International Rroma Day
Source:Roma in the Czech Republic
Today we celebrate International Rroma Day. April 8 is a traditional holiday for the Rroma of Transylvania. It marks the “Day of the Horses” when horses were decorated with garlands and paraded out of their winter shelters. This same day marks the first Rromani World Congress that took place in 1971 in London. It was declared an official holiday in 1990 during the Forth World Romani Congress in Poland.
On this day, we remember the Rroma that were killed in the Holocaust. No one knows for sure how many Rroma were lost during World War II, but estimates are as high as 1.5 million. Nations today open discussions concerning the intolerance faced by Rroma everywhere.
In Europe, they make up the largest minority and are considered a priority for human rights commissions and NGOs. They are the most deprived ethnic group in all of Europe. The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) notes that it is particularly concerned about housing rights violations toward the Rromani community. These violations include the lack of adequate housing, forced evictions, raids and the regular destruction of Rromani encampments. In the United States, they are often referred to by scholars as the “hidden Americans.” The same could be said for Rroma in Mexico and in many other countries throughout the Americas.
Today I invite all of you to research Rroma in your area. You will find various links below that serve as excellent resources to learn about the history, folklore and current challenges facing Rromani populations throughout the world.
Here is a page dedicated to
Rroma in Texas: