CALL US BY OUR NAME: A call to respect Roma nation and our nations dignity
To: President of the European Parliament
Presidents of political groups in the European Parliament
Anti Racism intergroup in the European Parliament
Members of European Parliament
CALL US BY OUR NAME: A call to respect Roma nation and our nations dignity
On 30th of March 2023, in the program of the European Parliament’s events there is an exhibition scheduled under the title “Time of the Gypsies”.
The undersigned Roma and pro Roma activists, as well as civil society organisations in Europe protest against the use of term “Gypsies” in the announcements of one of your forthcoming official events/exhibition.
We call upon your anti-racist consciousness and political stand that the word “Gypsies” is a derogatory term referring to Roma that encourages Antigypsyism, racism and xenophobia. It has been well documented in number of European Parliament’s resolutions, reports and by number of inter-governmental organizations and officials that Antigypsyism is a specific form of racism, an ideology founded on racial superiority, a form of dehumanisation and institutional racism nurtured by historical discrimination.
Referring to Roma (nation of 12 million Europeans) as “Gypsies” is a shameful act and therefore, we call on your services to either rename the announcement of the exhibition or cancel it.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPECT
Updates
March 21, 2023
The language institutions use helps define how the public perceives our community. I have been in contact with several offices at the European Parliament to explain why the terminology in this exhibition title is harmful. While we await a formal response, the persistence of so many people signing this petition proves that our dignity is not a negotiable matter.
March 21, 2023
The steady growth of this petition reflects a growing refusal to accept dehumanizing language in our public institutions. Seeing this collective commitment to dignity reminds me that clear and principled requests can shift the conversation in meaningful ways.
28 Comments
Call me Roma this is my name!! Stop giving me a name I have Roma name. This is given by my mother and my mother tong in Romani language belongs to the family of neo-Indian languages. I call for Respect !
Pocituvajte ja romskata nacija so so site nejzini obelezja, jazikot i imeto Rom
Gypsy refers to 2nd class citizens, it doesn't define a nation or an ethnic group.
Is it Roma or Gypsy? “Roma” is the word (ethnonym) that the Roma use to describe themselves: it is the term for the members of that specific people and it is Romani for “man”. “Gypsy” is a derogatory, disparaging term – for many an insult — used by the majority population to define the Roma people.
Of course we are Roma and insist to be called Roma plus having in mind that the other names are Roma have been called are consisting already quite negative connotations.
Whites' stupidity has no limits...
We need respect like all other people.
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CALL US BY OUR NAME: A call to respect Roma nation and our nations dignity
To: President of the European Parliament
Presidents of political groups in the European Parliament
Anti Racism intergroup in the European Parliament
Members of European Parliament
CALL US BY OUR NAME: A call to respect Roma nation and our nations dignity
On 30th of March 2023, in the program of the European Parliament’s events there is an exhibition scheduled under the title “Time of the Gypsies”.
The undersigned Roma and pro Roma activists, as well as civil society organisations in Europe protest against the use of term “Gypsies” in the announcements of one of your forthcoming official events/exhibition.
We call upon your anti-racist consciousness and political stand that the word “Gypsies” is a derogatory term referring to Roma that encourages Antigypsyism, racism and xenophobia. It has been well documented in number of European Parliament’s resolutions, reports and by number of inter-governmental organizations and officials that Antigypsyism is a specific form of racism, an ideology founded on racial superiority, a form of dehumanisation and institutional racism nurtured by historical discrimination.
Referring to Roma (nation of 12 million Europeans) as “Gypsies” is a shameful act and therefore, we call on your services to either rename the announcement of the exhibition or cancel it.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPECT
Updates
March 21, 2023
The language institutions use helps define how the public perceives our community. I have been in contact with several offices at the European Parliament to explain why the terminology in this exhibition title is harmful. While we await a formal response, the persistence of so many people signing this petition proves that our dignity is not a negotiable matter.
March 21, 2023
The steady growth of this petition reflects a growing refusal to accept dehumanizing language in our public institutions. Seeing this collective commitment to dignity reminds me that clear and principled requests can shift the conversation in meaningful ways.
28 Comments
This is disgraceful from the European Parliament. We have a right to self-determination and this starts by calling us as we are. Opre Roma!
Call me Roma this is my name!! Stop giving me a name I have Roma name. This is given by my mother and my mother tong in Romani language belongs to the family of neo-Indian languages. I call for Respect !
Pocituvajte ja romskata nacija so so site nejzini obelezja, jazikot i imeto Rom
Gypsy refers to 2nd class citizens, it doesn't define a nation or an ethnic group.
Is it Roma or Gypsy? “Roma” is the word (ethnonym) that the Roma use to describe themselves: it is the term for the members of that specific people and it is Romani for “man”. “Gypsy” is a derogatory, disparaging term – for many an insult — used by the majority population to define the Roma people.
Of course we are Roma and insist to be called Roma plus having in mind that the other names are Roma have been called are consisting already quite negative connotations.
Whites' stupidity has no limits...
We need respect like all other people.
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This is disgraceful from the European Parliament. We have a right to self-determination and this starts by calling us as we are. Opre Roma!