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

  • Stumbling Stone
    October 17, 2026
    The first Stolperstein in Switzerland dedicated to a member of the Sinti community was installed in Koblenz, commemorating Anton Reinhardt,...
  • Young Roma
    October 17, 2026
    The article discusses the challenges faced by Sinti and Roma communities, highlighting deep-rooted prejudices and anti-Roma sentiment in society. It features...
  • ODHIR on Roma
    October 17, 2026
    The Warsaw Human Dimension Conference addressed the democratic obligations and human rights of national minorities, focusing on Roma and Sinti...
  • Serbia and Votes
    October 17, 2026
    Robert Kasumović, a Romani activist, claims that the ruling party in Niš uses threats and coercion to control the Romani...
  • Bulgaria: Vote Buying?
    October 17, 2026
    Roma in Ruse were reportedly offered around 300 euros per vote during the elections. Their leader, Varban Varbanov, organized a protest...
  • OSCE and Greece
    October 16, 2026
    Sabihah Suleiman, president of the Roma Women's Cultural Association "ELPIDA", addresses the rights of Roma in Thrace at the OSCE...
  • Special Schools
    October 16, 2026
    An investigative report reveals that Roma children in Slovakia are being improperly transferred to special schools despite performing well academically,...
  • Vote Buying?
    October 16, 2026
    The article relates several documented cases where Roma votes were allegedly bought, where Roma from informal settlements were bused to...
  • Serbian Elections
    October 16, 2026
    The Roma Party issued a call today to all political parties focused on representing the interests of the Roma national...
  • Bulgarian Presidential Election
    October 16, 2026
    According to the Bulgarian press and a large number of articles, measures are being taken to ensure free voting for...
  • Slovenia and Croatia
    October 16, 2026
    Slovenia and Croatia are collaborating to improve the situation of the Roma community through joint initiatives and solutions in key...
  • Remembering the Bombs
    October 15, 2026
    The Antifascist Remembrance Initiative, established in 2023, focuses on raising awareness about right-wing extremist bomb terror in Austria, particularly from...
  • Roma and Elections
    October 15, 2026
    The OSCE emphasizes the need for ongoing efforts to remove barriers preventing Roma and Sinti from participating in elections, as...
  • Roma Projects
    October 15, 2026
    In 2022, €335,845,065 was spent on the action plan for the Strategy for Equality, Inclusion, and Participation of Roma by...
  • Racism?
    October 15, 2026
    Jozef Božik, the chairman of the Association of Towns and Villages of Slovakia (ZMOS), is facing backlash after being accused...
  • Roma in Montenegro
    October 15, 2026
    The Roma Council of Montenegro warns against discussing European values and the rule of law while ignoring the long-standing discrimination...
  • SV “Gypsy Kings”
    October 14, 2026
    The article discusses the football club "SV Gipsy Kings" in Vienna, which aims to reduce prejudices and strengthen player identities....
  • Young Roma
    October 14, 2026
    The film "Young Roma Today - Between Heritage and Future" follows four young Roma individuals who challenge stereotypes and advocate...
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