There is increasing interest in Roma culture and majority society has become more open towards the Roma during the past year, according to Minister of State for Social Affairs and Social Inclusion Károly Czibere.
On the occasion of International Romani Day, the Ministry of Human Capacities’ Minister of State told Hungarian news agency MTI that this is crucial because it is important that Roma and non-Roma people live together, and not just side-by-side.
The Government is supporting all programmes that improve dialogue, relations and trust between the Roma and majority society. The most important instrument in this is culture; majority society must be made more aware of the cultural treasures of the Roma people, because this enables the Roma to maintain their identity and open up towards majority society.
According to the Minister of State, majority society has become more open to Roma culture, not least thanks to the role of famous Roma singers and musicians and Roma artists in popular television musical talent competitions.
In addition, it is important that there should not only be nationwide programmes, but also local ones to enable smaller communities to also become more open towards each other’s cultural treasures, he said, adding that this is also being facilitated by a 50 million forint tender launched on Friday to provide funding for local communities to realise cultural programmes.
The Minister of State emphasised that Roma living conditions have improved in recent years, the employment rate among the Roma has increased to above 40 percent and they are also less vulnerable to falling into poverty, although there is still much to be done.
International Romany Day is held on 8 April every year in memory of the first World Romani Congress held on that day in London in 1971 at which the Romani flag and anthem were adopted. In 1990 at the fourth World Romani Congress it was decided to declare 8 April International Romany Day, and subsequently the United Nations also ratified 8 April as the international day of Romani culture.
(MTI)
