Gypsy, Roma And Traveller History Month

1-30 June every year: Raising awareness of these communities in the UK. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month was established in Britain in 2008 as a way of raising awareness of these communities and their contributions to society, and to offset negative stereotyping and prejudices. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Britain’s 300,000 Gypsies, Roma and Travellers have lived, worked and travelled throughout Britain for over 500 years, yet they have been almost entirely written out of British history. Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history and culture is not kept or taught in most museums, libraries and schools. The result is a widespread ignorance about who they are, which sometimes turns to hatred, fear and misunderstanding. In schools, children learn more about the Romans, Vikings or even fairies than they do about the culture and contribution Gypsy, Roma and Travellers have accomplished. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gypsies, Roma and Travellers are the largest Ethnic Minority community in the European Union with over 12 million people. In the UK, they are recognised ethnic minority communities and numbers are into the 300,000. They are also the most marginalised and continue to suffer extreme levels of prejudice and discrimination. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history month aims to change that. 90 years ago the Black community realised how powerful remembering and sharing their history would be. The YouTube link provides a useful ‘animated history’ of Gypsies / Roma & Travellers and you can read more on the Open Society Foundations website. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

So this June, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities will be coming together, with central government backing, to begin the long overdue task of educating the British public about who they are and their background. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​