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24th June, 2008

UNISON members unanimously support the One Society Many Cultures campaign

UNISON's National Delegate Conference in Bournemouth (17 - 20 June 2008) voted unanimously to extend congratulations and support for the National Assembly Against Racism's One Society Many Cultures campaign to defend multiculturalism.

COMPOSITE E
DEFENDING AND PROMOTING MULTICULTURALISM [Motions 86 and 87, Amendment 86.1]

Conference notes that recent months have seen sections of the media and politicians attempt to discredit multiculturalism by holding it responsible for various social problems.

Conference condemns in particular statements made by government ministers and media coverage designed to create a climate of Islamophobic hysteria and isolate, demonise and even criminalise Islamic religious practices, choice of dress and cultural expression. We regard these attacks as essentially racist.

Multiculturalism is the view that everybody should be able to live as they please, with the culture they want, so long as this does not harm others. It is a reality of life for millions of people in Britain. The alternative is to force everybody to live according to some imposed cultural 'norms'.

A key plank of the attacks on multiculturalism holds the Black people segregate themselves, and are therefore responsible for the deprivation and discrimination that we experience. Areas with large white majority populations are not considered socially problematic in the same way.

Conference believes that research from Prof Danny Dorling of Sheffield University and Dr Ludi Simpson of Manchester University, who produced a report for the government itself, actually reveals that the opposite is true. Integration between Britain's communities has increased over the past decade.

In reality, multiculturalism does work. London, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham for example, are culturally diverse and economically successful parts of Britain.

UNISON and National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR) has launched a national campaign to defend and promote multiculturalism called: 'One Society, Many Cultures' producing materials, stickers, t-shirts, web site and newsletters.

Conference calls on the National Executive Council to work with the National Black Members Committee to:

continue the joint UNISON and National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR) campaign 'One Society, Many Cultures' in order to celebrate and defend multiculturalism;

work with branches and regions to develop a strategy to promote multiculturalism;

work with the TUC and other appropriate organisations to promote these ideals to government;

run a UNISON fringe event at Labour Party Conference and TUC Congress promoting the positive contributions of multiculturalism.

86 National Black Members' Committee
86.1 London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
87 Rochdale

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