International Roma Day
International Roma Day
April 8, 2011 The
International Day of Roma is celebrated on April 8 - the day when Roma
are reminded of an international meeting of Roma (1971). During the
1960s, a number of Romani organizations were established in France and
the United Kingdom. As the number of national Romani organizations grew,
there was increased interest in the creation of an international Romany
organization. After a number of failed attempts, Roma from a number of
European countries met in Orpington, near London, in April 1971. This
congress, considered the first truly international meeting of Roma,
brought a number of successes. The International Romani Union was
founded, the Romani flag was accepted and the song “Gelem, Gelem”
composed by Jarko Jovanovic was adopted as an anthem. As well, the delegates unanimously declared April 8th as the International Day of Roma. Roma
people are Europe’s largest minority population, and have been living
in the continent, primarily in Eastern countries, since the Romani
Diaspora began 1000 years ago, from what is now Northern India. There
are at least 12 million Roma scattered throughout the world. Ever since
the 1st World Romani Congress in 1971, International Roma Day, or Roma
Nation Day, has become a day for mobilization of hundreds of thousands
of Roma in some 40 countries Despite being Europe’s largest
minority, the Roma have been voiceless for centuries. As a people and as
a culture, the Roma have been and continue to be misrepresented,
mythologized, stereotyped, scapegoated and persecuted. |