Union of Gypsies-Roma

The Union of Gyp­sies-Roma – the first offi­cial­ly autho­rized Romani orga­ni­za­tion in the Czech lands. It oper­at­ed from 1969 – 1973, after which the Com­mu­nist author­i­ties banned it. It sought to improve the polit­i­cal and eco­nom­ic sta­tus of Roma and Sin­ti and was also involved in cul­tur­al, sport­ing, social and com­mem­o­ra­tive activ­i­ties. By the end of its exis­tence, it had brought togeth­er some 8,500 people.