Events
Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month - June 2008
The GRTHM organisers and The Roma Support Group are pleased to mark the first national Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month this year with special events in London and in Leeds to celebrate the richness these communities bring to our lives.
We would be delighted if you could join us on
Concert in London
Wednesday 4th June
at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1 (nearest tube station: Holborn) from 6.00-10.00pm
18.00 – 18.30
Door and exhibitions opened
A Decade of Roma Migration – 10th Anniversary of Roma Support Group
Exhibition organised by Roma Support Group in collaboration with London College of Fashion – University of the Arts London, Project 35 Architects, EU-Roma with the support of the Culture Programme of the European Union
How Long Is the Journey? Photo Exhibition by Zsuzsanna Ardó, Dedicated to Pál Ardó
How Long Is the Journey is a selection from the exhibition of photos of
Hungarian Roma (Gypsies) by Zsuzsanna Ardó a photographer and writer. Zsuzsanna took the photos over the past two summers in Hungary, by the Danube and in Budapest.
Collection of photos by Patricia Knight
18.30 –19.00 Introduction and Our history – it’s serious by guest speaker, the Hon. Ian Hancock, Member, International Roma Parliament, Director, The Romani Archives and Documentation Center at the University of Texas.
19.00 – 19.30 Performance by the Orchard Family
19.40 – 20.00 Performance by Brigid Corcoran
20.00 - 20.30 Break/Exhibition
20:30 – 20.40 Putting it all together, the Hon. Ian Hancock
20.40 – 21.10 Performance by Romani Rad
21.10 – 21.40 Performance by Gejza Grundza with Radovan Grundza and Stanislau Kelesz
Concert in Leeds
Saturday 28th June
The Banqueting Suite, Leeds Civic Hall, Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 1UR England, UK From 7pm – 10pm
The evening includes music and dance from:
The Orchard Family, Brigid Corcoran, Romani Rad, Romipen, Sheila Stewart, Jess Smith , Richard O'Neil,
William and Jimmy Dundon with Des Hurley and friends.
Free entry but as there is limited space, please book tickets with Sophia Kennedy on 0113 2748050 or sophia.kennedy@educationleeds.co.uk
All booked tickets will need to be collected by 6.45 from the Foyer of the Civic Hall or they will be re-allocated.
More information about GRT History Month can be found at:
www.grthm.co.uk
www.grtleeds.co.uk
GRTHM is sponsored by: 
Responding to overwhelming demand for the book Colours of Hope, which was first published by the RSG in 2003 and sold out last year, we have now reprinted new copies for sale.
Colours of Hope “…has given a voice to one of the most marginalised groups in our society, the children of refugees. It celebrates the literacy of young Roma growing up in Britain, and the energy, talent and creativity that they are sharing with the wider community to the benefit of us all”. (The Lecturer, July 2004)
You can buy this book here. The price of each copy is £6.50 inc. post and packing.
The Roma Support Group is one of 15 refugee community organisations participating in the Refugee Community History Project, which is lead by the Evelyn Oldfield Unit with partners including the Museum of London and London Metropolitan University. This groundbreaking project collected, archived and disseminated more than 150 in-depth interviews with people, who came to London as refugees since 1951. The final culmination of this project is the exhibition , Belonging - Voices of London’s Refugees, which opened in the Museum of London on the 27th October 2006 and it will run till 25th February 2007.
One of the refugees whose voice can be heard through this exhibition, is Ilona Marjanska, a Polish Roma girl and captain of Roma United Football Club run by the Roma Support Group at the Hartley Centre in East Ham. She arrived to Newham 10 years ago and currently she is a student in one of the Newham Colleges and plays football for Leyton Orient Ladies. Her voice clearly kicks into touch some of the stereotypes in relation toRoma people:
“I tell someone that I’m a Roma and they go: ‘Oh, do you live in a caravan?...Do you go out and steal?’... And I kept saying ‘no’ and they go: ‘Oh, that’s what they heard’... They looked at me and they took it back ‘cause they understood that it’s not like that.”
The voices of the refugees are at the heart of this exhibition - powerful, moving and inspiring. They are thought provoking and exploring the barriers which the refugees face and the contribution they make to the City of London.
For further details visit:
www.refugeestories.org
http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/
During the summer 2006 we participated in many events, i.e., “Global Local” festivals in many boroughs of London, Gypsy Art Festival in Suffolk, Celebrating Sanctuary in Cardiff, the Lovebox Weekender in Hackney, etc.
Please follow our website and this link: Gypsy Arts Festival in Suffolk for next year dates!!!