2018 Annual Meeting of the Gypsy Lore Society and Conference on Gypsy / Romani Studies

The activities of the 2018 Gypsy Lore Society Annual Meeting and Conference on Gypsy/Romani Studies will be held at the National Library of Romania, Bulevardul Unirii 22, in the Bucharest city center.  Plenary sessions will be held at the Ministry of Culture in the same building.

The conference venue has been changed due to unexpected repairs to the earlier location.

Registration

The conference registration fees are

• $40 for Gypsy Lore Society members
• $75 for non-members
  

Use the registration form for conference, banquet, and excursion registration.

Registration closed July 15, 2018.

Book exhibit

The National Library of Romania will open an exhibition of books on Roma published in Romania on September 4, 2018, at 10:30.

Banquet

The conference banquet will be held on Thursday, September 5, 20:00, at Casa Universitarilor (University House), Str. Dionisie Lupu nr. 46. (www.unibuc.ro/despre-ub/recreere-si-timp-liber/casa-universitarilor-bucuresti/). The total cost per person will be maximum 20 Euro. A folk music band will entertain. Each diner will pay on his/her own.

Receptions

A reception will be offered by the City Hall of the 1st District of Bucharest on Thursday evening, September 6. Bus transportation to the reception will be provided.

Excursions and tours

Two excursions will be organized on September 7 and 8 for Gypsy Lore Society Conference participants. Use the  registration form to reserve your place.

Excursion 1

A two day excursion is planned for Friday and Saturday, September 7 and 8, 2018, in Northern Oltenia, 250 km from Bucharest. Several cultural and artistic sites from medieval and modern times will be visited, among them the monastery of Horezu, built between 1690 and 1693 and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On the second day, participants will visit the Bistriţa monastery and will have the opportunity to attend the traditional gathering of the Roma, which takes place each year at the feast day of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin (September 8) near the village of Costeşti. Departure from Bucharest is Friday, September 7, at 9 a.m. and the return is Saturday, September 8, at 8 p.m. The cost of the trip is $99 (€ 80) per person for accommodation in a single room, and $83 (€ 67.50) per person in a shared double room. The price includes transportation, room with private bath, breakfast, and Friday dinner. Lunches at a restaurant will be on your own. Use the registration form to reserve your place on this excursion.

Excursion 2

Friday, September 7, a day trip is organized to Sinaia, a mountain town situated at 130 Km from Bucharest, where several sites will be visited, starting with the Peleş Castle (inaugurated in 1883, which served as the summer residence of the Romanian royal family until 1947). The cost of the trip (minibus) is $25 (€ 20). Lunch at a restaurant will be on your own. Use the registration form to reserve your place on this excursion.

Guided tours in Bucharest

Conference participants who stay in Bucharest on Friday, September 7, may opt for one of the guided tours which will be organized in Bucharest. These tours, which will take several hours each, will be guided by a dedicated guide. The list of these tours will be published on the conference website in July 2018. The only expense is the transportation fee, if the group uses the subway or the bus.

Getting from Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport to the City Center

The Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport is located 18 kilometers from the City Center. (For Henri Coandă International Airport: http://www.bucharestairports.ro/en.)

The city center can be reached by bus (http://www.bucharestairports.ro/en/transport/bus) or by taxi (http://www.bucharestairports.ro/en/transport/taxi).  There are two such buses: number 783 (to the City Center, with the last stops at Universitate and Piaţa Unirii, Unirii Square) and number 780 (to Gara de Nord), north railway station). We recommend you use the taxi, which is faster and relatively inexpensive.

Useful tips at:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294458-c116592/Bucharest:Romania:Otopeni.Airport.To.Bucharest.html

http://touristinromania.net/visit-bucharest/bucharest-airport-transportation-bus-how-to/

http://eurofringes.ucdc.ro/?page_id=49

Accommodation

In the University area there are dozens of hotels and B&B, with good standards but with a significantly higher rates than in other parts of the city. By special arrangement, a number of hotels situated within walking distance from the conference venue (University of Bucharest, Faculty of History) will offer a limited number of rooms at special rates for conference participants.

Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Old Town (4*)

Rooms are available at special rates: 95 EUR for Single Queen Room or Twin Room in single regime, and 105 EUR for Double Twin Room, breakfast included. Rooms must be booked by July 31, 2018. Use this link to reserve your room at this rate. Group code: AWKJGY.

Hotel Berthelot (4*)

You can book a single room at 70 EUR and a double room at 75 EUR, breakfast included. Reservation at office@hotelberthelot.ro, with the reservation code “NIORGA.”

Hotel Capitol (4*)

Until May 31, 2018, reservations can be made at preferential rates: twin rooms from 75 EUR and apartments from 115 EUR, breakfast included. Individual booking requests are to be sent to reservations@hotelcapitol.ro, subject “2018 Conference of the Gypsy Lore Society.”

Bucur Accommodation Hotel Bucharest (3*)

14 Ion Campineanu, 010036, Bucharest

www.bucuraccommodation.ro

Rooms and suites can be booked at special rates: Standard King 57 EUR, Superior Double 63 EUR, Junior Suite 60 EUR, Superior Suite 72 EUR, without breakfast. Reservations at reception@bucuraccommodation.ro, until May 31, 2018.

Other hotels with special rates for conference participants:

Hotel Minerva (4*)

Until August 13, 2018, reservations can be made at sales@minerva.ro at 60 EUR for a single room and 70 EUR for a double room, breakfast included.

Hotel Michelangelo (3*)

Special rates: 250 RON per night for a single room, and 330 RON per night for a double room, breakfast included. Reservations can be made by phone (+40216500027 or +40721795899) or by email (booking@hotelmichelangelo.ro). Mention that you are participants at the GLS Conference.

Hello Hotels Gara de Nord, Bucureşti (2*)

Conference participants have a 15% discount on public rates (booking.com or expedia.com). At the end of April 2018 we will be able to give you an access code for the website www.continentalhotels.ro, where you can make your reservations.

Ibis Bucureşti Gara de Nord (3*)

143 Calea Griviţei, 010708, Bucharest (located near Gara de Nord,  three metro stations from Universitate).

http://www.ibishotels.ro/hotel-ibis-bucuresti-gara-de-nord

Ibis Bucureşti Palatul Parlamentului (3*)

82-84 Izvor St., 050564 Bucharest (located near the Parliament Palace, 2 Km from Universitate; traveling from this hotel to the City Center is by taxi).

http://www.ibishotels.ro/hotel-ibis-bucuresti-palatul-parlamentului

At these two Ibis hotels the reservation at a preferential rate is made through a booking form, which we can send to those interested.

Public transport

For public transport in Bucharest, see:

http://www.metrorex.ro/first_page_p1352-2

http://www.ratb.ro/eng/index.php

http://www.transporturban.ro/en/bucuresti/

https://www.inyourpocket.com/bucharest/Bucharest-Public-Transport

https://www.justlanded.com/english/Romania/Romania-Guide/Travel-Leisure/Getting-around-in-Bucharest

Conference Trivia

Photos from the 2017 Conference

View Mary Humphrey's photographs from the 2017 Annual Meeting and Conference on Gypsy / Romani Studies. Credit the photographer if you use the photos.

Conference photos by László Fosztó.

Video of photos by Chryso Pelekani and University of Cyprus students.

Conference photos by Chryso Pelekani and University of Cyprus students.

Photos from the 2016 conference

Photos by Viorel Achim, László Fosztó, and Matt T. Salo.