29/9/2005
Cardiff Council is taking steps to encourage understanding and equality for its Gypsy and Traveller communities.
The Policy and Economic Development Equality Team, in collaboration with the Gypsy and Traveller Service Provider Network, has arranged a Gypsy and Traveller awareness day at County Hall on October 17.
People from across Cardiff, representing voluntary and private sector groups, are welcome to the open day, which aims to provide insight and information on distinctive ethnic groups.
Councillor Monica Walsh, the Deputy Lord Mayor, will open the event and Chris Myant from the Commission for Racial Equality and Jazz Iheanacho from Race Equality First will share the keynote opening speech.
Councillor Judith Woodman, Executive member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice will chair the event, which will include four workshops, repeated during the day looking at the issues of accommodation, health, education and culture.
Councillor Woodman said: "It is important for people to have the chance to listen and learn about ethnic communities in Cardiff to make sure stereotypes and urban myths are dispelled and to encourage equality for all. This opportunity allows Cardiff Council to show its commitment to the Gypsy and Traveller community whilst at the same time providing helpful information for the city's voluntary and private organisations."
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EDITORIAL COMMENTS:
While it is really nice to see that a member from the CRE and someone from Race Equality First will be keynote speakers, how many real Gypsies will be represented there. I mean real Romanichal from this country and not Irish Trailer Trash or New Agers, neither of who qualify under the term "Gypsy", though maybe under Traveller. It must be stressed AGAIN that only those of Romani ancestry qualify as "Gypsy" under the law and under the terms of the Oxford dictionary and are the only ethnic group amongst the "traveling communities". The Irish Travellers, a.k.a. Irish Trailer Trash, and New Agers, a.k.a. Hippies, are not an ethnic group. Ethnicity is not, despite what certain member of the powers that be want to have everyone believe, defined by lifestyle but it is and always has been defined by racial origin or origins of a nature such as the Jews. Under British law only Romani-Gypsy are an ethnic group, and we are only one of three; the other two being the Sikhs and the Jews. Let this be a warning to all those of the Romanichal community in this country who have, mistakenly, in following the false advice of certain do-gooders and self-proclaimed Romani leaders, been calling themselves "Travellers". Once you start doing that you leave yourself wide open to be loosing your identity in the eyes of the law and having it mixed with that of Irish and other Travellers.
