5 minute read
REIMAGINING OUR VILLAGE: multiculturalism as biodiversity
BY TAMI HARRIOTT
Living in a beautiful environment can be somewhat paradoxical. As I gaze out at the stunning coastline stretching to the hinterland, I am constantly reminded of how fortunate we are to call the Sunshine Coast home. Yet, these fortunes may be misleading. Beneath the surface of this picturesque landscape, hardship looms. A stroll down the main streets reveals a troubling sight: For Lease signs, vacant shops, and struggling businesses. These empty storefronts serve as a stark reminder that even in the most beautiful places, there can be challenging circumstances.
Our village, once the vibrant heart of our community, is dying. While we are happy to see retirees moving in with their savings, this cannot be the only demographic we attract. This trend highlights a deeper issue: our failure to foster a diverse and inclusive community. Although we encourage multiculturalism, too often, those who come here from different backgrounds are treated as outsiders; hence, their time in our village is frequently cut short.
At the heart of every thriving village is a diverse community that makes it vibrant, resilient, and dynamic. This is what we need to revive our village. Understanding the value of multiculturalism can help our community move beyond being just a tourist destination to becoming a rich tapestry of talents, perspectives, and opportunities waiting to be realised.
GLOBAL COMMUNITY
Our village is not just a collection of homes and businesses; it is a living, breathing organism made up of its inhabitants. We are a global community, and our strength lies in our diversity. People from different corners of the world bring unique cultures, languages, and traditions, enriching our social fabric. This diversity is not something to be tolerated; it is something to be celebrated.
Multiculturalism offers a wealth of benefits to our community. It brings fresh ideas and innovation, fosters greater understanding and empathy, and creates a more dynamic and adaptable workforce. It moves us beyond the narrow confines of homogeneity, allowing us to embrace a broader range of perspectives and experiences. In doing so, we create a community that is more interesting, engaging, robust, and resilient. Together, we become globally competitive because we become more multilingual and culturally astute as our worldviews evolve.
EMBRACING DIVERSITY
Our engagement as a community should be as dynamic as the people who compose it. The discourse in our village should be shaped by the diverse voices of those who live here, reflecting their unique contributions and experiences. This does not mean assimilation or diluting distinct cultural identities. Instead, it means creating a space where all cultures can coexist and thrive, each contributing to the vibrancy and dynamism of our village. We should be open to ideas, even those we didn’t initiate or that may challenge our norms.
Imagine a village where the local market offers what was exotic as familiar, community engagement embraces many traditions, conversations flow in multiple languages, and the stories we share reflect a world of experiences. This is the multilingual, multicultural, and colourful community I envision for our village—a biodiversity of culture within and throughout.
CELEBRATING WHO WE ARE
We are part of a global village. We are not just immigrants but villagers with hopes and dreams for our families and neighbours. We celebrate each other and find comfort in knowing that we matter to each other. We strive to create an environment where all are welcome, we celebrate our differences, and we come together to build a stronger, more cohesive community. This is not just a vision but a call to action. We must recognise that the potential death of our village does not lie in empty storefronts or economic downturns alone; it lies in our failure to embrace the richness of diversity already at our doorstep.
As a global community living in a local village, let us celebrate who we are. Let us embrace our multicultural identity and recognise the value it brings. This is not just about tolerance but about genuine appreciation and celebration of the many cultures that make up our community. It is about coming together—not just getting together—to create a village where everyone feels they belong, where all are welcome, and where every person, regardless of their background, can contribute to the community’s collective wellbeing.
BUILDING A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
This is what we represent: a village where diversity is the pulse that keeps it alive and thriving, a community that does not merely survive but flourishes because of its differences. Join us in celebrating our multicultural community. Join us in making our village not just a place to live but a place to belong—a place where all are welcome, and everyone has a chance to contribute to a vibrant, dynamic, and inclusive future.
Together, let’s revive our village, not by peddling dystopian futures but by embracing it in all its complexity and beauty. Let’s build a community that reflects who we are and who we can be—a global village where local actions have a global impact.
This is our call to action. This is our vision.
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www.usc.edu.au/community/uni_cidsel
