World Roma Organization’s public announcement regarding labeling of 8th April - International Roma Day

Belgrade, 7th April 2013 - Tomorrow will be around the world marked 8th April - International Roma Day. That date was officially accepted as the day of labeling International Roma Day on 1st World Roma Congress that was held in 1971 in London.

However, for these 40 years as we mark this day, did we achieved sufficiently turning the attention of international publicity to our catastrophic position? Obviously not, because Roma position today in numerous European countries is worse and worse, up to the level when our compatriots today need to escape to other countries so that they could find protection for themselves and their families.

We can’t in full blame international community and European institutions for this condition, because during these four decades, and especially in previous ten years, numerous initiatives for solving the problems of Roma community took place. An example could be international initiative “Decade of Roma inclusion 2005-2015” that looked very promising at the beginning, when it offered hope to Roma in South-east Europe that allocated funds will truly mean improvement of their everyday life. However, realization of action plans on states’ level was bellow expected level.

World Roma Organization appeals to all relevant state bodies both in Europe and in other countries of the world to include in much greater measure relevant representatives of Roma civil society to decision-making positions, but not like it was the case until now when Roma are pure spectators of realization of action plans and initiatives that are having for its goal solving of their problem.

In addition, we repeat appeal to countries to put end to everyday racial discrimination and segregation of members of Roma community, because it really sounds unbelievable that in 21st century some national group can’t realize its fundamental human rights because they are of different skin color.

We congratulate to all Roma around the world our day - International Roma Day, with wish to celebrate the same next year in significantly better circumstances. And at the end, let’s not look only for state and international institutions what they can do for us - let’s look in the mirror and ask ourselves what we can do for self on personal level so that we could improve our position.

Secretariat of World Roma Organization