Our nation is spread around the globe and yet we are united despite the circumstances and obstacles.

Our nation lived through the changes from nomads to settlers, whilst preserving the philosophy,culture and the language. Tragic past of exterminations culminating during the World War Two has left us scarred, we experienced and continue to feel the results of discrimination and prejudice toward us in our days. And yet, we remain true to our mission in this world, which we see as spreading of peace, helping mutual understanding and coexistence. By nature we detest agression and strive to resolve any issues in accordance to our code of conduct. We can truly be proud of our heritage which served and protected us for centuries.

The 21st century finds us everywhere and nowhere at the same time – as a nation we do not have a state, a land of our own. We live beside many nations, striving to find our place in the modern society, as to an extent the nomadic nature manifests itself in different ways, and it is the freedom which we value the most.

Let us rejoice in the realization of our uniqueness, our own way and the fact that we have preserved our culture. Days like this bring us together and empower all Roma with a reminder of our unity everywhere around the world. We need to stay together, to put forward our own initiatives to show the world we can be responsible for ourselves.