Did you know…

• That there are around 12 Million Roma, Sinti, Travellers and related groups living in Europe today – the continent’s largest ethnic minority? There are also many Roma living in the Americas!
• That the Roma emigrated from Northern India, but are part of European society for hundreds of years?
• That 95% of European Roma are living at one place and not travelling around?
• That Roma in Romania were living in slavery for 500 years, until 1855?
• That at least 500,000 Roma were killed during the Holocaust?
• That 40% of Roma children live in families where at least one person went to bed hungry in the last month, because they could not afford enough food?

The Roma have a long and painful history, shaped by rampant racism that is completely normalized in European societies. But they also have a huge cultural treasure that most people know nothing about.

Today, on 8^th April, we celebrate the International Roma Day. On this day in 1971 the World Romani Congress met for the first time and adopted the design of the Romani flag and the lyrics and music of the Romani anthem “Gelem, Gelem”.

Why don’t you use the opportunity to learn more about Roma history and culture?

Here are some ideas:

• Animation about Roma history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6wSLfGBVGY
• Run some educational activities about Roma: https://rm.coe.int/CoERMPublicCommonSearchServices/DisplayDCTMContent?documentId=0900001680494094
• Read the personal stories of discrimination of young Roma: https://www.coe.int/en/web/youth-roma/barabaripen