Language preservation and digital inclusion can go hand in hand
Originally published on Global Voices
Radio Romano Avazo. Composition via Canva Pro.
This article was produced by Durmish Aslano from Radio Romano Avazo through the Digital Spark granting scheme, as part of the Regional Support Mechanism EECA project, implemented by the Metamorphosis Foundation and TechSoup, in partnership with CIVICUS and under the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI) that covers the Global South. It is being published on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.
For years, Radio Romano Avazo has been one of the few spaces where the Romani language and culture could be heard consistently in Kosovo. Broadcasting from Prizren, the community radio station has provided content for Roma audiences who often have limited access to media in their mother tongue.
But as media consumption increasingly moves online, one question became impossible to ignore: What happens to Romani-language content when the radio broadcast ends?
Through the “Romani Voice Digital: Podcast Platform for Civic Inclusion” project, Radio Romano Avazo took an important step toward answering that question by transforming its existing cultural content into podcasts, creating a digital presence for Romani-language audio on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and its website.
The project was more than just a technological upgrade. It was an attempt to fill a space that had been missing for the Roma community in Kosovo: A dedicated digital space where the Romani language, culture, stories, and voices could continue to exist and be accessed whenever and wherever people wanted.
From live radio to a permanent digital archive
Radio content traditionally depends on a specific moment. If listeners are not available when a program is broadcast, they can easily miss it. This limitation was particularly relevant for the station’s “Gjuha dhe Kultura” (Language and Culture) program, which contains conversations and stories that deserve to remain accessible beyond a single broadcast. This project changed that model.
Three key episodes were selected and adapted into a podcast format, allowing audiences to listen to them on demand. This was an important transition for a small community media outlet: From producing content that disappears after a broadcast to creating an accessible digital archive of Romani voices and cultural knowledge.
Three stories, three personalities, one language
At the heart of the project were conversations with three personalities who have each contributed to the Romani language, culture, and public life in different ways.
The first episode, “Skolatar ani Bibloteka” (From the Classroom to the Library), featured Urma Menekshe, a teacher of the Romani language in Prizren and the creator of the Roma Mini-Library. She is also an author and translator.
Her story connects education, books, and language preservation, showing that language doesn’t just occur through institutions, but unfolds within classrooms, libraries, family homes, and everyday conversations.
The second episode, “Artesta ani Politika” (From Art to Politics), brought the audience closer to Sejnur Veshall, a politician and former deputy minister in the Ministry of Culture, as well as an actor and poet.
His experience provided an opportunity to explore the relationship between culture and public life, while also discussing the challenges the Roma community faces and the importance of stronger support for Romani culture and language in Kosovo.
The third episode, “Kulturatar ani Televizia” (From Culture to Television), featured Daut Qulangjiu, editor of the Roma-language newsroom at RTK, as well as a former dancer, folklorist, and actor.
His personal journey brought together traditional culture, performance, media, and television, offering listeners a glimpse into how Roma cultural expression has evolved and how it can continue to find space in contemporary media.
One of the strengths of the podcasts was their human dimension.
The conversations were not limited to formal questions about language, culture, or professional achievements. Listeners were also able to discover the personalities behind the public roles.
This approach helped transform the episodes from conventional interviews into conversations that audiences could connect with.
At the same time, the guests were invited to share their views and recommendations on how the situation of the Roma community could be improved, particularly in relation to language and culture.
A digital space that the community was already waiting for
Perhaps the strongest indication of the project’s relevance came immediately after the content was published.
The podcasts were promoted through specially designed visual materials and shared through the communication channels already used by the Roma community. The response was unexpectedly strong.
Roma audiences not only from Prizren but also from other municipalities began asking how they could access the podcast episodes.
These questions were significant.
They showed that the challenge was not necessarily a lack of interest in digital content. Instead, there had been a lack of Romani-language content worth looking for.
The podcasts are also designed to reach beyond Kosovo. Since they are available on international platforms, Romani speakers in the diaspora — from Europe and beyond — can access stories and conversations in their own language.
For a community whose language crosses borders, this creates an opportunity to strengthen connections between Roma in Kosovo and Roma living elsewhere.
Measuring impact beyond numbers
The project set clear ambitions for audience growth, including more than 500 listens and more than 200 new followers, while also aiming to create a sustainable podcast section on the Radio Romano Avazo website.
The initial response already indicates significant interest, with the content reaching tens of thousands of views/listens across digital channels to date.
Yet the project's impact cannot be measured only through analytics.
Every new person who discovers a Romani-language podcast represents another opportunity for the language to be heard. Every person who shares an episode with a family member or friend contributes to its circulation. And every young Roma person who encounters their language and culture in a modern digital format is reminded that Romani also belongs in the digital world.
The experience demonstrates that digital transformation does not always require expensive infrastructure or complex solutions. For community media, it can begin by taking valuable content that already exists and giving it a longer life. The project also showed that there is an audience for Romani-language digital content.
The next challenge is sustainability.
The podcast section on the Radio Romano Avazo website can become a permanent home for future episodes, cultural conversations, and other Romani-language productions. The initial three podcasts can serve as a foundation for a larger digital archive and a broader strategy for engaging young people, women, rural Roma communities, and the wider Roma diaspora.
Most importantly, the project has demonstrated that language preservation and digital inclusion can go hand in hand.
