ZAGREB, November 3, 2018 – The “Kali Sara” association of ethnic Roma in Croatia and the Roma deputy to the Croatian parliament Veljko Kajtazi have organised several events to mark International Romani Language Day, observed on 5 November, and on Saturday a conference on centuries-long migrations of the Roma from India to Europe was organised in Zagreb, whereas the central commemorative event is set for Monday in the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU).
The programme of marking this day includes the exhibition “Rromengo Drom – Thousand Years of Migrations of the Roma” in the Croatian State Archives building.
Every year on the 5th of November, Europe celebrates the International Romani Language Day.
“Spoken throughout the world, Romani is the language of Roma, a language preserved and sent on from generation to generation over the centuries mainly in its oral form. During the first Romani Congress in 1971, Romani was officially recognised as a language in Europe. This led to its inclusion in various international regulations, including Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages,” the Council of Europe states on its web site.
“As a result of the consistent efforts of intellectuals, Romani is today included in the teaching curriculum in several European countries. Undeniably, Romani language is a reminder of the common cultural heritage among the diverse Roma communities in Europe.”
Thus, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Zagreb offers courses in the Romani language, culture and literature. The first Romani-Croatian and Croatian-Romani dictionary was launched in Croatia in 2008 and that 413-page dictionary was authored by Kajtazi.
The first records of the Roma existence on Croatia’s land dated back to 1362 in Dubrovnik, according to information which the head of the Croatian National Minorities’ Council, Aleksandar Tolnauer, said at one of the previous celebrations of the International Romani Language Day.
They are one of the 22 ethnic minorities in Croatia.
The read more about the Roma in Croatia, click here.
