21 November 2008
Multicultural societies are fast becoming the rule rather than the exception and contrary to the rhetoric, however, it is not becoming a source of strength, said His Royal Highness Raja Nazrin Shah, the Crown Prince of Perak Darul Ridzuan today in a keynote address to open the 5th Diversity Matters Forum at Monash University Sunway Campus.
He said mankind is failing - and failing badly - at creating a sense of community. "Instead race, culture and religion have become the dominant discourse. When we think of social fragmentation as good rather than bad, something is awfully wrong. Our moral gyroscopes have gone completely awry. If we continue on the present path, great dangers lie ahead," he added.
Raja Nazrin Shah said societies need to avoid falling into a new and destructive form of modern day tribalism. "Nothing is inevitable. Cultures can co-operate as much as clash."
"The serious study of diversity and multiculturalism is precisely what the world needs at this critical juncture.I do not believe that we will ever approach the goal of human security until we are able to come to terms with our feelings of hatred, fear and apathy of our differences."
He said diversity is not only to be cherished; it is essential. "I know this as an educationist for the store of knowledge does not increase until and unless there are differences in thinking."
"In this regard, the effort of some Commonwealth governments to introduce deliberate diversity policies in their public services is therefore a timely and responsive measure that can have manifold consequences down the line. Diversity needs to be promoted at every level, down to local governments and communities," he said.
The two-day 2008 Diversity Matters forum will examine the size, scale and location of diaspora and discuss how they are constructed, the faith connections and the education imperatives, said Monash University Sunway Campus' School of Arts & Social Sciences head Professor James Chin.
The event has attracted an excellent program of international speakers and hopes to contribute new thinking and arrive at policy recommendations that will influence the Commonwealth's approach to understanding, working with and managing diasporas in the Commonwealth.
It will produce inputs for consideration at two key Commonwealth meetings in 2009, the 17th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers, taking place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in June 2009, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and Commonwealth People's Forum, taking place in Trinidad and Tobago in November 2009.
Speakers at the event include Sir James Gobbo, Chair, Australian Multicultural Foundation; Professor Stephanie Fahey, Monash University; Professor Graeme Hugo, University of Adelaide, Australia; Professor Kee Pookong Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan; Dr Howard Duncan, Executive Head - Metropolis Project, Canada; Rev Dr Hermin Shastri, Secretary General Council of Churches, Malaysia; Dr Kris Rampersad, Communications and Literary Consultant, Trinidad and Tobago; Professor Richard Bedford, University of Waikato, New Zealand, and many others.
The event has been organised by the Commonwealth Foundation, Australian Multicultural Foundation and Monash University, with support from India's The Statesman newspaper and the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI). | 
