polska: Romani people

Evidence: 100 • authority: 72

The Romani, also spelled Romany or Rromani ( ROH-mə-nee or ROM-ə-nee), colloquially known as the Roma (sing.: Rom), are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group who traditionally led a nomadic, itinerant lifestyle. Linguistic and genetic evidence suggests that the Romani originated in northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. Their subsequent westward migration, possibly in waves, is now believed by historians to have occurred around 1000 CE. Their original name, derived from the Sanskrit डोम (doma), may refer to the Doma, a Dalit caste traditionally associated with musicians and dancers. The Romani population moved west into the Ghaznavid Empire and later into the Byzantine Empire. The Romani arr…

Evidence: 54 • authority: 72

Anti-Romani sentiment (also called antigypsyism, anti-Romanyism, antiziganism, ziganophobia, or Romaphobia) consists of hostility, prejudice, discrimination, nativism, racism, and xenophobia which is specifically directed at Romani people. The Romani, who are believed to have migrated from India to Europe during the Middle Ages, have faced a long history of discrimination and persecution. Arriving Romanis were seen as suspect, in part due to their nomadic nature. Romanis were suspected of theft and fraud, pickpocketing, black magic, prostitution, and stealing children. Many countries passed laws restricting Romanis' ability to work and live. For centuries, Romani people in Europe were perse…

Evidence: 54 • authority: 72

The Romani flag (Romani: O styago le romengo or O romanko flako) is the international ethnic flag of the Romani people, historically known as Gypsies. They constitute a stateless minority concentrated in Europe, but are also dispersed across parts of other continents. The flag was approved by the representatives of various Romani communities at the first and second World Romani Congresses (WRC), in 1971 and 1978. It consists of a background of blue and green, representing the heavens and earth, respectively; it also contains a 16-spoke red dharmachakra, or cartwheel, in the center. The latter element stands for the itinerant tradition of the Romani people and is also an homage to the flag o…

Evidence: 21 • authority: 72

Romanians (Romanian: români, pronounced [roˈmɨnʲ]; dated exonym Vlachs) are a Romance-speaking ethnic group and nation native to Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. Romanians share a common culture, history, ancestry and language and live primarily in Romania and Moldova. There is a debate regarding the ethnic categorisation of the Moldovans, concerning whether they constitute a subgroup of the Romanians or a completely different ethnic group. The origin of the Romanians is also fiercely debated, one theory suggests that the ancestors of Romanians are the Daco-Romans, while the other theory suggests that Romanians are mainly the Thraco-Romans and Illyro-Romans from the inner Balkan P…

Evidence: — • authority: 72

The International Romani Union (Romani: Romano Internacionalno Jekhetanipe), formerly known as the International Gypsy Committee and International Rom Committee, is an organization active for the rights of the Romani people. Its seat is in Vienna. The International Romani Union also has offices in Skopje, North Macedonia, and Washington, D.C., US. The IRU was established at the second World Romani Congress in 1978. Its presidents have included Stanislav Stankiewicz, Emil Ščuka, and before him, Rajko Đurić, who held this office for many years. The current president of the IRU is Zoran Dimov, who was elected during the 10th congress which was held on 18–20 March 2016 in Skopje, Macedonia. It…