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“CELEBRATING ROMANI AMERICAN HERITAGE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Senate section on pages S2322-S2323 on April 9, 2019.
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The publication is reproduced in full below:
CELEBRATING ROMANI AMERICAN HERITAGE
Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, today I rise to celebrate International Roma Day, which occurred yesterday, April 8, 2019. Last week, Senator Wicker, the Helsinki Commission's Senate cochairman, and I introduced a resolution that celebrates Romani American heritage.
As a member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on Anti-Semitism, Racism & Intolerance, I have long worked to improve the situation of Roma throughout the OSCE region.
The resolution we introduced on April 4 does four things.
First, it recognizes and celebrates Romani American heritage. Roma have come to the United States with every wave of European migration since the colonial period. In the United States,there may be as many as 1 million Americans with some Romani ancestry, whether distant or more recent. Romani people have made distinct and important contributions in many fields, including agriculture, art, crafts, literature, medicine, military service, music, sports, and science.
Second, it supports International Roma Day and the Department of State's robust engagement in activities to honor that occasion. On April 8, 1971, the First World Romani Congress met in London, bringing together Roma from across Europe and the United States with the goal of promoting transnational cooperation among Roma, combating social marginalization, and building a positive future for Roma everywhere. April 8 is now celebrated as International Roma Day around the world. U.S. Ambassadors and our Embassies across Europe are frequently asked to participate in April 8 celebrations across the region. I commend the important work they are doing as they demonstrate U.S. commitment to inclusive societies not only on April 8 but throughout the entire year.
Third, this resolution commemorates the 75th anniversary of the destruction of the so-called Gypsy Family Camp at Auschwitz. Experts estimate that 200,000 to 500,000 Romani people were killed in death camps and elsewhere throughout Europe. On August 2 to 3, 1944, Nazis murdered between 4,200 and 4,300 Romani men, women, and children in gas chambers when the Nazis decided to liquidate this camp. A number of governments have taken important steps in recent years to commemorate the genocide of Roma, to remember the victims, and educate future generations. Germany took an important step when it opened a memorial in Berlin for Sinti and Roma victims of national socialism. I also commend the Czech Government for its decision to remove the pig farm at the site of the Lety concentration camp and address remaining issues regarding the proper memorialization of that sensitive site.
Finally, this resolution commends the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum for its critically important role in promoting remembrance of the Holocaust and educating audiences about the genocide of Roma. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum is the preeminent Federal institution dedicated to serving as a living memorial to the Holocaust. I am honored to serve as a member of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Council and I welcome the initiatives of the museum to ensure that Romani victims are remembered and support related scholarship.
I am pleased that Senator Wicker has joined me in introducing this resolution and urge other colleagues to join us in celebrating Romani-
American heritage.
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