Alicante commemorates the 600th anniversary of the arrival of the Roma community

The Alicante City Council celebrated International Roma Day this Tuesday. On April 8, the 600th anniversary of the arrival of the Roma people to the peninsula was also commemorated.

An event was held to highlight the Roma influence on Spanish and Alicante culture. Associations called for an end to stereotypes perpetuated by the media and public opinion, and they reminded the audience of the heritage in art, music, and language left by 600 years of coexistence.

Additionally, they emphasized symbols such as the Roma flag, with the blue sky as a roof, the green field as the ground, and the red wheel symbolizing the freedom of the people.

The Councillor for Culture, Toño Peral, was the first to recall the traditional Roma greeting "health and freedom," ending his speech with "long live the Roma people!"

Meanwhile, the Mayor of Alicante, Luis Barcala, reminded attendees that the Roma arrived in Alicante before the discovery of America and emphasized that four Roma accompanied Columbus on that first voyage. "Respect is the key to collaboration among all of us; it guides our understanding, which is not always easy, but it is important to make the effort and have the willingness to do so, respecting differences and knowing that they add value," the mayor highlighted. He also recalled the inauguration of the Roma People Square in the Campoamor neighborhood in December 2024.

During the commemoration, the President of the Alicante Federation of Roma People, Félix Utrera, invited the National Police and Local Police to participate in 2026 in the football match that his organization holds annually between the Roma community and the Civil Guard. In this edition, the victory went to the officers with a 7-4 score, seen as revenge for the Roma community's triumph the previous year.

After the event, the municipal corporation unfurled the commemorative banner in the Town Hall square.