Multicultural Society

A multicultural society includes people from several different cultures. People of different colours, nationalities, languages, beliefs and customs live together in one community.

Many governments support the integration of other ethnic groups into society. Multicultural education aims to prepare children for living in a multiracial society. It gives them an understanding of the cultures and histories of different ethnic groups. As a result, an initiative for multicultural teaching came in the UK.

Multi-cultural education works against racism and racial disadvantage in schools. When people learn about different ways of life, it helps to break down barriers between ethnic groups which are caused by ignorance.

Human beings have a tendency to be suspicious of cultures they do not understand. Living with different cultures brings a better under¬standing of world beliefs and cultures and helps to encourage religious and social tolerance. In cosmopolitan cities such as London the British live next door to Pakistanis or West Indians. Their children attend the same schools, and grow up shoulder to shoulder. New York is as cosmopolitan as London but is not as mixed. Here, some nationalities stay in their own areas, like the Russians in the Russian section, the Germans in the German section. In cities such as San Fransisco, New York and London the Chinatown street signs are in Chinese as well as English.