The celebration of International Romani Day returns to the streets of Barcelona after two years with no face-to-face activities due to the pandemic, and events to mark 8 April will once again be held on the squares and streets of the city, with a programme of highlighting the richness of Romani culture and its values.
Things will kick off on the morning of 8 April with the hanging of the Romani flag from the balcony of Barcelona City Hall, followed by an institutional ceremony in the Plaça Sant Jaume square, featuring a rendition of the Romani anthem, “Gelem, Gelem”, and the reading of the Manifesto of the Municipal Council of the Romani People. In the afternoon, in the Plaça del Poble Romaní square, an institutional event will launch the performances, screenings and activities organised by the city’s Municipal Council of the Romani People and its member organisations.
8 April will mark the day when the Plaça del Poble Romaní will officially be renamed, becoming the Plaça del Poble Gitano square. The unveiling of the new “Plaça del Poble Gitano” name plates will herald the beginning of the commemorative activities.
The proposal for the name change, put forward by the Young Gypsies of Gràcia Association and supported by other organisations within the city, was submitted to the Gràcia Nomenclature Commission who agreed to begin the approval process and the new name is due to become a reality this year.
As part of the city’s planned celebrations to mark International Romani Day, on Thursday 7 April the members of the Consell will pay tribute to Juana Fernández Cortés, member founder of the Consell Municipal del Poble Gitano and founder of the Federation of Roma Associations of Catalonia (FAGIC), and promoter of numerous initiatives to defend the rights of the Romani people and their cultural heritage, at Montjuïc cemetery, where a Romani flag made from flowers will be laid at her tomb.
Between 2 and 9 April there will be information points in the city’s different neighbourhoods, with the aim of bringing visibility to Romani culture, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn more about it. A rich, diverse culture with values that are part of our city culture.
The information points, run by volunteers from different organisations under the umbrella of the Municipal Council of the Romani People, will also be used as collection points for food and basic necessities to send to Ukraine, to help the civilian population caught in the war. The organisations that make up the Municipal Council of the Romani People are organising this campaign in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, and are urging us all to collaborate with them.
History, language and culture
Every 8 April, we commemorate International Romani Day, which has been held in various countries around the world since 1971, in recognition of the history, language and culture of the Romani people.
This date is a commemoration of the 1st World Romani Congress, held in London on 8 April 1971, where the Romani flag and hymn were chosen and it was agreed to work towards the recognition of the Romani people by the United Nations.
At the 4th World Romani Congress, which was held in Serock, Poland in 1990, the 8th of April was officially designated as World Romani Day, to commemorate the 1st Congress.
A wheel as a symbol
The official flag of the Romani people is green and blue, representing the heavens and the earth, with a red wagon wheel as a symbol of their journey from India and freedom. The Romani hymn is “Gelem, gelem” (I walked, I walked), composed by Jarko Jovanovic.
Every 8 April, there are festive celebrations and events organised by various national and international organisations, along with some associations. It is a festive day for celebrations, but it is also a day for raising awareness about the culture and history of the Romani people and calling for the defence of their rights and the fight against discrimination and anti-Romani sentiment, as well as the situations of inequality and vulnerability that the Romani people have suffered and still suffer today.