(26/06/2017)
Dear Presidents,
We are writing to you as Members of the European Parliament and civil society organisations that organise Roma Week, which is hosted by the European Parliament and European Commission, to ask you to formally commemorate the Roma Holocaust during events that the EU institutions will organise around International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th 2018.
The European Parliament and the European Commission held the Roma week for the second time this year, focussing on the important issue of anti-Gypsyism in Europe. To build on our efforts in fighting against anti-Gypsyism and to raise awareness about problems faced by Roma people in Europe, it is important that the European institutions take the lead in promoting the education of the Roma Holocaust and its role in the modern causes of anti-Gypsyism.
The European Parliament and European Commission have already recognised the Roma Holocaust where 500,000 Roma were exterminated by the Nazi regime and their allies with at least 23,000 Roma gassed to death in the Zigeunerlager (Gypsy camp) of Auschwitz-Birkenau during World War II.
We believe that the European institutions can take the opportunity of International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2018, to show their continued commitment to recognising the Roma Holocaust by hosting an exhibition on the Roma Holocaust by the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma and by inviting the Philharmonic Association of the Sinti and Roma Frankfurt am Main to perform their program “Requiem for Auschwitz” in addition to their official events of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
We look forward to receiving your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Soraya Post MEP
Barbara Lochbihler MEP
Dietmar Köster MEP
Cornelia Ernst MEP
Benedek Javor MEP
Fredrick Federley MEP
Terry Reintke MEP
Damian Draghici MEP
Tomáš Zdechovský MEP
Marina Albiol Guzman MEP
Tania Gonzalez Penas MEP
Brando Benifei MEP
Barbara Spinelli MEP
Central Council of German Sinti and Roma
ternYpe International Roma Youth Network
European Network Against Network
Integro Association
SLOVO 21
Advancing Together
Roma Advocacy and Research Center
Fundación Secretariado Gitano
European Roma Rights Centre
European Roma Grassroots Organization
Life Together
Center of Resources for Social Inclusion
Open Society European Policy Institute