Prvi svjetski kongres Roma održan je u Londonu 1971. godine, i to je  bio važan događaj za cijeli romski narod. Na Kongresu se raspravljalo o zaštiti prava Roma, borbi protiv diskriminacije i stereotipa, očuvanju kulturne baštine i integraciji Roma u društvo. Na području kulture odlučeno je da se romski glazbeni i plesni festivali redovito održavaju, a uz to se smatralo prikladnim prikupljati i popularizirati romske price i pjesme.

U okviru Kongresa također je bilo važno odobriti simbole romskog naroda: zastavu i himnu. Odlučeno je da se zastava sastoji od dva dijela – plavog gore, koji simbolizira nebo, i zelenog dolje, koji simbolizira zemlju, a u središtu će biti kotač koji odražava kretanje/putovanja. Za himnu je izabrana pjesma "Đelem, đelem" (druge varijante pisanja su: "Dzelem, dzelem", "Gyelem, gyelem", "Gelem, gelem" i sl.), koja, u svojoj vrsti, nije samo pjesma, već odraz kulture i povijesti Roma. Uvođenje ova dva simbola, zajedno s aktivnostima i organizacijama koje su pridonijele njihovom stvaranju, pokrenulo je jasan, uočljiv i glasan izraz ideja koji je stekao priznanje kao nacionalni romski pokret. Himna i drugi nacionalni atributi oblik su izražavanja pripadnosti određenoj nacionalnoj (etničkoj) skupini, što pridonosi stvaranju osjećaja zajedništva. Zato je stvaranje himne i drugih nacionalnih atributa veliki i važan korak prema izgradnji identiteta.

Tekst himne napisao je Žarko Jovanović, romski glazbenik i skladatelj koji je tijekom Drugog svjetskog kongresa Roma imenovan "ministrom romske kulture", a neki izvori među autorima spominju i svirača tambure Miloša (njegovo prezime nije poznato). Patnje romskog naroda kao rezultat Porajmosa (genocida nad romskim narodom) postale su jedna od glavnih tema pjesme. Žarko Jovanović je bio zatvorenik tri koncentracijska logora, izgubio je gotovo cijelu svoju obitelj u Porajmosu, a zatim se pridružio partizanima. Tekst pjesme spominje masakre Roma koje je provela Crna legija (borbena formacija ustaških snaga odgovorna za vrlo velik broj ratnih zločina počinjenih tijekom Drugog svjetskog rata u Hrvatskoj i Bosni i Hercegovini):

Sas wie man yeck barie familia,                                                   Jednom sam imao veliku obitelj, 

Moodardas la ay Calie Legia.                                                       ali Crna legija ju je uništila.

Tekst pjesme ne samo da govori o poteškoćama života Roma, već i poziva na ujedinjenje Roma širom svijeta:

Awen mansa sa loomniacay Roma,                                            Pođi sa mnom, Romi iz cijelog svijeta,

Ky pootardilay ay Romanay droma.                                            Romima su se otvorile ceste.

Acay wriama, oostie Rom acana,                                                Vrijeme je, ustanite, Romi, sada,

Amen cootasa misto Ky cayrasa.                                                Uzdignut ćemo se ako djelujemo.

Prvi redak pjesme "Đelem, đelem"prevodi se kao" išao sam, išao sam dugim cestama", što se također odnosi na povijest i putovanja, lutanja i progone romskog naroda. Tekstovi se uvelike razlikuju od regije do regije i od izvođača do izvođača, ali prvi stih i refren koji se pojavljuju u svakoj verziji smatraju se kanonskim. Tužna i srčana melodija, kao i tekst, govori o tome koliko je teška bila povijest romskog naroda.

Postoje različite verzije podrijetla melodije "Đelem, đelem". Poznato je da je pjesma bila popularna među Romima i prije nego što je postala službena himna. 1967.godine pojavila se u filmu "Skupljači perja" redatelja Aleksandra Petrovića. I film i pjesma korištena u njemu postali su popularni i privukli široku pozornost javnosti.

Pjesma “Đelem, đelem" postala je simbol jedinstva romskog naroda i njegove borbe za priznanje, jednakost i očuvanje kulturnih tradicija. To je svojevrsna himna za sve Rome, izražavajući njihovu povijest, ponos i želju za pravdom.

Prvi svjetski kongres Roma bio je prekretnica u povijesti romskog naroda. Stvaranje kulturnih simbola poput himne i zastave postalo je ključna točka koja će okupiti romski narod i predstavljati ga na svjetskoj pozornici. Himna " Đelem, đelem " ne samo da odražava teške i bolne stranice povijesti romskog naroda, već i promiče svijest o jedinstvu i ponosu Roma.

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THE FIRST WORLD ROMANI CONGRESS: THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ROMA FLAG AND ANTHEM

The First World Roma Congress marked a key moment in Roma history with the adoption of the Roma flag and anthem “Gelem, gelem”. The Congress promoted cultural pride, unity, and the recognition of Roma identity, laying the foundations of the Roma national movement.

The first World Roma Congress was held in 1971 in London and became an important event for the entire Roma people. The Congress discussed issues of protecting the rights of Roma, combating discrimination and stereotypes, preserving cultural heritage and integrating Roma into society. In the area of culture, it was agreed that Roma music and dance festivals should be held on a regular basis, and furthermore it was recognised to gather and promote Roma songs and tales.    

Within the framework of the Congress, it was also important to adopt the symbols of the Roma people – the Flag and the Anthem. It was decided that the flag would consist of two parts – blue, symbolizing the sky, and green, symbolizing the earth, and in the center there would be a wheel, reflecting movement/travelling. The anthem chosen was the song “Gelem, gelem” (another ways of spelling are “Dzelem, dzelem”, “Đelem, đelem”, “Gyelem, gyelem” and some more) which in turn is not just a song, but a reflection of the culture and history of the Roma. The introduction of these two symbols, along with the events and organizations that facilitated their creation, initiated a clear, noticeable, and vocal expression of ideas, which has come to be recognized as Roma national movement. The anthem and other national attributes are a form of expression of belonging to a particular nation (ethnic) group, which contributes to the sense of community. That is why establishment an anthem and other national attributes is a big and important step towards building identity.

The lyrics of the anthem were written by Žarko Jovanović, a Roma musician and composer who was appointed to be “Minister of Romani Culture” during the Second World Roma Congress, some sources also mention the tambourine player Miloš (no information about his last name) among the authors. The sufferings of the Romani people as a result of the Porrajmos (genocide of the Romani people) became one of the main themes of the song. Žarko Jovanović himself was a prisoner in three concentration camps during World War II, lost in Porrajmos almost his entire family, and after joined the partisans. The lyrics mention the massacres of Roma organized by the Black Legion (a battle formation of Ustasha forces responsible for very big number of war crimes, committed during WW2 in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina): 

Sas wie man yeck barie familia,                                                     I used to have a big family,

Moodardas la ay Calie Legia.                                                         But the Black Legion killed it.

In addition to pointing out the difficulties of life for the Roma, the lyrics of the song also contain and call for Roma around the world to come together:

Awen mansa sa loomniacay Roma,                                               Come with me, Roma from all the world,

Ky pootardilay ay Romanay droma.                                               For the Roma, roads have opened.

Acay wriama, oostie Rom acana,                                                  Now is the time, rise up Roma now,

Amen cootasa misto Ky cayrasa.                                                  We will rise high if we act.

The first line of the song “Gelem, gelem, lungone dromeja” translates as “I went, I went on long roads”, which is also speaks to the history and journey, wanderings and persecutions of the Roma people. The lyrics vary greatly from region to region and from artist to artist, but the first verse and chorus, which appear in every version, are considered to be canon. The sad and heartbreaking melody, as well as the lyrics, tell of how sad the history of the Roma people was.

There are different versions of the origin of the melody “Gelem, gelem”. It is known for sure that the song was popular among the Roma even before it became the official anthem. In 1967, it appeared in the film “Skupljači perja” (lit. “The Feather-Gatherers”, but in European distribution it is known as “I Even Met Happy Gypsies”), directed by Aleksandar Petrović. Both the film and the song used in it became popular and received wide public attention. 

The song “Gelem, gelem” has become a symbol of the unity of the Roma people and their struggle for recognition, equality and the preservation of cultural traditions. It is a kind of anthem for all Roma, expressing their history, pride and desire for justice.

The first World Roma Congress was a turning point in the history of Roma people. Among other things, discussed within this event, the establishment of cultural symbols such as anthem and flag were a pivotal moment that would unite and represent the Roma people on global stage. The anthem “Gelem, gelem” not only reflects severe and painful pages in the history of the Roma people but also contributes to awareness of Roma unity and pride.