In Europe the Roma form a community of some 8 million souls. They are a misunderstood people, isolated from the world by the negative stereotypes that suround them; for centuries, policies devised to deal with them have been aimed at their physical or cultural destruction. This book is intended to foster a better understanding of the Roma by describing, on the one hand, the richness of their culture and lifestyle and the strength of their identity and, on the other, the mistreatment they have suffered over the centuries. This clear and accessible account of such a thoroughly complex and conflict-ridden situation will particularly interest teachers, trainers, community workers, social wokers and people with political or administrative responsibilities in the field. It is also a means for Roma organisations to disseminate information. The final pages of the book set out the foundations for a programme of talor-made, concerted action.