Ambassador Schapiro Awards Media Prize at the 2016 Roma Spirit Awards

Ambassador Schapiro Awards Media Prize at the 2016 Roma Spirit Awards

U.S. Ambassador Schapiro attended the 2016 Roma Spirit Awards on December 10, where he awarded the media prize to Czech Television reporter Richard Samko. In his remarks, Ambassador Schapiro emphasized: “When the media cover cases of exclusion and discrimination, exposing these human rights violations, it increases awareness and understanding from the public, decreasing tolerance for these practices.”

Before announcing the winner in the media category, Ambassador Schapiro also introduced Oksana Marafioti, an American writer of Romani heritage, who concluded a U.S. Embassy-sponsored four-day program in Prague and Brno sharing her experiences of immigrating to the United States with diverse audiences.

American writer Oksana Marafioti and Ambassador Andrew Schapiro at the the 2016 Roma Spirit Awards ceremony in Prague on December 10, 2016.
American writer Oksana Marafioti and Ambassador Andrew Schapiro at the the 2016 Roma Spirit Awards ceremony.
American writer Oksana Marafioti and Ambassador Andrew Schapiro at the the 2016 Roma Spirit Awards ceremony in Prague on December 10, 2016.
American writer Oksana Marafioti and Ambassador Andrew Schapiro at the the 2016 Roma Spirit Awards ceremony.