Conference: World Roma Day 2022. – “Roma as the Indian diaspora – unbreakable ties”
Date: April 10-12, 2022
Deadline: February 20, 2022
Venue: Hotel International Zagreb, Republic of Croatia
Croatian National Theater
Roma memorial centre in Uštica
Organizators: Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA” with the support of the
Government of the Republic of Croatia and MP Veljko Kajtazi
in cooperation with Ivo Pilar Institute, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences University of Zagreb, Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies
About the conference:
On 8 April every year, the Romani community across the world marks the International Romani Day based on the international effort which started to take shape more than 50 years ago in Orpington in South East London.
This day and the annual commemorations have become a symbol of the Romani political movement and the international unity of the Romani Community – a national day for all Romani people across the world.
The Republic of India as the ancestral homeland of the Romani people has an important role in supporting the efforts of the Romani community in their struggle against marginalization and discrimination, and has been promoting emancipatory activities in the fight for equality and social justice as well as the preservation of the Romani language and cultural identity.
The Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA”, as one of the best known and influential national Romani unions on the global level, is set to organise and coordinate this large-scale international conference to mark the International Romani Day 2022. The conference will receive support from the Government of the Republic Croatia and the academic community, with the aim of bringing closer the Romani and the Indian community, as well as promoting good practices of Romani integration in the Republic of Croatia.
The conference will bring together all eminent Romani activists and community representatives, heads of international Romani organisations, politicians and academics across the globe as well as their friends and political representatives from the Republic of India.
The objective of the conference is to strengthen the transnational Romani cooperation and encourage both sides to take further steps in bringing the Romani diaspora and the Republic of India closer based on their strong historical ties.
The central topic of the conference will be “Romani people as the Indian diaspora – unbreakable ties” with subtopics that will be discussed during the conference:
a) position of the Romani people in Europe and the world
b) recognition of the Romani people as the Indian diaspora
c) prejudice and discrimination
d) employment
e) education
f) housing
g) health
h) citizenship and status issues.
The conference aims to become a new milestone in the relationship between the Republic of India and the Romani community as well as to reach concrete conclusions.
During the conference the participants will have the opportunity to visit the Romani Memorial Centre “Uštica” near Jasenovac, which was opened in August 2020 with the support of the Croatian Government and the City of Zagreb to commemorate the victims of the WWII Romani genocide.
The conference will be closed with a rich cultural programme in the Croatian National Theatre.
Terms of participation:
We hereby invite all interested members of the academic community, participation: Romani activists, artists, and representatives of human and minority rights institutions to apply for participation via kalisara@kalisara.hr. The desired form of participation in the conference and accompanying programme should be stated.
Of course, priority will be given depending on the described contribution to the conference programme in the form of a submitted scientific paper and/or proposed presentation for individuals or institutions, as well as a musical, artistic, or other cultural programme/performance by an individual or a group.
The presented papers will be published in the subsequent Conference Proceedings. The papers must be completed and submitted prior to the conference. The application must include a summary of 500 words.
Conference participants are required to apply via kalisara@kalisara.hr. The application deadline is 20 February 2022. All subsequent applications (except as observers) will not be considered after the specified date.
Valid EU COVID passports will be mandatory for all conference participants. The organiser reserves the right to limit and/or reduce the number of participants of the conference even after 20 February 2022 due to epidemiological and/or other reasons based on the decision of the Organising Committee.
Expenses:
The organizer covers travel and / or accommodation costs for a limited number of participants. The applicants have the opportunity to request full financial support (travel and accommodation expenses) in connection with the conference, the amount of which will be decided by the Organising Committee based on the quality of the application.
The applicants will be notified thereof by end of February 2022.
Those applicants for whom the Committee does not accept co-financing costs, can participate in the conference at their own expense and organization.
The interested public and the media will be able to participate as observers in all parts of the programme with prior registration and valid EU COVID passports will be mandatory.
Participation in the cultural part of programme:
Performers interested in participating in the accompanying or central part in the cultural programme that will be held at the Croatian National and artistic Theatre on 12 April 2022 should send their detailed applications to programme kalisara@kalisara.hr by 20 January 2022.
The submitted music and cultural programmes should be professionally explained in detail (information on the performer, minutes, travel expenses, necessary equipment, etc.), together with all the costs that the organisers will be requested to bear.
