Spare Time

Rich Mix arts centre in Bethnal Green was the host of a debate between prominent race relations experts, writers and commentators about multiculturalism.

The event attracted about eighty people from across London. It was organised by Pluto Press, The 1990 Trust, and Equanomics UK, which is a coalition of organisations attempting to build an economic-based approach to equality.

I asked people as they left the debate whether they thought multiculturalism was dead or alive. To see their responses click on the video link above.

Differing views

Sunny Hundal, a journalist and founder of the Asians in Media website, said during the debate that multiculturalism is a term that still needs to be explained.

Lee Jasper, an equalities advisor to the London Mayor, defined multiculturalism as government policy that promotes diverse cultures, by honouring religious and ethnic festivals and allowing freedom of speech and religious practice.

He also said that people can still define themselves as British while sharing multicultural pursuits, like different types of food and music.

Neoconservative commentator, Douglas Murray, meanwhile suggested that British pride was being denigrated in the debate about multiculturalism, because some people have assumed that British culture is synonymous with football hooliganism and drinking in the pub.

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk

Your views:

"Multiculturalism is much older than democracy in Britain ......." Alan Griffiths