The Romanì language is one of Europe’s oldest living languages — carried across centuries by millions of people, preserving memory, culture, stories, music, and identity. Yet in 2025, its place within European institutions remains fragile and deeply unequal.

Across the European Union, the official recognition of Romanì is inconsistent. Finland, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria grant some form of minority-language status, allowing for limited public and cultural use.
But in many other EU member states — including Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Greece, and the Benelux countries — Romanì has no formal recognition at all. This leaves millions of Roma without linguistic rights, contributes to cultural erosion, and contradicts both the EU Roma Strategic Framework and the principles of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

This petition was born from the MHE-ROMA – Historical Memory of European Roma project (CERV Programme), during which young Roma and non-Roma from Spain, Italy, and Croatia explored historical memory, the Samudaripen, and the role of Romanì as a tool of identity, dignity, and resistance.

 
We, the undersigned,
citizens, activists, scholars, and advocates for cultural and linguistic rights, call for the official recognition of the Romanì language as a minority language, in accordance with national and international legislation, including the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the United Nations conventions on the rights of minorities.

During the final conference of the MHE-ROMA project — dedicated to Romanì language, culture, and the memory of the Samudaripen — significant data were presented regarding:

• the wide spread of Romanì across Europe, with a dynamic presence in many communities;
• the barriers to institutional, educational, and media access to the language;
• the cultural and identity-building potential of Romanì for new generations and for Europe’s intangible heritage.

Romanì is a living language, spoken by millions, bearer of a millennia-old and continuously evolving culture. Yet the lack of formal recognition still contributes to its marginalization and the risk of linguistic disappearance.

 
Recognition efforts already exist — and must be expanded:
One of the partner organizations of MHE-ROMA, the Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA”, together with Member of Parliament Veljko Kajtazi, initiated the recognition of November 5th as the World Day of the Romani Language. Croatia became the first country in the world to officially proclaim this day in 2012.

Building on this, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Media – UNESCO Commission, a proposal was submitted to UNESCO, which the UNESCO General Assembly adopted in 2015, declaring the Romani language part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

These achievements show that recognition is possible — and now it must extend across all of Europe.

 
📣 WE THEREFORE REQUEST THAT:

1. The Romanì language be officially recognized as a minority language in all EU member states;
2. Access to bilingual education and cultural production in Romanì be guaranteed;
3. Romanì communities be meaningfully involved in the development of linguistic policies that affect them;
4. The preservation and transmission of Romanì be promoted through media, cultural institutions, and public communication channels.

 
⭐ Recognizing Romanì is more than a symbolic act — it is an act of justice, equality, and historical reparation.