Every year on April 8 we celebrate the International Roma and Sinti day, in memory of the first major international meeting organized by Roma representatives in 1971 near London. The international organization Romani Union, born on that occasion, was recognized by the ONU in 1979. During the meeting the official flag was also created: it consists of a background of one blue and one green stripe, representing the heavens and earth; the flag also contains a spoked wheel, in the centre, representing the itinerant tradition of the Roma and Sinti people.
On the occasion of the International day, Laura Boldrini, president of the Chamber of Deputies, has received a delegation of young Roma, aged 14 to 26 who represent the diversity of Roma communities in Italy and their issues and expectations. In Italy were surveyed approximately 170-180.000 Roma, a small number if compared with other countries such as Spain where Roma are 800.000 and Romania where they are 2 million and a half. In Italy one fifth of Roma lives in camps, meaning that the large majority lives in conventional homes.
The main problems concern Roma who live in camps due to a strongly discriminatory and segregative policy which has allowed, from the 90s, the construction of “nomad camps” and that has initiated a process of institutional racism that forces these people to live on the fringe of the cities.
[ Look at the video of the campaign TRE ERRE (3R) Romanì Italia Foundation]