BARE RROMA 2026/“Nicolae's Scarf”: the story of Roma sociologist and activist Nicolae Gheorghe, in a children's book
One of the most important voices for Roma rights becomes the hero of a children's book. “Nicolae's Scarf”, published as part of the Bare Rroma project and available online for free in a bilingual Romanian–Romani edition, tells the story of sociologist and activist Nicolae Gheorghe (1946–2013), the man who taught others to get to know and listen to one another.
The hero of the story is a little boy who loves reading more than anything and who always wears a red scarf around his neck — “like a friend who never leaves you”. His classmates laugh at him and push him around, and Nicolae finds refuge in the library next to the school. One day, a wrong turn takes him to an unfamiliar neighbourhood on the edge of town, where a little girl with a scarf just like his speaks to him in a language he doesn't understand and leads him to Bibi, her aunt. From her, Nicolae learns the lesson that will change his life: every person has a light of their own inside, like a star that others can see but cannot always understand. “Yours is strong, Nicolae! Wear it with pride!”. The boy discovers that the girl's language is called Romani, spends many years studying Roma history, and goes to communities to listen to people's stories and pass them on. And his scarf gradually takes on all the colours of the Roma flag: the blue of the sky, the green of nature and the red wheel — the road of our grandparents, which we carry forward.
The biographical excerpt in the book tells readers that Nicolae Gheorghe was born into a Roma family in Roșiorii de Vede and that, through his well-chosen and powerful words, he helped many people understand how important it is for Roma to be respected and valued in society. He received important awards for his work and, together with others, contributed to the official adoption of the word “Roma” (“rom”), established starting in 2000.
The book was written and translated into Romani by two young Roma women, Antonia-Gabriela Mihai and Sorina-Maria Urdoi, students at the University of Bucharest, Romani Language and Literature Study Programme, following ten creative writing workshops coordinated by writer Iulia Iordan and journalist Ana Maria Ciobanu. The illustrations are by Mihaela Paraschivu, the translation into Romani was coordinated by Prof. Alexandru Zamfir, and the book is also available in English, translated by Brandi Bates.
A short pronunciation guide to the letters specific to the Romani alphabet.
Topics: #sociologist #activism #rights #RomaEthnicity
DETAILS
Published: September 2026
Recommended for: kindergarten, primary and middle school children
Free digital version
Status: the book is not available in bookstores
Pages: 28
Size: 20 x 25 cm
Cover type: paperback
The book is distributed free of charge to schools and libraries in the network of our project partners, Roma Education Fund and the Comunitățile Viitorului Association.
AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATOR
EDITING & TRANSLATIONS
Iulia Iordan, editor
Oana Sandu - copy editor
Alexandru Zamfir, Romani translation coordinator
Brandi Bates, English translation
Bare Rroma — books as windows and mirrors for children
The book is part of the third edition of the Bare Rroma project (“great/important people” in the Romani language), the first and only series of illustrated stories for children in Europe featuring Roma heroines and heroes, developed by the Cu Alte Cuvinte association. The 2026 edition brings a first: while the first two editions brought contemporary personalities to the forefront, the four new books are dedicated to Roma figures from the past who are essential to history but too little known. Each book is a window into the Roma community and a mirror for Roma children, and each story comes with a teaching guide with diversity education activities, available free of charge online.
In 2026, 4,000 printed copies of the four books reach 15,000 children free of charge, through 1,000 teachers and librarians across the country, in the network of our project partners: Roma Education Fund Romania, the Comunitățile Viitorului Association and EduPedu. The books are not available in bookstores, but they can be read in full, free of charge, in digital format on the association's website, in bilingual editions (Romanian–Romani and English–Romani).
DISCOVER THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE COLLECTION
The books and the activity guide were created as part of the second edition of the Bare rroma project, co-financed by AFCN in 2024. Bare rroma means great/important people in the Romani language. The first edition of the Bare Rroma project received 2nd prize at the Civil Society Gala in the “Education and Schooling” section, the award in the “Social Inclusion and Intercultural Dialogue” category at the AFCN Awards Gala, and a nomination at the Itsy Bitsy Gala in the “Social Inclusion” section.
The “BARE RROMA” project is co-financed by AFCN (the Administration of the National Cultural Fund) and runs from January to November 2026.
The project does not necessarily represent the position of the Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or for the way in which the project's results may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the grant beneficiary.