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If you are in the Bay Area, you might consider checking out this event.

Main Event at Croatian American Cultural Center, 60 Onondaga St (map) , 7:30 – 11:30 pm – Dance workshop, followed by live music and dancing. $15 or $20 with after-party ticket. Features Rumen Sali Shopov with Brass Liberation Orchestra, and Orkestar Sali with special guests Chris Bajmakovich and Cele Paskoski. Have dinner at the event – super Balkan food by Christo Kolev available for purchase.

After the main event, the musicians and crowd will migrate to the
After-party at Bollyhood Caf̩, 3372 19th St. at Mission (map), 9:00 Р2:00 am РDJ dancing, then live music at midnight with the featured artists. $10 party or $20 combo ticket for both events.

From the Voice of Roma website:

About International Roma Day
International Roma Day (April 8) was officially declared in 1990 in Poland, during the fourth World Romani Congress in honor of the first major international meeting of Roma representatives, 7-12 of April, 1971 in London, UK. Since then Roma around the globe celebrate our social origins, language, culture, unity, and in particular, romipen (preservation of Rom identity) near the date of the original gathering.

VOR held San Francisco’s first annual International Roma Day event in 2000. In addition to romipen, our goals are to introduce audiences to and provide performing opportunities for renowned Romani performing artists, create a gathering place for Romani and other immigrant and refugee communities, and raise awareness about the human rights issues faced by Roma in today’s world. In particular, we focus on education regarding the dire circumstances of the Roma in and from Kosovo.

Romani traditional culture around the world and specifically in the U.S. is weakening. Old neighborhood communities, so nourishing to the culture, are disintegrating. Many young Roma don’t do traditional dances, and some young Roma don’t even share a language with previous generations of their families. This erosion of cultural identity and collective memory could easily result in the loss of Roma artistic expression and traditions that are infused with hundreds of years of history. VOR’s International Roma Day celebration events respond directly to this need. The artists and Roma participants reconnect through their participation, strengthening ties to their culture and preserving the artistic expression of our people.

Saban Bajramovic – Djelem Djelem

Happy International Roma Day! Djelem Djelem is considered the unofficial anthem of Roma/Gypsy people worldwide.