Living Together: Towards A Tolerant Europe

Tuesday 23 April 2002, Pinsent Curtis Biddle, Leeds

Living Together: Towards a Tolerant Europe will explore the development of a European society in a context of increased multiculturalism within its many member countries.

Europe contains within its territorial boundaries an incredible diversity of ethnic, religious and cultural groups. However, throughout Europe there is considerable resistance to national identities based on diversity. Within this environment a number of questions need to addressed, including:

• Can a shared European identity be envisaged? If so, on what symbols and values would this be based?
• How far if at all, can the EU contribute towards the eradication of racism throughout Europe?
• Should immigrants seeking to take European citizenship be subject to "Citizenship Tests"?
• How far will recent policies to outlaw discrimination and ensure equality work in practise?

Chaired by Geoff Druett from Yorkshire Television, the panel comprised of:

• Bob Purkiss, Chair, Euro Monitoring Centre on Racism & Xenophobia
• Surinder Sharma, Director for Diversity in Europe, Ford
• Jean Lambert MEP

Key Points from the Discussion Living Together: Towards a Tolerant Europe:

• Tolerance in itself is not enough. We need to value and respect differences in areas such as culture, ethnicity, race, gender, nationality, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation.
• There needs to be a stronger partnership between the EU, national governments, local governments, business and the voluntary sector to promote an agenda of diversity and respect. The media must play a key role in reporting on issues of 'race' and diversity in a responsible way.
• The private sector has a major role to play in terms of promoting cultural diversity, inclusivity and equal treatment, over and above the clear business rationale to be relevant to their customer base and population within Europe.
• Tools, such as Article 13, which enable positive action to be taken to combat discrimination, need to be promoted and used by all of us.
• Through a debate around the concept of European citizenship - which still means little to most people - there is an opportunity to build an inclusive and diverse meaning which will truly reflect the diversity that we can see within Europe.

To comment on the issues raised or to share your thoughts and ideas on the issues, join our on-line discussion forum.

For further details of Europe & its Citizens - the Future and how to participate, contact Ashika Thanki, the Institute's Development Director at ashika@citizen.org.uk.

Special thanks to Adamson BSMG Worldwide, Accenture, the British Academy, the European Parliament, Glasgow City Council, Pinsent Curtis Biddle, and the Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs Office for their support of Europe & its Citizens - the Future.

Europe & its Citizens - the Future provided a series of discussion forums for people to express their views and opinions, whatever they are, on the issues highlighted. Europe & its Citizens - the Future was a strictly non-partisan project and which did not wish to take a stand on the pro/anti debate around the EU. The views of the participants were, of course, their own and do not represent the view of the Institute for Citizenship or their sponsors.