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By the Czech government resolution no.589 dated May 4, 2009 which was reflected in the founding document of Lidice Memorial, this organization was entitled with taking care of the reverent area of the former gipsy camp in Lety.
The mission of Lidice Memorial is, among other things, "to care about permanent preservation of memories of suffering of Romany people who were intervened in the former gipsy camp in Lety, including care and arrangements of the reverent area".
This way a long lasting effort of the Committee for compensation of Romany holocaust, of government representatives and ministers for human rights and other institutions involved was completed in a former way. The aim was so that the state would also take care of this reverent area associated with violence against Romany civilians during the Nazi occupation of Czech lands in 1939-1945 and to permanently care of the memory of the historical events associated with this reverent place.
It is no doubt that the main credit for resolving this matter, which was probably originated already in 1994, had the Minister for Human Rights Michael Kocáb.
In 2000 Lidice Memorial became the grant organization of the Ministry of Culture. Its duty is to keep a permanent memory of the victims of the Lidice tragedy and to take care of the reverent area in Lidice. In 2008 it was entrusted to care of another cultural monument, the national historic landmark reverent area in Ležáky, which is related to the recent tragic history of the Czech population. These are places that should not be forgotten and their message should be preserved for future generations, as well as the history of the camp in Lety.
The first task is to buy the land of the reverent area in Lety itself and access roads leading to this reverent place from municipalities to which the individual pieces of relevant land belong.
At the same time, project documentation, resolving both access roads as well as arrangement of the close neighbourhood of the reverent area.
Another part of the proposed solution shall be establishing of an educational trail from village Lety to the reverent area, instalment of a small permanent exposition dedicated to the history of gipsy camp in Lety and Romany holocaust and establishing of social facilities.
All these adjustments shall be completed by May 2010.
Subsequently the Memorial in Lety should be in involved in the research, cultural, artistic and educational programs of Lidice Memorial, particularly those focusing on young people and teachers.
History and culture of Romany people, as well as the theme of holocaust has been treated by Terezín Memorial and the Museum of Romany Culture in Brno for a long time. In connection of Lety Memorial, Lidice Memorial will therefore focus on the themes connected with nowadays manifestations of nationalism, racism and xenophobia.
The aim of Lidice Memorial is to establish a worthy place at the reverent area in Lety, as such cultural monuments to victims of Nazi repression deserve it.
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