International Roma Day was celebrated across the world.
In places important to our team members, we noticed that the celebrations in various locations in Poland, Czechia, Ukraine, and at the EU level were significant, often raising the issue of Ukrainian Roma refugees.
In Poland, the celebrations coincided with local elections, which increased the visibility of Roma communities countrywide. For example, a meeting was held at the Silesian Voivodeship office between representatives of the government and local government administration, and representatives of Roma organizations and circles from the Silesian Voivodeship. The initiator of celebrating International Roma Day in 2024 by flying the Roma flag alongside Polish flags in front of the building of local administration was Jan Kwiek, President of the Board of the Silesian Roma Association based in Radzionków. Similarly, in Czechia, the celebrations were clearly visible in the public space, with festive gala evening in the Archa theatre in Prague.
On the occasion of International Roma Day, the City of Krakow illuminated the Emitel TV tower on Krakow’s Krzemionki in the colours of the Roma flag. Similarly, in Warsaw, the Palace of Culture and Science for the first time was illuminated in the colours of the Roma flag. The Foundation Towards Dialogue is one of the initiators of the, which was the highlight of the celebrations. However, the entire day at the Roma Community Centre run by the Towards Dialogue Foundation revolved around the celebrations organized jointly with Ukrainian Roma refugees living in Warsaw, with games for children and Roma dance workshops.
In the collective accommodation centre in Koninki (Małopolskie Voivodship), where group of Ukrainian Roma refugees live, the celebrations were organized by the organizations that cooperate and support Ukrainian Roma refugees (the Sawore Integration Association, Jududoro Association, the Central Council of Roma in Poland, Advice and Information Centre in cooperation with IOM Poland). They organized activities for children, a barbecue, and a concert of Roma music performed by the band Perła i Bracia.
In Ukraine we were informed of the celebrations in Uzhorod and an exhibition of paintings by Тіберій Йонаш and Roma women’s costumes designed by David Bogar, both of which were organized in the premises of Zakarpattia OVA (Artium). In Kyiv, organisation Chirikli organized a roundtable and presented a book of Romani poetry. Important statements and commitments also came from the state authorities, with a plan to launch an action plan for Romani inclusion.
08.04.2024 International Roma Day