Ready! Set! Go! – A Very Moving Video from Roma Education Fund

Find HERE the websote of Roma Education Fund Romania.

Doru Radu – Quo Vadis Gypsy Choir din Boldesti Scaeni, Prahova, in turneu in USA

Corul Quo Vadis

Corul Qvo Vadis Gypsy Choir din Boldesti Scaeni Prahova e in turneu in  USA sponsorizat de fundatia crestina “The brother’s keeper” (28 Iulie- 15 August).  I-am urmarit la biserica crestina dupa Evanghelie, Mount Joy, PA. A fost impresionant; o expresie a lucrarii deosebite facute de aceasta fundatie, de dirijorul corului – prof. Eduard Teodorescu, de pastorul bisericii crestine dupa Evanghelie a rromilor din Scaeni, fr. Oprisan. Au cintat cintece clasice, in italiana, germana, gospel in engleza si una in limba rroma. Elevi de liceu si studenti la medicina, drept, inginerie, robotica, asistenti medicali, etc, tinerii tigani au lasat o impresie deosebita prin dragostea pt Dumnezeu, rezultatele scolare si performanta muzicala.  Corul cinta de 3 ani impreuna si nu este profesionist si cinta doar muzica crestina, dar se vede ca au o educatie muzicala si o tinuta ce impune respect.

M-a impresionat dorinta celor mai multi dintre ei de a schimba imaginea rromilor in Romania si Europa.  Iubitori de Dumnezeu dar si de muzica, volei si fotbal, acesti tineri doresc sa aduca o schimbare in comunitatile de rromi si de romani.  Ce mult poate face dragostea unui dirijor si a unui pastor! Ce mult am gresit noi fata de semenii nostri “samariteni”, fara sa ne pese de sensibilitatea lor!

Valeriu Nicolae – Euro-Narnia and the Queen of Roma

 

Roma activist Valeriu Nicolae departs for Euro-Narnia, a parallel world ruled over by the mighty Baroslan whose inhabitants discuss in strange and wonderful terms remedies for the Roma problem. But what is the role of the Queen in all of this?

William Yoder – Fearing ‘Gypsies’ No More – On the Roma in Europe and Russia

M o s c o w — Much of Roma history remains shrouded in mystery – there is no consensus even on the matter of numbers. According to Wikipedia, the highest number of Roma (once called “gypsies” as derived from the word “Egyptian”) are located in the USA – around a million. Yet the Zurich journal “Religion und Gesellschaft in Ost und West” (RGOW) reports that the governments of Eastern Europe intentionally underestimate their number. Twenty-two-million-strong Romania now claims to have 408.000 Roma citizens, yet RGOW believes the number could be as high as three million. Roma are said to be Europe’s largest minority of 10 to 12 million. Their worldwide population could be as high as 60 million. The counting problems are compounded by the fact that there is no single definition of the term “Roma”.

It is generally accepted that ethnic Roma began their trek westward from India around the 7th century A.D.; a traditional stronghold has been southeastern Europe. Some later headed eastward, arriving first in the Polish–Lithuanian Union and the other Baltic states. They only arrived in the Russian kingdom after some regions were annexed by the Czar in the 18th century. Though strongest in Moldova and Ukraine, Roma can now be found even in the Russian Far East.

Reports state that the Roma were initially no more nomadic than native tribes. In time, they became a major unskilled-but-reliable workforce. The coming of Fascist Germany then brought deportation, extermination and major upheaval; as many as 500.000 may have been killed. Following WW II, the socialist governments of Eastern Europe attempted to force their assimilation by reintegrating them into the labour forces for heavy industry. In October 1956, the Supreme Soviet banned nomadism, forcing Soviet Roma to accept stationery housing. Soon, more than 90% of the USSR’s Roma were settled.