The first Serbian-Roma dictionary with grammar and orthography comprises more than 50 000 words. This capital edition is of great importance for the discovery of the origin of the Roma people, as well as the development of the linguistics of the Roma language. The dictionary provides a good basis for educational programmes of both native Roma speakers and the general public wishing to gain better insight into the language. The Serbian-Roma dictionary provides an adequate basis for future research and implementation of cultural diversity and specificity of the Roma people. In addition, the publication opens a new chapter in the study of the rich cultural heritage of the Roma people and public knowledge of it.

Addressing the gathering, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gordana Comic expressed her pleasure at attending the event, stating that every dictionary represents collective memory, the culture of a people, and shows how connected people are and how much languages mix together borrowing words from one another.

For MP Jovan Damjanovic the promotion of the dictionary at the National Assembly proves Serbia’s dedication to human and minority rights. The right of minority communities to use their native language is a fundamental human right ensured by international regulations, stressed Damjanovic.

The Serbian-Roma dictionary was presented by its author Bajram Haliti, as well as one of the consulting editors, representative of the Prometheus publishing company which published the dictionary.