On 8 April, we celebrate International Roma Day, marking the anniversary of the First World Romani Congress in 1971, a key moment for Roma self-determination and political organisation. Today is an occasion to celebrate the diversity, history and rich cultural heritage of Roma communities across Europe. It is also a moment to reinforce the need for continued action against antigypsyism, discrimination and unequal access to education, employment, housing and healthcare which continue to affect many Roma communities across Europe.
Supporting Roma youth is central to the work of the Council of Europe, particularly in relation to advancing Roma youth participation, and addressing multiple forms of discrimination. This includes the implementation of the Recommendation CM/REC(2023)4 on Roma Youth Participation, which promotes participation, representation and inclusion of young Roma in society and decision-making processes, as well as capacity-building of Roma youth organisations and networks, and supporting youth projects across Europe that contribute to these goals.
Youth organisations supported by the European Youth Foundation in 2026 are actively contributing to this work:
“Roma youth policy influencers”, is a one-off youth co-operation activity implemented by ternYpe International Roma Youth Network, aimed at empowering Roma youth activists through a capacity-building training on advocacy for inclusive policies. The project will result in a podcast series, a social media campaign, a collective advocacy paper and a draft framework for a European Roma Youth Consultative Body, laying the basis for stronger institutional recognition of Roma youth participation as well as influence on national policies and research
“Minorities at danger, time for youth activism!”, a long-term youth co-operation project implemented by the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY), aims to empower young people to counter discrimination and exclusion affecting minorities in Europe. Through a series of three international activities, participants explore xenophobia and the anti-rights movement particularly affecting refugees and Roma youth. Participants develop skills to challenge discriminatory narratives, design counterstrategies grounded in human rights and inclusion and build collaborative networks for future joint actions.
International Roma Day is both a celebration and a call to action to address inequalities, and support Roma youth in shaping more inclusive societies.
To discover more, explore the calendar of activities for the 2026 Opre Roma! Month (1–30 April), organised by the Council of Europe.