"The World Romani Congress has adopted a Romani flag which is respected by all the Roma the world over. It comprises of blue and green traditional colors with the red wheel in the center. Blue is the blue sky and the heavens. Green is the land, organic and growing. The blue symbolizes eternal spiritual values; the green earthly values. The wheel in the center symbolizes movement and progress." (Roma)
April 8th has been designated as International Day of the Roma. The Roma people (Gypsies) held the first world congress just outside London in 1971 where the official flag of the Roma people as a separate ethnic group was adopted as was the term Roma as the accepted name for their people. Representatives from many different countries attended including those of the former Soviet block. Six more conferences have been held since, not always having delegates from all the lands represented due to government interference; even so they have received formal recognition from the United Nations. It was at the conference held in 1990 that International Day of the Roma was adopted.
Many celebrities and governments have recently spoken up about the human rights violations and abuses of the Roma today in many European countries. Many of the policies today are reflective of those during the Nazi regime of the 1930's and 40's. Their struggle continues and it is on our watch that "never again" will once again be tested.
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