International Activities

Collaboration with the Sorbonne in Paris and EU Pedagogical Group

Collaboration with the Centre de Recherches Tsiganes at the Université La Sorbonne in Paris, directed by Prof. Jean-Pierre Liégeois, who coordinated the Pedagogical Group (composed of Rom teachers) for the European Communities Commission (EU). The Associazione Them Romanò organised 3 meetings of the Pedagogical Group in Lanciano (Chieti) for the schooling of Rom and Sinti children.

• 1991 — Avila (Spain)
• 04/1992 — Burwell (England)
• 07/1993 — Navan (Ireland)
• 10/1994 — Strasbourg (France)
• 04/1994 — Lanciano (Italy)
• 02/1995 — Athens (Greece)
• 06/1995 — Cologne (Germany)
• 04/1996 — Zafra (Spain)
• 10/1996 — Peterborough (England)
• 04/1997 — Lanciano (Italy)
• 02/1999 — Zafra (Spain)
• 10/2001 — Lanciano (Italy)

Ethnomusicological project “The Rom and Music”

Research and ethnomusicological studies project in Italy and Spain on “The Rom and Music” with the support of the Centre de Recherches Tsiganes at the Sorbonne in Paris and the European Communities Commission (EU).

Romani Summer University

August, Rome (Italy). Participation in the Romani Summer University with professors Marcel Courthiade and Rajko Durić.

Rromani Encyclopaedia and courses in France

Rromani Encyclopaedia promoted by Rromani Baxt (France) and participation in Romani language and culture courses taught by Marcel Courthiade in Sant’André de Sangonis — Lyon (France) in 1994, 1995 and 1996.

1st Gypsy Congress of the European Union

Seville (Spain). Participation in the 1st Gypsy Congress of the European Union organised by Union Romanì (Spain) with Hon. Juan De Dios Ramírez Heredia.

1st Edition of the Amico Rom Competition

October, Lanciano Fairgrounds (Chieti). 1st edition of the International Artistic Competition Amico Rom.

Budapest Congress for Peace

Budapest (Hungary). Congress for Peace in the Balkans. Contribution and appeal by Rom communities to international institutions for the protection of Romanès communities.

Strasbourg conference and cultural exchanges

Conference in Strasbourg and cultural exchanges between Italy, Spain and England for the defence and promotion of Romanì culture.

1st European Congress of Romani Youth

Barcelona (Spain). Participation in the 1st European Congress of Romani Youth organised by Union Romanì (Spain) with Hon. Juan De Dios Ramírez Heredia.

Scientific consultancy “Rom at School”

Scientific consultancy for the European project “Rom at School” (Tsiganes à l’école) directed by Françoise Malique (France).

National Headquarters of the IRU

The Associazione Them Romanò becomes the national headquarters of the International Romanì Union (IRU), President Emil Śćuka.

Literary meeting “Vorba le Romengi”

Cologne (Germany). Participation in the literary meeting “Vorba le Romengi” (Word of the Rom) with Rom poets and writers and the Jenish Mariella Mehr.

Romani Language and Culture Course — University of Trieste

Romani Language and Culture Course at the University of Trieste, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques of Interculturality.

6th World Congress of the Romani People

The Associazione Them Romanò organised with the International Romanì Union (IRU) the 6th World Congress of the Romani People in Pietraferrazzana (Chieti) on Lake Bomba with over 200 delegates from around the world. Stanislaw Stankievich (Poland) elected President.

Project “I Colori del Futuro”

Pescara. Project “The Colours of the Future”. Educational programme in schools for the inclusion of Rom children and mutual respect.

Italian Representation at the ERTF

Italian representation at the ERTF (European Roma and Travellers Forum) at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg (France).

Romani Language and Culture Course — Polytechnic of Turin

Polytechnic of Turin, Academic Year 2007/2008. Start of the seminar course on Romani Language and Culture in collaboration with the Piemonte-Grecia Santorre di Santarosa Association.

Romani Language and Culture Course — University of Chieti

Course on Language and Intercultural Processes (Romani Language and Culture) at the University of Chieti, Faculty of Education Sciences.

7th World Congress of the Romani People

Zagreb (Croatia). Participation in the 7th World Congress with approximately 300 delegates from 28 countries. Santino Spinelli elected Vice President of the International Romanì Union (IRU), President re-elected Stanislaw Stankievich (Poland).

Initiatives at the Council of Europe and European Parliament

In the Sala del Mappamondo at Montecitorio, the Rom music concert entitled Romano Drom by the European Orchestra for Peace was presented to the Chamber of Deputies, followed by performances at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on 7 October 2010, at the European Parliament in Brussels on 18 November 2010, and in national premiere at the Teatro Fedele in Lanciano on 6 November 2010.

Meeting at the Serbian Parliament

Meeting in Belgrade (Serbia) at the Serbian Parliament.

Festival for Pope Benedict XVI

Bresso, Milan. One World One Family One Love, Festival for Pope Benedict XVI broadcast worldwide. Homage to the Pontiff with the Murdevel (Our Father in Romani language).

Inauguration of the Roma Memorial in Berlin

Berlin. Inauguration of the Roma Memorial with Chancellor Angela Merkel and the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. The monument features the poem Auschwitz by Santino Spinelli.

Lecture series — University of Teramo

As part of the 2013/2014 Academic Year, the University of Teramo established an annual cycle of lectures on Romani Language and Culture.

Concert at the European Parliament

Brussels. Concert by the Alexian Group at the European Parliament as part of a European project between Italy, England and Turkey coordinated by the Municipality of Pescara.

Meeting with Pope Francis

Meeting at the Sala Nervi in the Vatican with Pope Francis, 50 years after the meeting of Pope Paul VI with Rom and Sinti people in Pomezia. Musical homage of the Murdevel (Our Father in Romani language).

Rom Summer School

August. The week-long Rom Summer School by the Associazione Them Romanò: lessons, guided tours, dinners and lunches with Rom families featuring Romanì gastronomy.

Samudaripen Monument in Lanciano

Inauguration of the first major Samudaripen Monument at the Parco delle Memorie in Lanciano (Chieti).

Conference at the Romanian Parliament

Bucharest (Romania). International Conference for 1000 years of history of the Romani people (1018–2018) at the Romanian Parliament.

M4R Project — Municipality of Campobasso

Participation and consultancy for the M4R project of the Municipality of Campobasso on the valorisation and inclusion of local Rom communities.

Samudaripen Concert — Zagreb

Zagreb (Croatia), in collaboration with Kali Sara. Ethnosymphonic concert for the World Samudaripen Day with the European Orchestra for Peace.

10th World Congress of the Romani People

Riga (Latvia). Santino Spinelli elected Vice President of the IRU, Normund Rudevich (Latvia) elected President.

Rom Summer School — Serbia

Fruška Gora — Vrdnik (Serbia). Participation in the international pool of teachers of the Rom Summer School on art, history, culture and Romani language: Hristo Kyuchukov (Germany), Orhan Galjus (Netherlands), Maya Jovanovic (Serbia), Santino Spinelli (Italy), Lilyana Kovacheva (Bulgaria), Dragoljub Asković (Serbia).

EU Conference on Inclusion — Madrid

Madrid (Spain). Conference of the European Union Platform for the inclusion of Rom and Sinti through National Strategies. Attended by Rom representatives and high-level Spanish and EU institutions.

European project ROMHERITAGE

Participation in the European project ROMHERITAGE, a European cultural itinerary with Spain (Presencia Gitana), Italy, Slovenia and Germany (ERIAC).

European project ACE

Participation in the European project ACE for political participation and active citizenship of Rom people with Italy, Slovenia and Spain.

European project REGARD and Roma Memorial

Participation in the European project REGARD on the genocide and resistance of Rom and Sinti people and combating Romophobia with Italy, Croatia and Romania. Inauguration of the Roma Memorial Naj Sen Bistarde (You Are Not Forgotten) at the Parco delle Memorie in Lanciano (Chieti) and planting of the tree dedicated to Gennaro Spinelli (1937–2021), deported with his family by the fascist regime during the war.

Samudaripen Recognition — Orsogna

The Municipal Administration of Orsogna (Chieti), Mayor Ernesto Salerni, officially recognised the Samudaripen (genocide of Rom and Sinti people) by public resolution. Subsequently, the municipalities of Cagliari, Cosenza, Naples and Tricase (Lecce) did the same.

Romani Culture Week — Teatro alla Scala

Romani Culture Week in collaboration with UCRI and UNAR at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan with an ethnoclassical concert featuring musicians from La Scala and the G. Rossini Symphony Orchestra of Pesaro.

Meeting of Rom Radios in Europe

Murska Sobota (Slovenia). Participation in the Meeting of Rom Radios in Europe (Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands).

World Romani Language Day — Croatian Parliament

Zagreb (Croatia). Participation in the meeting of European Rom delegates in the Croatian Parliament with the Vice President of Parliament and Hon. Veljko Kajtazi for the celebration of World Romani Language Day, organised by Kali Sara.

Romani Language and Culture Course — Sapienza University

Start of the Romani Language and Culture Course at the Sapienza University of Rome in collaboration with UCRI.

2nd Romani Culture Week — Teatro San Carlo

2nd Romani Culture Week in collaboration with UNAR and UCRI. Teatro San Carlo in Naples, ethnoclassical concert with musicians from San Carlo and the G. Rossini Symphony Orchestra of Pesaro.

Romani Music Conference — University of Vienna

Participation in the Romani Music Conference at the Department of Musicology of the University of Vienna (Austria, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Romania).

Meeting with Pope Leo XIV

Meeting at the Sala Nervi (Vatican) with Pope Leo XIV. Homage of the Murdevel (Our Father) with soloists from the European Orchestra for Peace.

Remember Day — Carnegie Hall, New York

In collaboration with UCRI, ERGO (Brussels) and ERIAC (Berlin). Ethnoclassical concert at Carnegie Hall in New York.

3rd Romani Culture Week — Gran Teatro La Fenice

3rd Romani Culture Week in collaboration with UCRI and UNAR. Gran Teatro La Fenice in Venice. Ethnoclassical concert with musicians from La Scala in Milan, San Carlo in Naples and La Fenice in Venice.

Romani Week — European Parliament

Brussels. For UCRI, Romani Week at the European Parliament organised by ERGO.