Did you know that more of 43% of the Australian population or one of their parents was born in another country? Immigration policy in this country has been changing their rules latetly, but at the beginings of the twentieth century they only let enter the Chinese to work in the mines, then in the 70's they prioritized access to the European and in the last two decades people from all around the planet have stablished in the terretory, and the government has communicated the positive importance of this situation, in an economical, cultural and social way, because the diversity represent a significant contribution. 
Australia is not a multicultural country by chance ... It is a country that seeks and maximaze this aspect, either to redeem a dark past in which they wanted to build a "white" Australia, or just for developed common sense of a land that understand the rich contribution of diversity and the support for neighbors and brother countries (and these are mostly Asian). The result of these policies seems evident just walking on the streets. People from all countries, cultures, races ... who live their lives in peace and harmony with other communities.
Here I'm posting a video that explains briefly this process since the begginings of the country:
Some Facts:
Of our 22 million people, around 10 millions were either born overseas or have one or both parents born overseas
- According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we speak more than 260 languages, including Indigenous languages, and identify with more than 270 ancestries
- 16% of Australians speak another language at home
- Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Arabic are the most spoken languages other than English
- In the past 50 years, 620,000 refugees and displaced people have been resettled into Australia
(Source: The People of Australia | Australia’s Multicultural Policy, Department of Immigration & Citizenship)
You (we as latin americans) can actually find a lot of facilities to study or get a scholarship to study in Australia, for example this webpage --> http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/ which give opportunities to foreign young people to appeal them to go to the country. In fact, this was how I felt atractted to this topic specifically, because I was searching options to study abroad and I ran into the open doors policy that this country has, and the multicultural affluence that conserves because of that.
If you want to know more about this, here I leave a official link to the Australian Goverment web page, where you could find more details about immigration and multicultural communities.
--> http://australia.gov.au/topics/immigration/multicultural-communities
I hope you liked it. Please feel free to comment everything you want; I'm looking foward to hear your opinions and contributions.
Cheers.
Inge.
Inge, very interesting post!
ReplyDeleteI know a couple of friends who had travel abroad in Australia. And they tell me about this "diversity" you’re talking.
Talking about diversity, Do you remember when I comment in class about Conchita Wurst?
He is a "female impersonator" with a growing beard who won a competition. Mr. Villa said, “I probably shouldn’t say this, but it was shocking for me”
And for me was shocking to, because in Chile we`re not use to see diversity, almost in any kind. We don`t have people from all countries, or races or cultures like Australia. This is the main reason why is so shocking for us to see different things, it doesn`t mean that we think is something bad, it`s just atypical or uncommon for our culture.
Thank you Pam! Yes, it's shocking sometimes because we don't use to see different people from us. I have a friend who is also living in Autralia, he's young, he's like our age, like any young in our country, and he told me that we as Chile don't know anything about diversity, because we make weirdfaces when we see a very obese person in the street, with an uncommon hairstyle, or a different outfit. And there is something that is really deep into their consciences, teh cultural awarness is a fundamental topic for them since they're little. because of their history. I think is a excellent example for us to built us, as a society.
ReplyDeleteRegards Pam :)
Only 5 million was born overseas and that's 25% out of Australias population of 25 million. 1 in 5
ReplyDelete