EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION

Ignorance creates barriers. Education has the potential to remove ignorance. No culture or religion is perfect as humans themselves are imperfect. Anyone who says that theirs is the perfect religion should arouse suspicion. However, before we criticise other cultures or beliefs, we must understand them first. And this understanding requires study, experience, travel and patience. And that is the totality of cultural education. If a school has pupils from different backgrounds, it has the greatest potential to educate about diversity, provided it makes use of the diversity that already exists and encourages communication and connectivity. Where a school does not have pupils from diverse backgrounds, it would need to do more active diversity field trips. Fortunately, in Britain today there are many sites one can visit to meet different cultures and experience their beliefs and festivals. It is more difficult to educate adults who are outside the school system and where habits and views are entrenched. However, we must try. For example, the curry is a very popular British meal, and alongside the curry, a restaurant can educate about Indian culture which is as spicy as the curry.