Six Hundred Years of Roma Presence in Spain
In 1425, King Alfonso V of Aragon issued a safe-conduct pass to a group of pilgrims from distant lands, led by John of Egypt. This document constitutes the first written record of the presence of the Roma people on the Iberian Peninsula. Six hundred years after that historic event, the contribution of this community to Spain's cultural, artistic, and identity heritage is undeniable.
The Roma people arrived carrying their own cultural heritage: language, artistic expressions, and ancestral knowledge passed down from generation to generation. For six centuries, and despite having been subjected to persecution, discriminatory legislation, and systematic exclusion, this community has maintained its identity and has contributed significantly to the shaping of Spanish society.
From the encounter between Roma and Andalusian culture emerged flamenco, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Romani language has left a lasting mark on Spanish, and the Romani presence has shaped traditions, territories, and collective expressions that form part of our shared heritage.
The commemoration of this anniversary also presents an opportunity to renew the institutional commitment to combating anti-Gypsyism. The structural discrimination that still persists in the workplace, education, and society demands sustained responses from public authorities and society as a whole.
Six centuries of shared history testify that the Romani people are an integral and inalienable part of Spain. Recognizing this reality is an act of historical justice and a foundation for coexistence.
