International Roma Day is marked today

International Roma Day is a celebration of Roma history, traditions and culture, as well as calls for social inclusion.

This day also aims to raise awareness of the challenges facing Roma communities worldwide.

This day was officially declared in 1990 in Poland during the fourth Congress of the International Roma Union in honour of the first international meeting of Roma representatives held in April 1971.

Roma have developed their traditions in music, poetry, dance and painting. Traditional Roma music is probably the most popular part of Roma culture. Their music has influenced classical music composers such as Franz Liszt and Johannes Brahams. Violet, guitar and clarinet are the favorite instruments of Roma musicians.

Traditional dancing is another important element of Roma culture, has preserved elements from India, as has elements from the culture of countries in which Roma have lived. The Flamengo dance represents the most visible example of Roma contribution to the overall dance style.

Roma language is well preserved and spoken worldwide in various dialects. In recent years, many scholars have worked to standardize the Roman language by producing abs and vocabulary.

Language analysis has shown that it is very similar to the languages spoken in central and northern India, and this linguistic connection is believed to witness the geographical origins of Roma.

The Roma also excel in artisans, such as metal, embroidering, and jewelry carvings. Handmade straw baskets are another typical Roma product.

Traditional clothing is still widely used in several Roma communities, where women wear long skirts tied to the left of the waist, a decolte T-shirt, a bolero vest, a coloured front and earrings.

The Roma flag is the Roma international flag. It was established by the Roma General Union in Romania in 1933 and adopted by international Roma representatives in 1971. The blue color symbolizes the sky as the green represents the earth and the harvest. The flag also carries a red wheel (chakra) in memory of the Indian origin of Roma, which symbolizes fire, movement and progress.