Eve of Jubilee Meeting
1.30 p.m – 9.30 p,m
Saturday 10th December 2016
At The Bull Inn, Main Road, St.Paul’s Cray, London BR5 3HS
The Gypsy Council was founded on December 11th 1966 in the very same room that we will hold this jubilee meeting.
HOW TO GET THERE
Public transport. Take a train from London Bridge to St Mary Cray (trains every 30 minutes at ten past and twenty to the hour, journey time 41 minutes. Then either walk down the Station Approach, catch a 51 bus on Sevenoaks Way (the A224) get off at Homebase, walk through the Homebase Car Park, turn right on Main Road, and walk south till you come to the pub by St Paul’s Cray Village Green. Alternatively walk North on Sevenoaks Way, turn right onto Leeson Hill/Station Road (the B258), then left at Main Road and walk north till you get to the Bull. The Bus save you about half the walk. Driving: Leave the M25 at Junction 3, and take the A20 towards London. Turn left at the A224 (Sevenoaks Way) Then take the second turning left onto Main Road, and follow it south to the Bull Inn.
PROGRAMME (subject, of course, to last minute alterations, variations, improvisations and impromptu additions!)
11.00 am Room open, for setting up exhibitions and bookstalls. Pub grub available in pub for refreshment of early arrivals (at their own expense.)
12.30 pm. Visitors welcome
1.30 pm. Welcome to members, former members and visitors. Opening Ceremony including Singing of Gelem Gelem according to text agreed by First World Romani Congress (words and music supplied.) “Oh! Pavee” an Anthem Unveiling by Grattan Puxon of a permanent plaque commemorating the foundation of the Gypsy Council and this Jubilee celebration Investiture of Grattan Puxon as first Hero of the Gypsy Council.
2.00 pm ROUND TABLE ON THE PAST AND THE FUTURE
Session One: THE HISTORY OF THE GYPSY COUNCIL to be introduced by Grattan Puxon Session Two: CURRENT UK GOVERNMENT POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION, PLANNING AND EQUALITY FOR GYPSIES, TRAVELLERS AND ROMA to be introduced by Jan Plummer and Ann Koyabashi
3.00 pm REFRESHMENT BREAK
3.30 pm RELAY OF GREETINGS FROM INTERNATIONAL LEADERS and PAST SUPPORTERS: Zoran Dimov, Ronald Lee, Jorge ‘Lolya’ Bernal, Ian Hancock, Sir Stephen Sedley, The Indian High Commission and others. Poem of celebration by Valdemar Kalinin Trailer for the documentary film on the Gypsy Council in the making by Ioana Constantinescu
4.00 pm ROUND TABLE PART TWO
Session Three THE LEGACY, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ROMANI UNION: Introduced by Joe G.Jones, Khurram Khan, and Valdemar Kalinin Session Four: THE POSSIBILITY OF SELF-SUSTAINING ECONOMIC NETWORKS OF ROMA, GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERS Introduced by Roger Lee, Joe P.Jones.
5.15 REFRESHMENT BREAK
6.00 MUSIC AND POETRY PERFORMANCE to include Phien o Phien, David and Dr Sarah Edwards, Betty Blue and Lisa Mahoney, Valdemar Kalinin, Saeda, and, chiefly, yourselves!
We welcome everyone who has ever been involved with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller campaigning to celebrate the last 50 years! There will be a collection to cover costs. RSVP if possible to thosacton@yahoo.co.uk
Please download any of the resources and day’s materials below: flyer & gelem-gelem-songsheet