Significance of regional cooperation for the preservation of the language and culture of the Roma

Abstract

The article topic is regional cooperation in light of its special importance for the rights of dispersed ethnic minorities living in different countries. In this context the situation of Roma stands out as a specific issue in the context of modern European minority protection. International documents for the first time in history provide institutional support for the preservation of ethnic identity of the Roma in Europe. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages expands its protection also to the protection of non-territorial languages, including the Roma language. In the second half of the last century, in the geographical area of the Western Balkans some initiatives for the preservation and development of the Romani language and identity started. Following these initiatives, representatives of Roma from the former Yugoslavia started a project for standardization of the Roma language. Practice has shown that this process significantly influenced the situation and the use of the Romani language in Slovenia.