Perth’s lesson “Difference” without “Disunity”
Pakorn Puengnetr
Translated by Saowanee Chatkeaw
During the period Thai society has faced new challenges to resolve great restiveness of the deep South, the far-off land of the southern hemisphere has valuable experience of “unanimity” and “cultural pluralism” beyond all any conflicts and divisions.
Among more than 200 racial groups using at least 170 dialects, Perth, a capital of the state of Western Australia, still could build peacefulness. Its key to success is the respect people wholeheartedly give one another. In spite of “difference” in their cultures, it does not cause them “disunity” or “divisions.”
Perth “Difference” without “Disunity”
“I came from Bangladesh,” softly said a dark-skin taxi driver.
“Zimbabwe is my background,” smilingly stated a middle-age college lecturer.
“I moved from China to set up a store with my whole family,” conversed the owner of Chinese fast-food restaurant with her customer.
“I used to work in Germany before moving here and already plan to settle in.” widely smilingly expressed full-grown guy.
“I lived in Sathon and came here to study a master’s degree,” mentioned Thai young students.
At the end of October, Perth also hosted the fifth Asia-Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue and invited Isra news team to report regional religion, belief, and culture. Religious leaders of all religions and leaders of public and private organizations overseeing peacefulness and cultural diversity of 14 countries including Thailand, facing versatile situation with both political crisis and restive southernmost, attended the conference.
Interfaith Dialogue seems vital as great conflicts in many countries throughout this region and even the world stem from the difference in religions, races, and cultures. Such conflicts have seemingly been menacing the world more and more.
Amongst bright atmosphere of Perth’s spring season, both large and small sessions conducted in two whole days could germinate “Perth Declaration.” The essence of 14 articles requires the governments of any countries in the region, diverse ethnical leaders, youth, and media to coordinately drive the practical process of peace building and conflict resolution.
Despite difference in beliefs and religions, the delegates of all 14 countries made a promise together to oversee the projects and activities driven for peace building and conflict resolution. They concentrate on development, environment, and social justice, along with the requirements for everyone involved to dedicate for “new generation leaders” and “the youth” so as to network understanding building and reduce conflicts and restiveness due to the difference.
Professor Emeritus Gary D Bouma of Monash University, who is Unesco Chair in Inter-religious and Intercultural Relations — Asia Pacific stated that a strategy for people of all religions to live peacefully was to educate them more about the religion, especially about the others’ religions and try to weave the relations between religious leaders more tightly.
“We have to build our understanding, open the sphere of embracing one another to learn the difference of religions and ethnical histories,” concluded professor Bouma.
Lesson of Aussies
Choosing Australia to be the host of Interfaith Dialogue conference seems appropriate since it used to experience severe hostility leading into bloodshed between “white people” as newcomers and Aborigines and the islanders of Torres Strait as natives who have belonged to the land over the past millions years.
This land had tragic memory of ethnic devastation, racial discrimination ism, and assimilation policy forcing native people to replace their ethnic and ancestry way of life with western culture adoption.
The situation, however, has dramatically changed when successive administrations after World War II announced “Cultural Pluralism Policy” to promote racial, religious, and cultural equality for all Australians under the protection of legislation. Australia, consequently, becomes the role model of “modern state” that could reconcile people across society appraisingly.
The key to success is to embrace, respect, and honor the natives’ way of live, their tradition, and culture.
“Flag Raising Ceremony,” in every first week of July is an instance of its policies to annually conduct a national interesting event for the natives.
Nowadays, Australia is the second of 140 countries in United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s ranking of world’s most livable countries. Meanwhile Perth ranked the fifth of the world most livable cities.
Opening art zone
Paying respect to the diverse ethnics is the way a modern city like Perth applies for conflict resolution.
At the Western Australia Art Gallery situated in unique unpainted cement building, the showcase of Indigenous Art Awards could illustrate the diversity of their works created with an oil color, a water base paint, and photography, as well as modern arts with several materials.
A large number of colorful dots are Aborigine style that the natives have preserved until now. Such art partially reflects their struggle against western invasion and also their own cultural identity.
The sentence “You took our lives, land, language, and liberty but you cannot take our souls” that seems like statement in protest reveals the part of Australian cultural context in which there has been sediment remaining in the hearts of many invaded natives.
Besides paying respect to the natives, the arts for people from all walks of life are also Australia’s major concern. Therefore Perth International Arts Festival, the most age-old festival of the southern hemisphere, has annually been conducted to show film, music, art, literature, and the showcases of community arts provided at no charges.
Cultural pluralism study
Living peacefully in diverse society does not take place coincidently and spontaneously. It has also been systematically studied by several researchers who try to continually develop its model.
The Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI), located in Perth, takes the charge of coordination for policy and plan development of Western Australia to serve the diversity of culture, language, and religion. This office has mission to equalize the minority and ethnics’ right to access public services and be protected under human right.
Ms. Maria Osman, the head of OMI who was not born in Australia, pointed out that among multicultural society in Australia, all people should have equal rights and opportunities. Her office consequently provides the consulting and dialogues between the ethnics.
In addition to OMI, Centre for Muslim States and Societies (CMSS), the institute of Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at University of Western Australia deeply concentrates on the way of living peacefully and unanimously rather than just studies Muslim society.
Difference without disunity
As we know, Perth is one of the destinations of students from all over the world. Since in every thousand people, there have been 19 oversea students, Western Australia governor determined to constitute the project “Perth Education City” to serve Perth’s educational industry. It launched publicity to reach all target groups. Its website and brochures have also been translated into many languages including Thai.
“As one of the most important cities of Australia, Perth has the sunset scenery; in contrary, well-known Sydney and Melbourne have only sunrise scenery (because both of them are on the east of the continent)” interestingly mentioned Mr. Mike Ryan, the executive of Perth Education City Project.
Such a lovely comparison he showed off the strong point of this city.
Perth, an adorable small city, is the role model of “difference without disunity” that could partly become the case study for Thai society.