The government delegate in Extremadura, José Luis Quintana, has participated today in Mérida in the commemoration of the World Day of the Gypsy People. This event is held every 8 April to commemorate the history, culture and contributions of the Gypsy people worldwide. In her speech at the Assembly of Extremadura, Quintana took the opportunity to invite reflection and awareness of the challenges and struggles faced by this people, including discrimination and social exclusion.
The government delegate has stressed the importance of the Spanish Constitution to advance and enshrine equal rights, as well as ways to combat discrimination. "It is only through respect that it is possible to advance in a democratic society, or in other words, the only societies that advance are those that have respect as the basis of their political and social structure. We Spaniards understood that it was essential to live respecting the differences of all and that it could be precisely those differences that would allow us to advance more than ever in our history and enrich ourselves as a society," he said.
Quintana has also warned about the need to combat hate crimes, which in part are based on non-respect for diversity and social or cultural difference. In 2023, this type of crime increased by 30%, something that can only be combated "from respect, education and denunciation". Finally, and despite the progress made, he said that we must avoid taking steps backwards in the progress made in guaranteeing the rights and opportunities of the Roma people.