The Roma issue is complex but it is not unsolvable. As the examples of two gypsy communities show, one in Macedonia, the other in Andalusia. It seems like another world compared to the rest of Europe where persecutions, ghettoisations, poverty and discriminations are the norm. Let us start with Macedonia. Or, indeed, “the Kingdom of Roma”, as the representatives of this controversial and heterogeneous population like to call the most hospitable “home” they have ever found in the Old Continent. In the Balkans, there have been gypsy communities since 1000 AD, but in Skopje and the vicinity they were able to integrate to such a degree that it became a model for the rest of Europe. What is the magical formula?
The keystone was when the Roma gained official recognition as a constituent people of the Macedonian nation. The rest goes without saying: political representation, active participation to economic and social life. Ministers, mayors, entrepreneurs and successful students are Roma as well, not as belonging to a certain community but as citizens. In Skopje, Multiculturalism, written with a capital “m” (see Guido Bolaffi’s article in this journal) is tangible. Diversity has not resulted in a marked separation within society in watertight compartments, but it enriches social life.
After Macedonia, Spain: in the region of Andalusia the considerable presence of gypsy communities has not caused social tensions. Quite the opposite. Political, social and economic participation are not a taboo for the Gypsy minorities living here as well. It is not accident that the first Roma Member of the European Parliament, Juan de Dios Ramírez Heredia, is from Andalusia. Not to mention the huge number of interethnic marriages and the school success of the young Spanish gypsies. Lastly, flamenco, which is an unquestionable national symbol of Spain, was born from the mix between the Spanish culture and the gypsy one.
So, is everything ok? Not really. Because it is evident that in the rest of the Old Continent discrimination and Roma go hand in hand. This is why we need best practices to fight against intolerance and clichés.
(Translation: Francesca Cannino)
On the inside: