Julia Kondur
Year of birth: 1952
City of birth: Kiliia, Ukraine
Origin: Kishinevska Roma
Education: Secondary specialized (cultural-educational college)
Main areas of activity: development of the Roma women’s movement, educational and cultural projects, human rights protection, humanitarian aid.
Key contribution: founder of one of the first Roma educational centers for children in Ukraine in Izmail (1994); founder and permanent leader of the International Women’s Fund “Chirikli” (since 2004); one of the first representatives of the Roma community of Ukraine on the international stage (Council of Europe, 2003); developed a nationwide network of Roma mediators.
Impact: became the founder and symbol of the Roma women’s movement in Ukraine, inspiring hundreds of women to engage in public activity; changed the approach to working with Roma children by proving the effectiveness of educational centers; brought the voice of Ukrainian Roma to a high international level; created one of the most influential Roma organizations in Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
“My grandfather always said that the future of the family depends on me, and that it is I, Julia, who will lead it forward. I grew up constantly hearing these words.”
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Biographical Information
Julia Kondur is the leader and ideological inspiration of the Roma women’s movement in Ukraine, the founder and president of the International Charitable Fund “Chirikli.” Her life path embodies the struggle for the rights of the Roma community, the revival of culture, and the establishment of women’s leadership.
Early Years and Upbringing
Julia was born into a family of nomadic Roma. Her grandfather was a leader who led his camp across Europe and settled in the south of Ukraine, on the banks of the Danube in the city of Kiliia. It was there, living first in tents and later in a house, that she went to school. Being the only child in the family, she loved being among people from childhood, was an activist, and an excellent student. Despite the discrimination she faced, she always proudly declared her identity.
After school, at the age of 17, she got married and gave birth to her first son, which forced her to pursue further education at a cultural-educational college through correspondence. Her husband, Anatoliy, became her main support and companion for life.
Her family survived the Roma genocide. Her grandparents witnessed mass shootings in the Odesa region and spoke of the brutality of the Romanian and German troops.
Becoming a Public Figure
Julia Kondur’s path into activism began with culture. Together with her husband, a talented choreographer, they founded the family ensemble “Gavardi Ile” (“Hot Hearts”). Their cultural activities grew into social work when, in 1994, they opened one of the first educational centers for Roma children in Ukraine in Izmail. With their own efforts, they restored a neglected kindergarten and created a space where children not only prepared for school but also learned about culture, language, and received necessary support.
This experience became the foundation for her future work. Julia was among the first four Roma leaders to register non-governmental organizations in Ukraine, actively collaborating with Aladar Adam and other pioneers of the movement.
Activities and Contributions
In 2004, Julia Kondur founded the Roma Women’s Fund “Chirikli” (meaning “Bird”), which became the first and most influential Roma women’s organization in the country. The name symbolizes the free spirit of the Roma people and their constant movement.
Since then, under her leadership, “Chirikli” has built a nationwide network of branches and mediators, implementing projects in the educational, human rights, and humanitarian spheres. Julia Kondur was one of the first to represent Ukrainian Roma at a high international level, speaking at the Council of Europe as early as 2003. Her organization actively participated in collecting questionnaires for compensation payments to victims of the genocide.
With the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the “Chirikli” Fund became one of the key hubs for the evacuation and provision of humanitarian aid to Roma families from combat zones. Julia Kondur continues her work, considering her main mission to be the unification of efforts to protect the rights and improve the lives of Roma, where education and respect for identity remain unshakable priorities.
Photo archive of the Zolotarenko family
