Safeguarding Romani Language – 7th International Conference
The Romani language remains a cornerstone of Roma identity, cultural heritage and community belonging. As efforts to preserve and develop the language continue to grow, new opportunities are emerging to strengthen its transmission, accessibility and everyday use through collaboration, innovation and digital technologies.
On 5 November 2026, the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC) and the Roma and Travellers Division of the Council of Europe will host the 7th International Conference ‘Safeguarding Romani Language’ at the Palais de l’Europe in Strasbourg. Linguists, policymakers, technology experts and Romani writers from across Europe will discuss how Romani language can be taught, shared and used in classrooms, in institutions and in the digital world. The conference takes place in Room 10 and online via Zoom.
The conference is a key part of ERIAC’s Romani Language Initiative, launched in 2020 under the International Cultural Outreach Program funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. Since then, the Initiative has become a meeting point for linguists, educators, writers, policymakers and cultural practitioners working to preserve and develop the Romani language. It also supports dialogue on harmonising how the language is used across borders. This year’s conference comes at a key moment: the Council of Europe has made the harmonisation, protection and teaching of Romani a specific operational objective of its Strategy for Roma and Traveller Inclusion (2026–2031).
This year’s programme reflects on the progress achieved so far and the opportunities that lie ahead, exploring recent developments in Romani language policy and harmonisation before turning to the potential of Artificial Intelligence to support the language while keeping community ownership at its centre.
The conference concludes with a public literary event around The Tree of the Romani Language, an installation by French Romani artist Marina Rosselle, which becomes a symbolic meeting place for contemporary Romani literature.
Agenda – Safeguarding Romani Language, 7th International Conference
10.00 – 10.30 Welcome address
10:30 – 12:00 Panel 1: ROMANI LANGUAGE PRESERVATION IN EUROPE: PROGRESS, HARMONISATION AND FUTURE PRIORITIES
(Panel in Romani with English translation)
The panel will reflect on current challenges and opportunities in Romani language education, development and harmonisation, and identify shared priorities for strengthening its use, transmission and recognition across Europe. On the one hand, the panel will take stock of new developments in the field, including presenting the work of the members states and the Council of Europe, as well as present outcomes of the ERIAC Romani Language Initiative, including the ERIACNET4EU Position Paper, which addresses the recognition, protection, development and revitalisation of the Romani language as an essential expression of Roma identity, cultural continuity and Europe’s linguistic diversity.
13.00 – 14.30 Panel 2: FROM PRESERVATION TO INNOVATION: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE ROMANI LANGUAGE
(Panel in English with Romani translation)
The panel will explore how Artificial Intelligence and emerging digital technologies can support the preservation, documentation and accessibility of the Romani language. Building on ERIAC’s collaboration with Microsoft, discussions will examine the opportunities and challenges of developing digital language resources, AI-assisted translation, speech technologies and other innovative tools that can strengthen the long-term vitality of the Romani language while ensuring community ownership and ethical development.
14.30 – 14.45 Conclusions and closing remarks
15.00 – 16.30 ROMANI LITERARY EVENT AT THE TREE OF THE ROMANI LANGUAGE
The afternoon programme will feature a special public literary event centred around The Tree of the Romani Language, an installation by French Romani artist Marina Rosselle. Bringing together Romani writers, poets and literary practitioners from across Europe, the event will feature readings of poetry, prose and literary excerpts in different dialects of Romani and other languages, transforming the installation into a symbolic meeting place for contemporary Romani literature. The gathering will also mark one of the first public literary presentations of Romani PEN officially part of PEN International, highlighting the role of literature in preserving and renewing the Romani language, promoting freedom of expression and strengthening cultural dialogue across Europe.
16.30 – 17.00 Informal exchange and networking event
