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

  • Auschwitz Conference
    September 22, 2026
    An international conference titled "Roma and Sinti - Between Historical Memory and Modernity" will take place on November 24-25 in...
  • Cluj and Roma
    September 22, 2026
    Local councilor Dragoș Roșianu criticized fellow councilor Daniel Meze for generalizing about relocated Roma families after a fire incident, urging...
  • Roma in Greece
    September 22, 2026
    A meeting was held between Thessaly's regional governor, Dimitris Koureta, and representatives of the Roma community to discuss issues related...
  • Barber Story
    September 22, 2026
    Mihácsi Patrik, a Roma barber shop owner in Győr, refuses to be seen as a victim and is proud of...
  • Roma in Lausanne
    September 22, 2026
    Precarity continues to weigh on the schooling of several Roma children supported by Opre Rrom in Lausanne. The association is...
  • Shooting
    September 21, 2026
    A shooting incident in Valencia involving rival Roma families resulted in one death and three injuries, with four men arrested....
  • Czech Consul Torak
    September 21, 2026
    Petr Torák, Czech Honorary Consul and director of the British NGO COMPAS says that "If Roma are not integrated and...
  • Slovenian Project
    September 21, 2026
    The project has involved over 200 Roma individuals from three municipalities, focusing on individual and family counseling, educational support for...
  • Arranged Marriages
    September 21, 2026
    Dorin Cioabă, a representative of the Roma community, expressed outrage over a new Romanian law that could imprison parents who...
  • Early Marriages
    September 21, 2026
    Rena Dourou, head of SYRIZA-PS, labeled early marriages among Roma women as a form of gender-based violence during a presentation...
  • French Chronicle …
    September 20, 2026
    An interesting article highlighting the fact that Roma from Romania actually work, and save money to build a house back...
  • Rivesaltes
    September 20, 2026
    Rivesaltes, a town in Roussillon, is home to a former military camp that served as an internment site during World...
  • A Success Story
    September 20, 2026
    Mariana reflects on her childhood in a close-knit community and the discrimination she faced as a Romni when seeking work...
  • “Gypsy” Fest
    September 20, 2026
    The annual GYPSY FEST parade in Vilnius attracted significant attention, featuring colorful performances, traditional Romani culture, and a free concert...
  • Flop
    September 20, 2026
    A protest in Cluj-Napoca against the relocation of families from the Pata Rât landfill attracted fewer than 20 participants, mostly...
  • Education in Montenegro
    September 20, 2026
    Education is crucial for the social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians in Montenegro, with ongoing challenges and improvements in the...
  • Loan Sharks
    September 20, 2026
    Dozens of families in the "Druzhba" neighborhood protested against loan sharks from CASH&GO after a Roma man was brutally beaten...
  • Roma Initiatives
    September 19, 2026
    Seven local initiatives in 2026 demonstrated how Roma organizations can empower their communities through education, cultural preservation, and women's empowerment. The...
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