Multiculturalism and Living in Australia

About Multiculturalism:

Is there a well established definition of Multiculturalism or it still evolving? I would like to share with you here my personal thoughts about Multiculturalism and what I see as the three essential elements:

- Participation for everyone
- Inclusiveness
- Respect and a sense of belonging for everyone

If practiced, these three elements enable a community to live and work together harmoniously and allow full and effectively participation in society.

Australia is a culturally diverse society. At every level of national, state government and community practice there are in place well defined multicultural policies and practices which promote: community relations, access and equity, social justice, equal opportunity and anti-racism.

The three dimensions of Multicultural policy are:

ƒو Cultural identity: the right of all Australians to express and share their cultural heritage, including language and religion

ƒو Social justice: the right of all Australians to equality of treatment and opportunity, and the removal of barriers of race, ethnicity, culture, religion, language, gender or place of birth

ƒو Productive diversity: the need to maintain, develop and utilise effectively the skills and talents of all Australians.

So what then is a ،§living،¨ definition of multiculturalism and how do we experience it every day in our lives?


Multiculturalism in Practice:

Respect is an essential living witness to our practice.. Western Australia is a Multi-ethnic, Multi-religious and Multi-cultural society. Respecting difference is a reflection of two basic Australian values: a ،§fair go،¨ for everyone and tolerance towards others. People have the right to be different and practice their respective differences without interference or being discriminated against, and intertwined with this is a respectfulness and valuing of people،¦s rich and ancient practices.

All citizens are equal in the eyes of the law and should receive equal treatment. Service providers who recognise this value and promote cultural and religious diversity can address more fully the needs of their clients. Respecting the role of religion in various cultures is part of courteous, ethical and professional behaviour, which promotes a just and equitable society. All Citizens have equal opportunity at work and in school.

Other than respect what are the other outward signs of multiculturalism that we experience?


WA Multicultural policy focussed on Cultural Pluralism:

This approach emphasises cultural practices, such as food, song and dance, different skills and backgrounds, employment opportunities and adequate health care for everyone.

Multiculturalism is all about us achieving social cohesion within a framework of justice and equity for all citizens.
And even more broadly speaking Democratic Pluralism recognises that difference exists, both at an institutional and individual level, including social, cultural, political, religious and economic difference. It explicitly takes into account the varying needs that may arise from these differences and acknowledges that different needs require different solutions. The hallmark of a democracy is to ensure that all its citizens have equal rights and responsibilities so that they can participate fully in social, economic and cultural life.
ƒو Food, Dance & Songs:
There are many examples in our local community that show how diverse communities feels free to demonstrate their culture whether it is through food, songs, dance or artistic displays. For example, we can see in Perth a number of Asian and Lebanese restaurants; there are various dance and music bands (such as Al Afrah for belly dancing, Latino American/Scottish bands) who perform on a regular basis. There are specific events such as St Patrick،¦s Day that revive particular traditions that have a specific significance for a particular culture.

We see evidence of this in our own local Harmony Day celebrations, where we see a variety of traditional costumes, songs, dances and displays of major cultural significance.


ƒو Employment & skills opportunities:

Employment and skilling opportunities are not easy to obtain and still present large obstacles for may people. Migrants and refugees are sometimes able to find work in bakeries or restaurants or other employment that are operated by people who are also from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds..

This remains however a very difficult area for Migrants and Refugees to access due to the fact that one of the major requirements for employment in WA is to have Australian qualifications or qualifications formally recognised in Australia. The next hurdle comes with a requirement for local experience, which for a refugee or migrant can be extremely difficult to display.


ƒو Language & Communication:
The 2006 Census of Population and Housing results released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirms that Australia is a nation of rich cultural and linguistic diversity with one in five people (21.9%) born overseas and three in twenty (15.7%) speaking a language other than English at home.
Perth had the second highest proportion of people born overseas of all Australian capital cities after Sydney (31.3% and 31.7% respectively).
People from more than 200 different countries live, work and study in Western Australia, speaking as many as 270 languages and identifying with more than 100 religious faiths.


Conclusion

I think it is very important to highlight the positive impact that ethnic communities have made to the social, economic and cultural development of Western Australia. I also don،¦t forget the real issues facing culturally and linguistically diverse communities including racism, barriers to employment and marginalisation in the housing market.
Often I am asking myself why do Humans create Wars? Why should Humans leave their homeland, family, and friends and become Refugees in a new homeland?
Therefore, I believe it is our responsibility to do the very best we can for the wellbeing of our Humanity. We want a new world where every human being is respected with his right to be different, we all have a role to play in our society; everyone has the right to keep his own culture and belief, and at the same time, everyone must respect the others،¦ culture and their beliefs. I assure you and all our friends who believe in the strengths of a Multicultural Society, that we, all together, look forward for a better future for/in our new Homeland in WA.
PS. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts and feedback. Please do not hesitate to email me. With many thanks,

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