The commemoration of the 600th anniversary of the arrival of the Roma people to the Iberian Peninsula has created, more than ever before, an opportunity for Roma demands to take a central place on both the national and regional political agenda.

In Catalonia, alongside the legislative proposal to develop a National Pact against Antigypsyism and for the Inclusion of the Roma People, the Parliament is currently studying the Draft Law on Democratic Memory of Catalonia. Several Roma organizations are actively contributing to this initiative, submitting proposals to ensure visibility for Roma history.

In this context, the Federation of Roma Associations of Catalonia (FAGiC) organized a conference titled “600 Years of Roma Persistence: Memory and Resistance.” The aim was to promote reflection and dialogue among representatives of the main parliamentary groups, members of the Roma associative movement, and broader civil society.

The Pati Llimona Civic Center, a heritage site that carries the history of Barcino itself, provided an ideal setting to discuss history, memory, forgetting, justice, and reparation.

“We are here today to pay tribute to six centuries of resistance, of a living culture, of the struggle for our rights. Six hundred years have passed since the first document recording the arrival of the Roma people to the Peninsula, and we are still demanding recognition, justice, and reparation. Equality cannot be built without memory. It is time to place at the center the truth of what our people have lived,” said Simón Montero, president of FAGiC, in his opening speech. He also situated the event within the European project Jekhipe—meaning “unity” in Romanes—led by FAGiC together with other Roma organizations across Europe to promote justice processes in response to antigypsyism.

In addition to Montero, the opening session featured remarks by Xavier Menéndez, head of Democratic Memory for the Government of Catalonia, and Raquel Gil Eiroa, Councillor for Economic Promotion, Labour, Feminisms, and Democratic Memory at the Barcelona City Council.

Menéndez noted that “one of the groups most affected by repression is the Roma people—not only during the Franco regime, but for the past 600 years.” He highlighted the government’s broad agreement and willingness to incorporate the proposals of Roma organizations into the Democratic Memory Law, including acknowledging the Roma people as a specific victim of Francoism, establishing a working commission on repression against Roma communities, and including August 2—Roma Genocide Remembrance Day—among the annual commemorations mandated by the law.

Raquel Gil focused her remarks on the deep-rooted presence of the Roma people in Barcelona, despite a “history of discrimination, stigma, and marginalization.” She emphasized their “extraordinary resilience, persistence, and capacity for resistance,” noting that the Roma community “has not only survived but has, with strength and dignity, contributed culture and creativity to the life of our city.”

Following the opening speeches, the first roundtable began: “600 Years of Institutional Antigypsyism and Policies of Recognition.” Participants included Members of the Catalan Parliament Natalia Fabián Corbacho (Socialists), Andrés García Berrio (Comuns), Jordi Albert i Cavaller (Esquerra Republicana), and Francesc de Dalmases i Thió (Junts).

Andrés García emphasized that work on the National Pact against Antigypsyism will begin soon, noting that “the memory component of the Roma people is central.” He stressed that the pact should be based on consensus and called on civil society to participate so that the law can be “truly useful” for the Roma population. He also argued that both the pact and the Democratic Memory Law are first steps toward a dedicated law on Roma historical memory.

Natalia Fabián agreed, saying that “600 years cannot be repaired with a single memory law,” but that this first step “is important because it will help us understand the reasons why.” She highlighted the crucial role of Roma organizations, stating that “if you had not pushed and demanded to take part, this law would not include the Roma people.”

Jordi Albert opened his remarks by stating that “every year should be the 600th year—not only this year—and we must not forget the long process of repression and suffering endured by the Roma people.” He argued that the parliamentary process must help identify the motivations behind this persecution, asking: “Why have Roma people historically been, and continue to be, subjected to repression and discrimination? Why suppress their way of life? What purpose does this serve?” He emphasized that answers should arise from scientific knowledge and the work of Roma organizations and must ultimately lead to concrete measures to ensure such persecution does not happen again.

Francesc de Dalmases reflected on three recent situations in which he noticed the complete omission of the Roma people from matters directly related to their history and experience. He argued that this parliamentary session must represent a turning point. “If any other group had the same levels of poverty, school dropout, or housing insecurity as the Roma people, any government would immediately launch an emergency plan to reverse such numbers, which are unacceptable in a democracy.”

A second roundtable followed, featuring Paqui Perona (Veus Gitanes), Pedro Casermeiro (Rromane Siklǒvne), and Fabián Sánchez (Presència Gitana). This session focused on highlighting the living memory of the Roma people through activism, culture, and community engagement.

Speakers identified key challenges related to collective and democratic memory, including the need for official recognition of Roma demands, incorporating a historical memory perspective when addressing present-day problems rooted in centuries of persecution, fostering greater unity within the Roma community, and placing the Romanes language at the center.

After this discussion on the challenges involved in building a solid and integral Roma collective memory within Catalonia’s broader identity and historical narrative, the event moved to its closing session. Remarks were delivered by Susana Martínez Heredia, Member of the Catalan Parliament, and Sara Belbeida Bedoui, Commissioner for Citizen Relations and Cultural and Religious Diversity at the Barcelona City Council.

Martínez Heredia noted that the commemoration “is not only about looking back, but also about recognizing that we have reached this point thanks to the resistance, resilience, and strength of our people—and also thanks to the support of many non-Roma allies who have walked alongside us.” She highlighted the meaning of the project’s name, Jekhipe, noting that its central value is “unity—unity among Roma people, but also unity with all those who listen, understand, accompany, and work with us for a more just and inclusive society.”

Belbeida expressed her gratitude to FAGiC for its daily work and for organizing this space of collective recognition. “This is a year to look back with a critical mindset and to move forward toward justice and reparation. You have reminded us that there is no true democracy without recognition, without reparation, and without equal rights—and that this is only possible through public policies designed with the community and through Roma presence in decision-making spaces.” She also shared several innovative initiatives being developed by the City Council in cooperation with the Roma associative network.