ABSTRACT
The idea of a homogenized European Roma identity was only a fictive matter until 1971 when it was brought up during the first International Romani Congress in London. The meeting resulted in the elaboration of a national anthem, a flag and the emergence of Romani ethno-nationalism. This implied a transition toward becoming an ethnically mobilized group, having a common stance and interest and a redefinition and a construction of its own minority identity. A new political awareness movement began among the Roma and the International Romani Union (IRU) was created. This was a first step for the negotiation of Roma issues at the level of the international community on the basis of the newborn concept of a Roma nation. Another important follow-up was the idea of a standardized Romani language, supported by the Council of Europe, however, some authors believe that this idea is difficult to accomplish and that dialect pluralism is a more reasonable aim.
