Many Cultures, One Country: Perspectives on Multiculturalism from Across the World
VIEW EVENT DETAILSWith:
Robin Higham, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa, Canada
Lin Chung Ying, Consul General, Republic of Singapore
Parmesh Shahani, Head, Godrej India Culture Lab
All countries grapple with the apparent contrast between a multicultural and nationalistic society, and deal with this dissonance in many ways, from stifling cultural differentiation to promoting integrative societies. Following the recent remarks by United Kingdom Prime Minister, David Cameron, on the UK's challenges with multiculturalism, the topic is rife for debate. Bringing together approaches from countries with vastly different experiences with multiculturalism, our international panel will reflect on lessons and best practices in the field, and how each country creates its unique approach to sustainable multiculturalism.
Robin Higham, a former member of the Canadian Foreign Service, began his public service career in 1964. His posts have ranged from Canada's Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the UN World Food Program and the World Food Council, to Canada's Ambassador to Morocco. He has worked across globe in countries including Ghana, the United States, Belgium and Thailand. Higham has significant expertise on the intersection of diversity and governance. He has served as the Director General of Canada's cultural diplomacy agency within its foreign ministry DFAIT, and is currently a Senior Fellow at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. He has researched cultural pluralism, cultural diplomacy and the governance of culturally diverse societies.
Lin Chung Ying joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 1970. Where he has served as Second Secretary in the Singapore High Commission in Wellington, Deputy Director in the ASEAN Division, and Deputy Director of the Southeast Asia section of the Political Division. He worked as Deputy Director (Special Duties), being the staff officer to the Permanent Secretary (Foreign Affairs), from 1981-82. He served as Counsellor in the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur from 1982 to 1986. He was seconded to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the People's Association between 1986 and 2007. Mr. Lin was appointed Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 January 2008 and held this appointment and also the position of Senior Fellow in the MFA Diplomatic Academy until his posting to Mumbai as Consul General on 8 August 2010.
Parmesh Shahani is a TED Fellow and has a Masters degree in Comparative Media studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Parmesh currently heads the Godrej-India Culture Lab, a new think tank dedicated to probing the textured nature of modernity in contemporary India, and also serves as Editor at Large for Verve, India's oldest fashion and luxury magazine. In his last assignment, he helped set up the Mahindra group's corporate venture fund, where he sought radical ideas for the group to invest in from a strategic perspective, and also worked on other innovation experiments for the group.
AsianAffairs investigates the most pertinent socio-political and economic issues that affect the continent to decode the intricate relations among nations.
RSVP:
[email protected]
Robin Higham, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa, Canada
Lin Chung Ying, Consul General, Republic of Singapore
Parmesh Shahani, Head, Godrej India Culture Lab
All countries grapple with the apparent contrast between a multicultural and nationalistic society, and deal with this dissonance in many ways, from stifling cultural differentiation to promoting integrative societies. Following the recent remarks by United Kingdom Prime Minister, David Cameron, on the UK's challenges with multiculturalism, the topic is rife for debate. Bringing together approaches from countries with vastly different experiences with multiculturalism, our international panel will reflect on lessons and best practices in the field, and how each country creates its unique approach to sustainable multiculturalism.
Robin Higham, a former member of the Canadian Foreign Service, began his public service career in 1964. His posts have ranged from Canada's Permanent Representative to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the UN World Food Program and the World Food Council, to Canada's Ambassador to Morocco. He has worked across globe in countries including Ghana, the United States, Belgium and Thailand. Higham has significant expertise on the intersection of diversity and governance. He has served as the Director General of Canada's cultural diplomacy agency within its foreign ministry DFAIT, and is currently a Senior Fellow at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa. He has researched cultural pluralism, cultural diplomacy and the governance of culturally diverse societies.
Lin Chung Ying joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in 1970. Where he has served as Second Secretary in the Singapore High Commission in Wellington, Deputy Director in the ASEAN Division, and Deputy Director of the Southeast Asia section of the Political Division. He worked as Deputy Director (Special Duties), being the staff officer to the Permanent Secretary (Foreign Affairs), from 1981-82. He served as Counsellor in the Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur from 1982 to 1986. He was seconded to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the People's Association between 1986 and 2007. Mr. Lin was appointed Director (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 January 2008 and held this appointment and also the position of Senior Fellow in the MFA Diplomatic Academy until his posting to Mumbai as Consul General on 8 August 2010.
Parmesh Shahani is a TED Fellow and has a Masters degree in Comparative Media studies from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Parmesh currently heads the Godrej-India Culture Lab, a new think tank dedicated to probing the textured nature of modernity in contemporary India, and also serves as Editor at Large for Verve, India's oldest fashion and luxury magazine. In his last assignment, he helped set up the Mahindra group's corporate venture fund, where he sought radical ideas for the group to invest in from a strategic perspective, and also worked on other innovation experiments for the group.
AsianAffairs investigates the most pertinent socio-political and economic issues that affect the continent to decode the intricate relations among nations.
RSVP:
[email protected]
Event Details
Tue 01 Mar 2011
Jnanapravaha, Queens Mansion, 3rd Floor, G. Talwatkar Marg, Fort, Mumbai Mumbai
For ticketing information, please contact Asia Society India Centre at [email protected]