We are excited to introduce the 2025/2026 RGPP cohort!
Oliver Mako comes from Slovakia, where he studied documentary film directing at the Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica. His academic background is mainly connected to creative docu-filmmaking. During his studies he had the opportunity to work on several short films and his bachelor project focused on the life of a young Roma woman with cerebral palsy who is building her career as a tattoo artist. This experience shaped his interest in combining art, activism, and storytelling. Besides film, he is also active in social projects and youth initiatives. He has been involved in different activities connected to Roma rights, cultural identity, and education. For Oliver, docu-filmmaking is not only an artistic expression but also a way to create social impact and open dialogue about sensitive issues. He is especially motivated to research topics such as memory, discrimination, and representation of minorities in media, exploring how visual storytelling can reflect social reality and empower marginalized communities. In the future, he would like to continue developing his skills in both practice and theory, combining creative work with academic research. His goal is to use docu-film as a tool to connect people, share stories that are often unheard, and contribute to building a more inclusive society.
Robin Balog obtained a bachelor‘s degree in psychology at The University of New York in Prague. His thesis delved into Mental Health and Mistrust: The Impact of School Discrimination on Romani Families in the Czech Republic, exploring how racism in school perpetuates generational trauma in the Romani communities and what protective mechanisms emerged as a response to this issue. During his studies, he established a human rights collective to bring Romani and broader issues, such as the genocide in Palestine and Congo, into the university’s consciousness and curriculum. As a Fulbright alumnus, he spent two months at Michigan State University, where he studied civic engagement. During the program, he conceptualized a collaborative research documentary project, Roma Femina. The project explores Romani feminism and the role of Romani women in education and as community builders. Robin worked for three years as an education outreach coordinator with People in Need, one of the largest humanitarian NGOs in Eastern Europe. There, he worked with Romani families, providing educational services. He also worked as a residential advisor for NYU, where his primary responsibilities included helping students from New York adjust to Prague, as well as planning activities and trips for the students. As Robin’s activism and scholarship are grounded in an intersectional, decolonial approach, he aims to nurture this sense of equality and self-worth in Romani children. He believes the community can cultivate genuine motivation and resilience through his further studies in approaching psychology and human rights.
Mariana Santiago Vargas is a teacher training lecturer specialising in therapeutic pedagogy. and a designer of learning experiences that combine gamification and virtual reality. She-has over 17 years' experience in promoting the employability of young Roma men and women and she is committed to education and the advancement of people, especially the Roma community. One of her strengths is connecting businesses and organisations to forge alliances based on inclusion. She holds a Master's degree in Social Innovation and Dynamics of Change and is currently pursuing a PhD in the field of educational technology applied to knowledge, where her research focuses on the inclusion of Roma culture and history in the Spanish education system. Mariana has applied to RGPP to improve her English and study public policy to be able to help the Roma community in an international context.
Michal Ziga obtained his bachelor's degree in political science at the Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA). As an active member of the student community, he participated in the BISLA Student Council, and represented his classmates in the Student Part of the Academic Senate. He defended his thesis analyzing the Middle Eastern power dynamics in 2023. Besides life on the academic soil, he contributed to the activities of the Helsinki Committee of Human Rights in Slovakia as a team coordinator. Building on his interests in international affairs, Michal founded and led an initiative supporting an Afghani couple persecuted by the Taliban in 2021. Fueled by his reclamation of Roma identity based on resistance and resilience, he has joined RGPP after his traineeship at the Council of Europe's Roma and Travellers Division. Michal's aim is to develop skills and knowledge in public policy to ameliorate conditions of those silenced by injustice; from Roma in Europe, to Palestinians in the Middle East.
Doriane Ferrer holds a bachelor’s degree in art history and has just finished her master’s degree in social sciences with a specialisation in arts. She wrote her thesis on Delaine Le Bas, an English Roma contemporary artist, titled “Weaving Romani, Feminist, and Decolonial Resistance: A Study of Delaine Le Bas’s Work, 1998-2025.” Doriane applied to RGPP to improve her English academic skills, and to benefit from an international program specifically oriented towards Romani Studies. After the program, she aspires to start a PhD, as she wishes to continue studying Roma contemporary art.
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