Multiculturalism
and Diversity
LILP
held a workshop on its Multiculturalism stream on 21st June 2001,
in the Holiday Inn Express, University Street, Belfast.
The
question of multiculturalism and diversity was identified as one
of particular importance in post-conflict Northern Ireland, both
in terms of practitioners and policy makers. To this end the workshop
adopted a twofold structure:
The
stream also facilitated an exchange visit to Ottawa to consider the
Canadian model of multiculturalism.
An Occasional Paper has been produced as a result of this thematic stream.
It is entitled Multiculturalism
and Diversity, by Cheyanne Church and Anna Visser.
Multiculturalism - National Approaches and Strategies
Panellists
included:
- Mr. Godburdhun,
High Commissioner, Mauritius High Commission, London
- Marie-Josee
La fleur, Canadian Heritage, Ottawa
The most urgent
societal and political challenge of today is the constructive management
of diversity. A number of states such as Canada and Mauritius have
long been implementing such policies, to ensure that all citizens
can keep their identities, take pride in their ancestry and have
a sense of belonging. Multiculturalists argue that this approach
is beneficial to the society as a whole not just in terms of culture,
but also for social cohesion, economic prosperity and human security. For
an outline of the major challenges and questions that arose during
the LILP stream please see the Multiculturalism
and Diversity Occasional Paper
Multiculturalism
- Thematic Approaches
Panellists included:
- Laurie Johnson,
Hoffstre University, USA and Queen's University, Belfast
- Anna Watson,
Chinese Welfare Association, Belfast
- Philip Watt,
Consultative Committee on Racism and Intercuturalism, Dublin
Multiculturalism
as an approach to diversity is not just a specific policy but a much
wider approach; the multicultural approach encompasses all aspects
of society. To this end this workshop tried to illustrate some examples
of how this approach has been implemented in a variety of sectors.
In particular multiculturalism and the changing nature of modern
societies pose a variety of pressures and challenges that are specific
to education, the issues of asylum seekers and refugees, and how
societies combat racism. Other examples include the role of the media
and law enforcement in fostering respect for diversity. For an outline
of the major challenges and questions which arose during the LILP
stream please see Multiculturalism
and Diversity, the occasional paper.
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