This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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One Scotland Many Cultures
16/02/2004
The latest phase of the One Scotland Many Cultures
campaign was launched today, focusing on young people and
racism at work.
The new phase of the campaign is in response to an
evaluation of the first phase of the campaign which found
that Scots are now more aware of racism. The research also
found that people think the Executive should continue to
highlight the unacceptability of racist language and
behaviour and to encourage people - especially young people
- to speak out if they are offended by it.
Minister for Communities Margaret Curran said:
"One Scotland Many Cultures has clearly struck a chord
with the many Scots who are concerned about racism but who
keep quiet when faced with it. We now want to encourage
everyone to speak out if racist behaviour or language
offends them and to challenge those who think it is
acceptable to undermine people's race and culture, at work
or anywhere else.
"We are targeting young people in this phase of the
campaign because we want to encourage them to speak out
against bigoted and discriminatory behaviour. Young people
are our future and they should be given the confidence and
every opportunity to embrace and celebrate Scotland's
diversity.
"It is also apparent from our consultations with
organisations such as the Commission for Racial Equality,
STUC and the CBI that there is a real need to tackle racism
in the workplace. This campaign aims to give people the
confidence to say that there is no place for racism in
Scotland and it is just as unacceptable at work as it is
anywhere else.
"We are already funding a range of projects to tackle
racism through sport, the workplace and the arts. I am now
interested in exploring how we could further develop our
work across rural and urban Scotland to help communities
tackle racism and promote greater understanding of our
diverse
culture. Today I am announcing that I will shortly
be consulting with a
range of statutory and voluntary agencies and
communities on how we might develop a more strategic
approach to delivering our local race equality work. We
need to be able to respond to the needs of our communities
- not only in the central belt, but elsewhere across
Scotland."
The campaign will run in all six cities and in towns
throughout Scotland, for one month using billboard and bus
shelter sites, radio advertising and programming and water
cooler cups in 750 Scottish offices. Further work is being
developed using websites targeted at young people and the
workplace.
Leading voices across Scotland have added their support
to the campaign.
Maureen Fraser, Head of the Commission for Racial
Equality in Scotland said:
"The CRE welcomes the Scottish Executive's One Scotland
Many Cultures campaign. This second phase clearly builds
on the considerable success of phase one and the CRE
particularly welcomes the campaign's focus on racism at
work as well as its aim of engaging young people.
"The campaign underlines the need for everyone in
Scotland, our public institutions as well as all
individuals to play an active part in challenging racial
discrimination and helping to build a fair and just
Scotland."
Iain McMillan, Director of CBI Scotland today said:
"We fully support the aims of this campaign. Quite
simply, not only is it morally and legally right to tackle
racism, it is good for business."
Marc Liddle, Chief Executive of Young Scot, the national
youth information agency said:
"It is vital that we work together to ensure that
everyone living in Scotland, including young people,
appreciate the value and richness that a Scotland of many
cultures brings."
Sally Daghlian, Chief Executive of the Scottish Refugee
Council also supported the campaign, saying:
"The One Scotland Many Cultures campaign is both a
reminder of how much Scotland has done to encourage
cultural diversity and a warning about how much needs still
to be done to challenge the racism and discrimination that
can often accompany it."
The One Scotland Many Cultures campaign will run from
16 March for one month. Pictures of the new posters and
sound tracks of the new radio adverts can be viewed and
listened to on the One Scotland Many Cultures website:
www.onescotland.com.
Reports of the surveys conducted before and after the
first phase and repeat phase of the campaign can be found
on
www.onescotland.com.
Research into the materials used in this phase of the
campaign was conducted by NFO System Three in January
2004.
The Commission for Racial Equality Scotland were closely
involved in the development of the campaign and around
thirty groups and organisations were briefed on the
background and aims.
The budget for phase two of One Scotland Many Cultures
is £513,424.