Since 1971, International Roma Day has commemorated the civil rights movement of the Sinti* and Roma* and draws attention to their social situation, in particular their persecution and discrimination. With the aim of social justice and equal rights, this day goes back to the first International Roma Congress on 8 April 1971 in London, at which the Roma flag, their own anthem and the self-designation Roma were adopted - an expression of a new self-confidence.
"Part of the history of democracy in the FRG"
- How the memorial and protest rally in Bergen-Belsen changed the visibility of the Roma
Bergen has a special significance in this context. In 1979, the first international memorial and protest rally in memory of the Sinti* and Roma* murdered by the National Socialists took place at the Bergen-Belsen memorial site. "It was the first event of its kind. It has left its mark on the memorial and remembrance policy landscape and can be seen as part of the history of democracy in Germany," emphasises Lukas Engelmeier, research associate at the Competence center against antiziganism (KogA) of the Lower Saxony Memorials Foundation. Last autumn, the Bergen-Belsen Memorials invited visitors on a tour of the site, which shed light on the long struggle for recognition and the successes of the civil rights movement since 1979.
Antiziganism as an ongoing reality -
The path to greater visibility and equal rights
"International Roma Day is a reminder that history and the present are connected. Visibility and recognition are not a matter of course, but the result of political struggles," said Engelmeier. Raising the Roma flag also ties in with this historical connection and makes it clear that remembrance is not just about looking backwards, but also poses questions about the present. Sinti* and Roma* have been part of European society for centuries, but prejudices and discrimination continue to have an impact today. Studies show that they face structural barriers in many areas of life. On 8 October 2020, the heads of delegation of all 34 member states of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) adopted the working definition of antiziganism as a specific form of racism. It serves as a guideline for recognising, documenting and combating antigypsyist incidents. This progress also shows how important it is to continue working to improve the societal participation of Sinti* and Roma* in order to reduce discrimination and shape a fairer future.
"Everyone should feel welcome"
- Diversity and equality are key issues for the city of Bergen
The City of Bergen's integration work is also centred on this issue. Anna Shevchuk, the city's integration officer, emphasises: "The city of Bergen is a small community that strives to be open to one another. S