Activity 1
- What does this say about multiculturalism?
What multiculturalism emphasizes is the issue of political recognition and cultural rights when different social groups coexist in a society, which means recognizing the equal value of different cultures and giving all social and cultural groups equal political, social, and cultural status. Australia is a multicultural country. The Australian government has formulated many policies and measures to establish discourse power for vulnerable groups in society so that all cultures can treat each other equally and live in harmony.
- What does this say about cultural diversity?
Cultural pluralism implies multi-ethnic and multi-cultural coexistence, and it also requires the recognition of cultural differences and equal treatment.
- On reflection what are your thoughts about the relationship between multiculturalism and First Nation culture?
I reflected on it. There are no aboriginal festivals in Australian public holidays. On the other hand, Chinese public holidays include many festivals that have been passed down for thousands of years, such as the Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, etc. In addition to their specific morals, these festivals all include the meaning of thanking the world, worshiping ancestors, and remembering ancestors. These traditional festivals are an important part of the long history and culture of the Chinese nation. The formation of traditional festivals is a process of long-term accumulation and cohesion of the history and culture of a nation or country. Traditional festivals condense the national spirit and national emotion of the Chinese nation and are an important spiritual link to maintain national unity and social harmony. Through the form of periodic recurrence, it strengthens the cultural identity consciousness of the Chinese nation. Now many important festivals of Chinese traditional culture have begun to go to the world. For example, the Spring Festival, now there are Spring Festival celebrations all over the world. Through these festivals, traditional Chinese culture is spread and promoted, and it also contributes to the establishment of a world where multiple cultures live in harmony. No matter how the times develop, human emotions and hearts are always connected. Aboriginal people are also members of the global village. I believe that the traditional festivals of the aborigines will also move the world and are worthy of celebration. Why is there no aboriginal traditional festival on Australia’s public holiday?
Activity 2: FNC
- The audience question: “Why do we insist on promoting multiculturalism when it so clearly hinders us from a unified national identity and culture?”
Australia is an immigration nation. Almost half of our current population was either born overseas or has at least one parent born overseas. And we come from every culture, every race, every faith, and every nation. We are defined not by race, religion, or culture, but by shared values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and equality of opportunity-a “fair go”. The glue that holds us together is mutual respect – a deep recognition that each of us is entitled to the same respect, the same dignity, the same opportunities…Multicultural Australia: United, Strong, Successful renews and reaffirms the Government’s commitment to a multicultural Australia, in which racism and discrimination have no place. [1]
Multiculturalism will not prevent us from forming a unified national identity and culture. Promoting multiculturalism will make society more harmonious and inclusive. Multiculturalism will allow Australia to be more united, strong, and successful.
[1] http://17963711.s21d-17.faiusrd.com/61/ABUIABA9GAAgmICn7AUot-rorQM.pdf
