Federation of Mediterranean Roma Associations in Turkey has launched a project to teach Romanes to Roma in Turkey. The project, called "I listen Romanes, I speak Romanes", aims at reviving the language common among many Gypsy groups in the world but spoken by few in Turkey.
Supported by the the Delegation of the European UniontoTurkey's "Think Civil" program, the project takes place in Mersin, where the Federation of Mediterranean Roma Associations is based. Orhan Galjus, teacher of the Romanes taught the language to 20 Roma participating in the project and these 20 students will go on to teach it to other Roma living all around Turkey.
Apart from classes in linguistics, vocabulary and speaking of the Romanes, a Romanes Language Dictionary will also be brought together.
President of the Federation of Mediterranean Roma Associations Ali Daylam said at the presentation that they decided to launch the project because, "although a language spoken for many centuries, Romanes is about to be forgotten". "Even the Roma associations' managers can't speak the Roma language especially in the metropolises.
Orhan Galjus, teacher of Romanes, mentioned the importance of a common language among many groups across the world saying that speaking it could help them to interact and get to know each other better.
21/10/2015
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