50 bershengo sumnaku jubilejo e ROMANO SUMNALESKO KONGRESO
1971-2021
NEXT SESSIONS:
19th JULY 2021 6pm CEST
The Future of our struggle
We, Roma, have been historically defined as the “others”, as people without a history, and without the capacity for self-determination and self-organisation. For decades we have been classified as the “people without a voice.” From the Roma Holocaust to forced sterilisations, forced evictions, police brutality, mass incarceration, urban and school segregations, to openly racist speeches by EU politicians has been the reality of more than 14 million Roma in Europe.
Even, today some have argued that the challenge Roma face is not structural racism but a product of “the unadaptable culture of Roma.” The struggle for Roma is against antigypsyism, a form of structural racism that has existed for many centuries. It is the struggle to secure a safe space for Roma in European countries that are openly anti-Roma.
Yet, very little political attention has been given to it by the left wings parties, international anti-racist movements, international human rights institutions, academics, or the media. We can no longer remain silent against systemic oppression that creates the impossibilities of existing. This public discussion aims to bring together Roma and non-Roma people from different countries to discuss the urgency of re-thinking the Future of our Struggle. Why is political violence against Roma normalised?
Can we re-think our strategies/agendas and imagine a new one based on our embedded experiences that will be in open confrontation with the oppressive system? Can we create the collective road to full emancipation through self-representation? Can we reconnect with the dignity of our accentor’s struggle and with the aims of 1971 World Romani Congress? To reflect on all this and more, we have invited the following speakers to take part in this online discussion:
Grattan Puxon – General-secretary of the First World Roma Congress [1971-1981]
Cayetano Fernandez – Militant of Kale Amenge (Roma for Ourselves)
Sebijan Fejzula – Militant of Kale Amenge (Roma for Ourselves)
Jonathan Lee – European Roma Rights Center (Brussels)
Hamze Bytyci – Chairman RomaTrial e.V (Berlin)
Tanja Vasic – Minority Initiative (Serbia)
Lisa Smith – RomaTrial e.V./ Chairwoman of ACERT
The daily struggle to maintain life against the odds; that above all has defined Romani existence. A struggle maintained for centuries. Living on the margins, Roma held together, kept our language; escaped cultural, even physical annihilation, by staying on the run; blanking confrontation. The slaughter of the Nazi genocide forced some to turn and fight. As partisans, as rioting inmates of the Auswchitz zingeuner lager. Whole vitzas were wiped out, but a terrible choice had been taken to combat the enemy whatever the cost. Twenty-five years later, delegates from those shattered remnants came together in London for the 1971 First World Roma Congress. Henceforth the flag of the Roma Nation would fly over a political movement that sought emancipation through self-representation. In the Jubilee year of that movement what momentous future awaits? Faced again by the rise of fascism, exposed systemic racism, a new, active generation of a nation without borders is reaching or ownership of a people’s sovereignty. Two questions dominate the agenda. Will the scattered millions of the Roma Diaspora be mobilized by that call? And if they are, will our collective struggle against antigypsyism and persecution finally open the road to a just and peaceful co-existence?
Grattan Puxon General-secretary of the First World Roma Congress [1971-1981]
Watch the livestream on 19th July directly here or sing up for the Facebook event and get a notification once we are on air.
PAST SESSIONS:
23th of JUNE 2021
17:00 CEST
ROMA CHILDREN IN CARE SESSION
The panel discussed the over-representation of Roma children in care not only in institutions for children without parental care but in foster care. We also discussed the impact of adoption. This unfortunately has been an ongoing discussion for many years amongst Roma representatives and state institutions. Social exclusion resulting in poverty has a big impact on Roma children. Examples discussed within the panel highlight the far reachings consequences of deep-rooted anti-Gypsism in European society and the need for our voices as Roma professionals working in the field with direct experience to be heard.
Go to live stream on this site or visit our Romanistan facebook live stream page.
LIVE STREAM
Roma children in care
23 / JUNE / 2021 / 17:00 CEST
Panelists:
Michal Hugo (ERRC) Czeh Republic, Carmen Tanasie (ERGO Network)-Belgium Edita Stejskalova Czech Republic, Tanja Vasic (Minority Initiative) Serbia, Alison Hulmes, (GRTSWA, BSWA )UK, Dada Felja (Law for Life)UK, (Gwendolyn Albert – Translations) Czech Republic, Mihai Calin Bica – (Roma Support Group) UK, Lisa Smith (ACERT)
For so many reasons, Roma children in many countries are the last ones on the list for adoption. The lack of understanding when working with Roma families negates the positive solutions for Roma children in need. There is also a lack of general information on Roma tradition and living patterns, language barriers, stereotypes, and prejudices directed towards Roma that influence the communication between social workers and Roma parents, or broader family members.
Our discussion aims to make the broader public aware of these issue and invites Roma communities to share with us their experiences, and to jointly develop a strategy with a plan of action on how best to create solutions to these very important issues.
Check in to the congress in order to participate, or just watch the livestream directly here or sing up for the Facebook event and get a notification once we are on air.
CHECK-IN FOR THE JUBILEE CONGRESS
CHECK-IN IS OPENED NOW!
Phralalen, phejalen!
Brothers, sisters!
Pinzharindor kaj o than e Romengo majkerko avela sostar so chon chonestar o razismos bajrola;
kaj amaro jekhipe chindo si bute kotorende ko vakti kana tribul amen sasto, zuralo phralipe, phenipe;
pativindor kaj amare aktivisitora, terne purane, save sare maren pe telal o flako Romano, kamen te ciden majlacho drom anglunibasko;
Recognizing that the situation of Roma worsens month to month as racism grows;
That our potential unity remains fragmented at a time when what we need is strong brotherhood, sisterhood;
Believing that our activists, young and old, who fight under the Romani Flag, desire to take the best road forward;
Akharde si e Jubileje Lumijake Romane Kongreseske so kidel pe [virtualno] kotar o 8 aprili 2021 bersh, pinda bersha pal’o Jekhto Kongreso ano London;
O Jubilejo Kongreso isi le te dikhel sar majsigate saj lacharel pes amaro amalipe jekhipe; sar te ovel o hango e Romengo zore ashundo;
All are invited to the Jubilee World Roma Congress which is assembling [virtually] from the 8 April 2021, fifty years after the First Congres in London.
The Jubilee Congress has the task of finding how as quickly as possible our friendship and unity can be restored; so that the voice of Roma will be most strongly heard.
O vudar o Kongresesko phutardo si savorenge,
The door of the Congress is open to all.
From the 9th April on, the Jubilee World Roma Congress will be held in the form of a Zoom webinar.
CHECK IN HERE TO TAKE PART IN THE CONGRESS!
ONLINE EXHIBITION
WORLD ROMA CONGRESS ART EXHIBITION
The curators Beverley Carpenter (Oblique Arts UK), Moritz Pankok (Kai Dikhas Foundation, Berlin) and Tímea Junghaus (ERIAC, Berlin as Patron of the exhibition) will give a short introduction to the World Roma Congress 50th Anniversary Art Exhibition: On the 8th of April 2021 we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the groundbreaking 1st World Romany Congress which took place in London in 1971 and which has been a milestone of the International Romany Movement. Arts and Culture have been a strong inspiration for the political movement of Sinti and Roma and continue to play an essential role as a form of civic expression as well as a strategy of emancipation and cultural resistance.
VISIT THE ROMA CONGRESS JUBILEE EXHIBITION!
JANGLARIPE VASH MEDIE
22 marti 2021
Pashon amenca te hramina o 50-to bersh e Anglune Lumiake Romane Kongresesko
Ko 8to aprili 2021, o Lumiako Romano Kongresi ka hraminel 50 bersh palo temelipe e englune ovipasko ko bersh 1971 ano Londoni. Sine maymahatni thavd ani romengi historia thay akana dikhyola sar shrdipe e sahlumiaka romana emancipaciake phiravipasko. Shrdingya e politikune maripea vash yekhipe, mobilizimo prekal romane organizacie thay unifikimo prekal flago thay himna.
Akava bersh vash te hramingyol o yubilaruno bersh khargyona te pashon amenca pe buderi online ovipya kola ka dentumen shaipe te phangyon romane komunitetenca ko sah globi vash te festinen e kultura, qhib thay historia numay pe ayni vaht kritikipea te reflektinen pe pharipya kola pandar lugyarena.
O online kongresi ka shrdel pe 8to aprili prekal live stream ovipya thay ka lugyarel yekh masek shrdipea kotar o London lugyaripea ko Berlin anipea khetane o durutne diza sar Beogradi thay Buenos Aires, aktivisten kotar Barcelona ji ko Bangalore, ani India.
O ovipya shay te dikhen prekal live stream ko romanistan.com virtualuno than kote pashona sah kontinentalune samatrede thay pasharela e romen ani sah lumia. O presidenti e Anglune Lumiake Romane Kongresesko ko bersh 1971, Slobodan Berberski, phengya: “Sakote kote si roma, odote si o Romanistan.” Akaya utopia akana uli realiteti!
Ajukergyola kay pe akale brshune online ovipya ka anen maybari mobilizacia. Grattan Puxon, yekhe ko-organizatorenda e Anglune Lumiake Romane Kongresesko, phengya: “Ko vahti kana o sasto ekstremizmo thay anti ciganizmo bayrola ajukergyola kay akava yubiley ka anel e romane manushen thay olenge aleaten ani sah lumia may pashe kthetane, vash te kreirinen som res, te festinen o resipya, thay te vazden may zoralo kolektivuno avazo.”
O pherdo online konferenciako prgrami ka ovel shayutno sig akate.
PRESS RELEASE
22ND MARCH 2021
Join us to mark the 50th year anniversary of the First World Romani Congress
On 8th April 2021, the World Romani Congress will mark 50 years since the 1971 founding event in London. It was a crucial point in the history of Romani people and is now seen as the beginning of the worldwide Romani emancipation movement. It started a political fight for equality, mobilised through Romani organisations, and the unifying flag and anthem.
This year to mark the jubilee anniversary you are invited to join a series of diverse online events that will offer the opportunity to connect communities across the globe to celebrate Romani history and culture but also critically reflect on the ongoing challenges that are still faced by Romani people worldwide
The online congress will start on April 8th and will be stretched over a month starting in London and moving to Berlin joining cities as far apart as Belgrade and Buenos Aires, activists from Barcelona to Bangalore, in India.
Events can be enjoyed via a live stream at www.romanistan.com a virtual place that crosses all continental borders and connects Romani people worldwide. The president of the First World Roma Congress in 1971, Slobodan Berberski, once said: “Every place, there is Roma, there is Romanistan.” This utopia has now become reality!
It is hoped that this year’s online events will spark greater mobilisation. Grattan Puxon, one of the co-organisers of the First World Romani Congress, said: “At a time of rising far-right extremism and anti-gypsyism it is hoped that this anniversary year will bring Romani people and our allies around the world closer together, to create a common purpose, celebrate achievements, and build a stronger collective voice.”
The full online conference programme will be available soon here: www.romanistan.com
ABOUT US
ROMANISTAN
We are an international committee of Romani activists and supporters from different parts of the world, brought together by the co-organiser of the First World Romani Congress, Grattan Puxon. Together, we want to ensure that the ideas of the First World Romani Congress are carried forward and further developed to meet the challenges and also the opportunities that a modern and global society present.
CONTACTS
BERLIN ORGANIZATIONAL TEAM
Hamze Bytyçi
Chair & Table
post@romatrial.org
AUSTRIA/SERBIA HUB
Tanja Vasić
MI – Manjinska Inicijativa
manjinskainicijativa@gmail.com
ARGENTINA / BUENOS AIRES HUB
Jorge Martín Fernández Bernal
SKOKRA – Council of the Associations and Romani People of the Americas
asociacionidentidadromani@yahoo.com.ar
BULGARIA HUB
Boyko Nikolov & Dobromir Bantikov
International Roma Research Institute of Sliven (IRRI Sliven)
irrisliven@gmail.com
EU ROMA PRESS
Mozes Salomon
contact@euromapress.com
LONDON COMMITTEE
Grattan Puxon
Co-Initiator and General Secretary of the First World Romani Congress
Democratic Transition
romvote@gmail.com
RUSSIA HUB
Petr Tsarkov
petrcarkov@gmail.com