World Romani Congress
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There have been four World Romani Congresses to date. Among the chief goals of these congresses have been the standardization of the Romani language, improvements in civil rights and education, preservation of the Romani culture, reparations from World War II, and international recognition of the Roma as a national minority of Indian origin.
The International Romani Union has consultative status to the United Nations Social and Economic Council.
First World Romani Congress
The first World Romani Congress was organized in 1971 near London, funded in part by the World Council of Churches and the Government of India. It was attended by representatives from India and 20 other countries. At the congress, the green and blue flag from the 1933 conference, embellished with the red, sixteen-spoked chakra, was reaffirmed as the national emblem of the Romani people, and the anthem, Dzelem dzelem was adopted.
- "The World Romani Congress have adopted a Romani flag which is respected by all the Roma the world over. It comprises of blue and green traditional colors with the red wheel in the center. Blue is the blue sky and the heavens. Green is the land, organic and growing. The blue symbolizes eternal spiritual values; the green earthly values. The wheel in the center symbolizes movement and progress. It may not be out of place to point out here that the Indian national flag has also got Ashoka Chakra in the centre."
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