8 December 2006
Tony Blair has outlined how he believes the right balance can be struck between integration and diversity in British Society.
Speaking in the latest in a series on lectures on future challenges entitled "Our Nation’s Future", the Prime Minister said that the right to be in a multi-cultural society "was always, implicitly balanced by a duty to integrate, to be part of Britain, to be British and Asian, British and black, British and white."
He emphasized that this is not about rejecting values:
"… it is not that we need to dispense with multicultural Britain. On the contrary we should continue celebrating it."
The lecture series sets out his views on the long-term challenges facing Britain.
- Watch the lecture in Windows Media Player (opens in new window)
- Watch the lecture in Real Player (opens in new window)
- Listen to the speech as mp3 (opens in new window)
- Read the full speech
- Read background to this lecture
A number of practical and symbolic measures were set out that Mr Blair believes can help show what is meant by integration in modern Britain.
These include using grants to promote integration, examine the issue of female equality in religion, restricting the entry of visiting preachers, and ensuring the proper command of English.
Mr Blair said that these measures themselves will not solve the problem, but "there is no simple action by government that can solve it".
He added that it requires "an act of collective leadership from us all and, in particular, from the leaders of the main religious and racial groups that go to make up the diverse identity of the modern British nation."
"The right to be different. The duty to integrate. That is what being British means. And neither racists nor extremists should be allowed to destroy it."
Today’s event is hosted by the Runnymede Trust: an educational charity whose aim is to promote a successful multi-ethnic Britain.
delicious
digg
facebook
