a memorial site commemorating the suffering of Roma during the Second World War. The study visit was guided by Danijel Velić (Uštica Roma Memorial Centre) and Danijel Vojak (Pilar Institute).
From the media
- Hana Gelb/B.M.V./Prizma/HRT, “Gotovo da ne možete napisati povijest mjesta, a da ne spominjete Rome”, dostupno na https://vijesti.hrt.hr/manjine/gotovo-da-ne-mozete-napisati-povijest-mjesta-a-da-ne-spominjete-rome–12896958
- Danijel Vojak, „Najava – Zagreb domaćin međunarodne znanstvene konferencije 2026 Annual Meeting of the Gypsy Lore Society and Conference on Romani Studies”, Pharalipen, 27. kolovoza 2026., dostupno na https://phralipen.hr/2026/08/27/najava-zagreb-domacin-medunarodne-znanstvene-konferencije-2026-annual-meeting-of-the-gypsy-lore-society-and-conference-on-romani-studies/
- Ana Plenča, „Izložba “The History od Romani Studies in Croatia” otvorena na Filozofskom fakultetu Sveučilišta u Zagrebu“, Pharalipen, 2. rujna 2026., dostupno na https://phralipen.hr/2026/09/02/izlozba-the-history-od-romani-studies-in-croatia-otvorena-na-filozofskom-fakultetu-sveucilista-u-zagrebu/
- Petra Cvetković. „Počela trodnevna međunarodna konferencija “2026 Annual Meeting of the Gypsy Lore Society” u Zagrebu“, Pharalipen, 2. rujna 2026., dostupno na https://phralipen.hr/2026/09/02/pocela-trodnevna-medunarodna-konferencija-2026-annual-meeting-of-the-gypsy-lore-society-u-zagrebu/
