“The Ring of Time” – A Groundbreaking Educational Board Game on Roma History Launched in Bucharest
Bucharest, October 3, 2025. Today, at the Ion Creangă Branch of the Bucharest Metropolitan Library, the launch of the educational board game “The Ring of Time” took place in the presence of students from the Secondary School in Mărgineni, Prahova County. These students, taught by the history teacher, Ioan Valentin Negoi, contributed with their ideas to the creation of the game.
Designed for middle school students (grades 4–8), the innovative educational package offers a captivating journey through four defining moments in Roma history: migration, slavery, the Holocaust, and the post-communist era. By combining historical knowledge with interactive play, the game transforms learning into an engaging, empathetic, and memorable experience.
At the core of the project is the first-ever board game dedicated to Roma history, developed by Cu Alte Cuvinte Association and historyan Ioan Valentin Negoi, in partnership with the Roma Education Fund Romania, and co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN). The game design was created by Florin Purluca, while the illustrations were brought to life by Anca Smărăndache.
“I deeply believe that learning through play is the most powerful way to break down prejudices and build bridges. My hope is that everyone who plays this game will understand that Romania’s history is not complete without the story of the Roma. Over the past months, I poured my heart into this project. ‘The Ring of Time’ is like an open book that carries players through the history of the Roma people. It’s a game that stirs emotions and is valuable not only for Roma students, but also for majority students,”
— Dr. Ioan Valentin Negoi, historian and teacher
To ensure that the package becomes a true educational resource, the project also provides teachers with a pedagogical guide and three dedicated webinars led by Dr. Negoi, focusing on Roma history and interactive teaching methods.
Over 800 sets, each containing the board game and the companion book “The Horse-Head Ring”, will be distributed free of charge to teachers across Romania, with an estimated impact on more than 16,000 students. Additionally, the game will be made available online in a free digital format, enabling widespread use in classrooms and beyond.
Looking ahead, the project aims to be more than just an educational tool. It seeks to foster a new generation of students who understand, respect, and celebrate ethnic diversity — beginning with a genuine knowledge of Roma history.
