The symbols of the Romani culture
The Roma’s Slogan
The slogan “Opre Roma” or “Arise Roma” is recognizable to all members of the Roma community when it
can be heard.
The Flag of the Romani People
The green color symbolizes the color of grass in the fields, fertility, and eternal terrestrial values. The blue
represents the sky and eternal spiritual values.
The “Chakra” appears in the center of the Roma flag and it is the official emblem of the Roma. It resembles
the Hindu chakra. This logo was chosen deliberately in honor of the Indian heritage of Roma. The 16 spokes
of the wheel decorate the flag and look like the wheel “Vardo” or “trailers”, which served as home to the
traveling Roma families.
The color red represents”blood” that many Roma shed during the Second World War; and, also, for those
Roma who suffered during the Genocide. It is kind of a reminder of the tragic events in the history of the
Roma people.
The Romani Anthem
This anthem was based on the folk song “Gyelem, Gyelem” (authors of the lyrics were Yugoslav Rum and
Zarko Jovanovic). Interestingly, there is no one set melody – each artist arranges a folk motif in their own
way
Roma Pride Week
In the first week of October, there is a celebration of the days of Roma pride in European Union territories.
Roma go through cities displaying posters and bringing attention to the problems they face.
The main purpose of this week is to combat all forms of discrimination of the Roma.
The International Day of Romani Language
For the first time the problem of the Romani language or “Romani chib” was raised at the same congress in
London. There were thirty-eight participants in the session of the UNESCO General Assembly, which took
place on November 2015. During this session, the Day of the Romani language was proclaimed as the 5th of
November.
This is a very important step for consolidation and solidarity issues of Roma communities.
All the initiatives listed above are only a “drop in the sea”. In any event, we can continue to show respect for
the Romani people and their history in both the present and in the future development of the entire Romani
diaspora.
The International Romani Day
As previously mentioned, the World Romani Congress in London took place on 8 April, 1971. During the
same year, in the same city, International Roma Union was established. A summary of what happened at the
Congress is as follows: The Roma declared themselves as s nation without a territory, but with the national
symbols; the flag and the anthem was adopted, which allowed the Roma to show self-determination through
separate symbols.
But the Romani Day – is not only a feast for the Roma people. This holiday is for fans of Roma culture and
for all of those who are interested in the Romani people.
