Roma, their History, Culture, Traditions, and News

  • The Roma
    The Roma
    Roma are variously known as Rroma, Gypsies, Tsiganes, Tsigan, Gitanos or Gitans, as well as Sinti, Cale, and many other names. They are Europeans, having arrived...
  • History
    History
    Apart from the non-controversial fact that Roma come from India, the rest of the Roma early history is a subject of controversy. When did Roma...
  • Language
    Language
    Roma have an Indian based language, a discovery of 1753.  Romanes, or Romani Čhib, is the language of the Roma. This fact is little known...
  • Traditions
    Traditions
    The Roma culture is not a written one and has kept its unity and consistency in spite of savage assaults. Traditions were one of the...
  • Music
    Music
    What is Roma music? What is Roma music? This seemingly innocuous question has fed quite an industry. From the 18th century onward, musicians, scientist have...
  • Reports
    Reports
    All reports presented here are strictly copyrighted to the Rroma Foundation Zürich. These reports were compiled by our staff while on surveys in various countries.
  • Questions & Answers
    Questions & Answers
    When hearing about Roma, when reading about them, a wealth of clichés, generally accepted “truths” and statements are always present. This summary presents the most...
  • Galleries
    Galleries
    These galleries are either the work of amateurs, documenting the situation in a specific region at a specific time (for example in Bosnia in 2001,...
  • Literature
    Literature
    Various informations and references on Rroma and on this site.

Who are Roma? Where do they come from? What is the difference between Roma, Sinti, Gypsies, Cale, Tsiganes, Zigeuner, Travellers? Do they have a language? Where do they come from? How many are there in Europe? What are their traditions?

These and many more questions are treated at length in these pages on Roma, history, language, traditions, music, but also in shorter form in the questions and answers page.

The page also has resources on literature, reports and many more items.

Recent News on Roma

  • Slovenia and Roma
    August 13, 2026
    The Novo mesto Society for the Development of Voluntary Work organized a day trip for young Roma from Brezje and...
  • Threats
    August 13, 2026
    Davorin Klobučar, a prominent sports and tourism figure, has faced escalating threats, including physical violence and death threats, following a...
  • Fire and Relocation
    August 13, 2026
    On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, there was a fire in the settlement of Lubina in the Nad jazerom...
  • Slovakia and Roma
    August 13, 2026
    The article discusses the ongoing challenges faced by Roma communities in Slovakia, emphasizing the need for better housing, water, education,...
  • Roma in one’s City
    August 13, 2026
    The event "Romi svome gradu" was held in Pirot, Serbia, showcasing the richness of Romani music, dance, and tradition, featuring...
  • Ambulance Attack
    August 13, 2026
    A violent attack on an ambulance in Cluj County was fueled by false information claiming the crew was kidnapping children,...
  • Mariazell
    August 12, 2026
    The 30th pilgrimage of Roma, Sinti, and Lovara from Austria and other European countries took place at the Basilica of...
  • Music
    August 12, 2026
    A music album titled "Zumin" was created in the Roma settlement of Habeš near Sečovce, Slovakia, featuring local musicians and...
  • Roma Rights
    August 12, 2026
    The Roma Rights Network, coordinated by the European Roma Rights Centre, has published the first issue of the revived Roma...
  • Greece, Politics, and Roma
    August 12, 2026
    Aphrodite Latinopoulou, president of 'Voice of Reason', faced a verbal attack from a group of Roma while waiting to travel...
  • Ruma Music and Culture
    August 12, 2026
    The traditional Roma evening in Ruma, in the Vojvodina in Serbia, part of the 'Cultural Summer' program, showcased Roma culture...
  • Hungary, Roma, and Commemoration
    August 12, 2026
    The Hungarian Parliament held a moment of silence to honor the victims of the Roma Holocaust, following a controversial incident...
  • Relocation – Continued
    August 12, 2026
    Two articles on the relocation of Roma from Slovakia to Hungary. One, in a half humouristic view, suggest to mayors...
  • Bulgaria: Protest
    August 11, 2026
    Todor Davidov, known as Gringo, led a protest in the Roma neighborhood of Aytos, demanding better living conditions and infrastructure. Protesters...
  • Hungary and the Extreme Right
    August 11, 2026
    István Gyöngyösi, a representative from the Tisza Party, commemorated the victims of the Roma Holocaust during a parliamentary session, emphasizing...
  • Education in Moldova
    August 11, 2026
    Seven educational institutions in Moldova will test a new methodology for evaluating school practices from a human rights perspective, focusing...
  • Serbian Elections
    August 11, 2026
    The Union of Roma in Serbia announced its independent participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections, centered around the Movement of...
  • Initiative for Romnja
    August 10, 2026
    The initiative for Romnja students in Serbia has been empowering young Romane women for over a decade by providing education,...
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