International Romani Day 2023: Date, History, Significance, Quiz

International Romani Day is a holiday observed yearly on the 8^th of April. It’s a day that celebrates the Romani culture—a well-defined cultural and ethnic group of people who live all around the globe and share a family of different languages. It’s also a holiday that improves the public’s awareness about the hindrances and struggles faced by the Roma people all over the world.

Historically, Romani people have undergone widespread discrimination and violence for centuries. Sometimes they are even being prevented from participating in political or economic life in different countries. Another intention of this holiday is to help to bring forward some of the anti-Roma discrimination bills that have been suggested by governments all around the world.

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International Romani Day 2023: History

This holiday for the International Romani Day was first observed in Serock, Poland in the year 1990. This was held at the site of the 4th World Romani Congress of the International Romani Union. This day observed the first international meeting of Romani representatives that took place in Chelsfield, UK, in April of 1971.

Who are Romanis?

Romani were primitively travelling court musicians in parts of what is now Pakistan and India.

The Romani have their own culture and language. In the Middle Ages, they migrated to  France, Turkey,Spain. In Spain, their culture mixed with Jewish, Iberian, Muslim and Moorish society and were known as Flamenco. They are one of the most oppressed populations, targeted for extinction by both the  Communists and Nazis, as well as several local governments in Africa and Asia.

In the early 1800s, many Romani entered in to the United States,  Brazil, Canada, and other nations in the US. There are an approximately 800,000 Roma in Brazil and one million in the United States;

A story indicates that Romani people are not just a socially or culturally identified group of people but are also identified genetically as a unique genetic group.

Famous Romani around the world include:

• Michael Caineor Maurice Joseph Mickle white.
• Charlie Chaplin who was reported to be born in a Gypsy caravan.
• Yul Brynneror Yul Borisovich Brynner, who according to his own testimony, one-quarter  Jewish and was one-quarter Roma.
• Pablo Picasso also had a Roma origin.

International Romani Day 2023: Significance

International Romani Day will be celebrated on 8 April 2022, Friday this year. The International Romani Day is a day to honor Romani culture and is a civil awareness day. It is accepted on worldwide basis, as Romani community are spread all over, especially in Europe and America though they are sometimes referred to as “Gypsies” which is not considered to be a nice name, as it annotates illegality.

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Romani are an unsettled ethic group from India. They have their own language and culture and still fight for their recognition by the government of India. For Romani community their extended families, their customs, called the Romanipen and their religion is of highest value. Since 1990 International Romani Day is observed by the International Romani Union who had their very first official meeting in the year 1971.

Interesting Facts About The Roma

The Romani people  known as Roma, are an interesting group of different peoples that live all across the globe, so here are some of the facts that we’ve learned about few of them.

• Many people believe that Roma are Hindus  from northern India.
• There are around 12-million Romani living across the globe.
• In 2013, approximately 10,000 Romani people were thrown out from France when their camps were demolished.

How to observe International Romani Day 2023 ?

This holiday is observed by Romani all over the world in different ways from place to place. Some people observe the day by taking the time to learn more about their Roma origin, while people in other places might observe this day by throwing a big party.As it’s a cultural and ethnic holiday, in most counties this day isn’t a public holiday, however.

You can also observe this day by:

• Reading more about Romani people from the book ”We Are Romani People” by Ian F. Hancock.
• Since the culture is strongly portrayed by its music, sample traditional Romani music such as Flamenco, or compositions by Franz Liszt. You can celebrate by having a musical party.
• Share your Romani heritage using #Romani, #InternationalRomaniDay, #RomaniDay,  on social media and follow to learn moreabout the day.

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International Romani Day  Events that Took Place Last Year

International Roma Day is starred around Europe to celebrate Romani culture and raise awareness of the situation of Roma and human rights issues they undergo. The Council of Europe is organising a number of events in the approaching and on the day.

• On 5-6 April in Seixal (Portugal), the outcome of 3 years of execution of the ROMED2 programme was organised at a workshop which assembled participating municipalities as well as representatives of the Roma communities and authorities of several municipalities that wish to begin the ROMED.
• On 6 April the contestants took part in the European Seminar on the Roma Communities, organised by the Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality, that was established for the transformation of the National Strategy for Roma inclusion
• On 7 April in Strasbourg, from 8:45 to 17:00 a Training session on the socio-economic integration of Roma took place in the Palais de l Europe, Room 10. The training was arranged by the Council of Europe along with the City of Strasbourg, in partnership with the European Association for Local Democracy, in the framework of the project “Combating discrimination against Roma in education and employment in the European Union”.
• On 7 April in Strasbourg, a Photo exhibition featuring works by Sandro Veltincalled “Roma in France, the Road to Successful Integration”  was opened at 7:00 PM in the City Hall of Strasbourg(Hotel de Ville, 9 Rue Brulee). The exhibition had portraits and testimonials by French citizens of Roma, Sinti, and Yenish origin or belonging to the Traveller community. The exhibition was arranged by the Council of Europe and the City of Strasbourg which was open up until 15 April. To attend the opening of the photo exhibition, participants had to register earlier.
• On 8 April in Strasbourg, to mark the International Roma Day,  the Lieu d’Europe  opened its doors to the visitors from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The Open Day included short a theatre play, movie screenings,  a round table discussion and musical performances. The day ended with a Roma Jazz concert by the band “Muhi Tahiri & Friends”. The Open Day was organised by the Council of Europe and the City of Strasbourg.
• On 8 April in Strasbourg (European Youth Centre), the Council of Europe had organised a training course for young people to work on the question of perceptions and participation (“Kéténé”, meaning “together” in Romani). The event was organised organised in partnership with the French No Hate Speech Movement and the organisations LATCHO ROM STRASBOURG and Le Collectif Europeen des minorities discriminees, ARPOMT-GDV (Association de Recherche Pedagogique Ouverte en Milieu Tsigane-Gens du Voyage).

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When will be  International Romani Day observed in the coming years?

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International Romani Day 2023: Quiz

1. When is International Romani Day Observed?

a) 1 April

b) 4 April

c) 8 April

d)10 April

Ans (c)

2. In which year was International Romani Day first observed?

a) 1970

b) 1971

c) 1972

d) 1973

Ans (b)

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3. ______ is a famous Roma.

a) Charlie Chaplin

b) Michael Caine

c) Pablo Picasso

d) All of the above

Ans (d)

4. Romas are famous for :

a) Music

b) Their varied Languages and culture

c) Their presence through out the globe

d) All of the above

Ans (d)

5. In the year ____ around 10,000 Romanis where thrown out of France.

a) 2001

b) 2002

c) 2003

d) 2004

Ans (c)

6. There are about __________ Romanis around the world.

a) half a million

b) 1.2 Million

c) 1 Trillion

d) 1.2 Billion

Ans (d)

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