First Romani Radio Goes on Air in Turkey

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 First Romani radio has been established in Turkey, and its first guest was Romani MP Özcan Purçu.

The name of the radio which will webcast in Mersin is Romano Vast. It means Romani hand in the Romani language.

Purçu: It was a dream we have had for years

MP Özcan Purçu says “We are realizing our dreams one by one”

“The dreams we have had with Ali Dayam; study house, profession atelier, being a MP, and now a radio…they have all come true. Earlier it had always been others who told about the Romani. Now, for the first time in Turkey, the Romani will be able to explain themselves. The problems of Romani and solution proposals will be discussed on the radio. This radio is also very important for conserving the Romani culture and language”.  

Daylam: Our team consists of young Romanis

Mediterranean Romani Foundations Federation Director Ali Daylam has noted that the group which currently had seven members consisting of young Romanis.

“Özcan Purçu and I had the dream to establish a radio since 2005. For instance, the first Romani radio had been opened in 1968 in Kosova. There is a Romani radio in the Netherlands. During our meetings in the European Council we always used to say, why don’t we also have one. It would also be on air abroad.

“During the foundation of the radio, we have acquired technical support from Patrin Roman which is on air in the Netherlands and Mersin Faculty for Communications. We have put together the music archives of the radio in the Netherlands and our Romani music archive in Turkey. Our audience will see that the Romani music does not only consist of 9/8 bars”.

We will play world Romani music

“We would like to put an end to the information pollution regarding the Romani which has existed for ages and want to introduce our culture, and give a voice to our problems and dreams. There are hundreds of Romani foundations in Turkey and we will archive all their works through this radia and spread them. Also our infrastructure works regarding the Romani language have been continuing for a long time and the youth have been learning the language. With the help of this radio, also our language will be spread to everyone”. (NV/DG)