THE ESSENTIALS ABOUT ROMA PEOPLE IN EUROPE ROMA SYMBOLS ROMA PEOPLE IN EUROPE The first World Romani Congress held in There are different estimations about the Roma population of Europe. It is estimated that around London in 1971 asserted the Roma claim to 12 million Roma people live in 38 different be recognized as a fully-fledged people. It countries in Europe. The highest population in adopted a flag, anthem and an International Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain and Russia. Roma Day. INTERNATIONAL ROMANI DAY The day was officially declared in 1990 in Serock, Poland, the site of the fourth World Romani Congress of the International Romani Union (IRU), in honour of the first major international meeting of Romani representatives, 7- 12 of April 1971 in Chelsfield near London. ROMA FLAG ROMA ORIGIN The colour blue means the According to the findings sky, freedom, spirituality, of linguistics, cultural eternity; green symbolises anthropology, science of nature, the earth, fertility history and, in more and tangible life. The red recent years, population 16-spoke wheel symbolises genetics, the Roma’s the horse-drawn caravan, Indian origin is traveling, growth and considered a fact. progress, and the Indian origin of the Roma. MEANING OF “GYPSY” The word “Athingani” is noticed during the Byzantine period. The prevailing explanation of the etymology of the terms is believed to be taken from the root of the Greek word meaning “touch" and the negative prefix "a". Thus athingan must mean "someone whom we do not touch" – or the reverse: "someone who does not touch (others)". This word by has rarely used by Roma themselves. Romani people designate themselves as Roma. The terms Roma, covers wide range groups such as Roma, Sinti, Kale, Manouche, and other related groups. ROMANI LANGUAGE ARRIVAL IN EUROPE Romani and Romanes are the The Roma had probably already been living in general names of the language the Byzantine Empire, in the area of today’s spoken by the Roma, which derives Greece, before 1200. Thanks to a rising number from language in northern India, of accounts about Roma by the settled close to Sanskrit. Romani is derived from an adverb: Džanes romanes?. population from 1400 onwards, their routes within ‘Do you know/speak “roma”? Europe can today be traced quite precisely. .