Multicultural society is a society that embraces a number of minority cultures and according to the theory of multiculturalism it is beneficial to a society to maintain more than one culture within its culture.
It is a society where people of different races, cultures and traditions live side by side with mutual respect to the benefit of all of them.

Positive side:

When people learn about different ways of life, it helps to break down barriers between ethnic groups which are caused by ignorance. Human beings have a tendency to be suspicious of cultures they do not understand. Living with different cultures brings a better understanding of world beliefs and cultures and helps to encourage religious and social tolerance.

Negative side:

One the negative side, cultural differences can be emphasized in order to divide a society. This can lead to prejudice and discrimination. There will always be people who think that their religion and culture is superior and right and that other beliefs and cultures are inferior and wrong. These people will try to stir up trouble in a multi-cultural society and will try to blame ethnic minorities for social and economic problems even when it is not true. In different religions different approaches to lifestyles, marriages and equality between men and women are accepted.

Multicultural education

Multicultural education aims to prepare children for living in a multicultural society by giving them an understanding of the cultures and histories of different ethnic groups. As a result, an initiative for multicultural teaching came in the UK.
Education is the only way to bring cross-cultural understanding and respect. The problem remains, however, that no matter how much a subject has been taught it will not be learned until the student is willing and able. This is why geographically based multicultural education is so important. It makes the concepts personal and real to the students, making them easier to accept.

Multiculturalism in Slovakia

In our country we are not used to people of different races and cultures, because until 1989 we were not an open society. It is changing: many foreigners with their customs and very different cultural backgrounds are coming to our country and we are getting used to the idea that it is very normal that people are of different skin colour.
It could be quite beneficial for us because we learn something about their customs and traditions and we can share our culture with them. We are getting closer to tolerance which is explained as the disposition to be patient and fair towards those whose opinions and practices differ from our own.

Apart from Slovaks, the territory is inhabited by over half a million Hungarians in the south of Slovakia, along with smaller groups like the Ruthenians in the east.

One minority without a territory are the Romany. A rapidly rising birth rate among the Romany means an increasingly important issue in Slovak politics and Slovakia is working hard to integrate them into society.
At present the country faces the problem of Vietnamese guest workers and helps the refugees from Albania and Ukraine to continue their immigration process in newly built asylum houses.
A new phenomenon has appeared in Slovak traditions. More and more women get married to men of different religion and colour. There is still a certain amount of prejudice, but most young people are tolerant, without any prejudice.

Cosmopolitan countries and cities

AUSTRALIA

In Australia you can find people from many different countries and continents, who brought their traditions, traditionak meals and culture to their new homeland. They are respected by the majority society, they are proud of who they are and most of them love Australia. Big cities like Sydney or Melbourne have their China town, you can meet Indians, Pakistani or Lebanese, Thai, Japanese or people from Papua New Guinea.The customs and traditions are getting closer to each other sharing the best aspects of everything.

LONDON

In London the British from different parts of the country searching for jobs have settled down next door to Pakistanis or West Indians. Their children attend the same schools and grow up shoulder to shoulder.

NEW YORK

New York is as cosmopolitan as London but is not as mixed. Nationalities stay in their own areas, like the Russians in the Russian section, the Germans in the German section. Polish people settled down in a cosmopolitan district of Chicago.
The area of a city where many Chinese people live and where you can find many Chinese shops and restaurants is called Chinatown. In cities such as San Francisco, New York and London the Chinatown street signs are in Chinese as well as English.

There are many benefits to a society which is truly multicultural. It enriches people offering them different experiences, different ideas, different attitudes to life and supports tolerance and mutual understanding.
A unified Europe, multicultural America and different integration processes support the idea of co-existence side by side, understanding each other´s customs and traditions, tolerating different attitudes, accepting different lifestyles, sharing our cultures to secure a happy and confident life for future generations.

race, colour of someone´s skin, whites, blacks, Afro-American, Native American
ethnic group, ethnic divisions, ethnic unrest, ethnic violence
racial conflict, racial prejudice, racial harmony, racial tension, racism, racist, racial outbreaks, race riots, fight the police, throw rocks, fire-bombs, smash windows
integration, integrated society, segregation, segregated schools/restaurants
multicultural, multiracial, interracial, cosmopolitan society/district/city, mixed marriage/parentage
tolerance, understanding, acceptance, co-existance, cooperation
assimilation, immigration, controversial, individuality
arranged marriage, wedding, couple, church, registry office, marital status
equality, partnership, confidence, faithfulness, responsibility, reliability
refugee, immigrant, flee the country, seek asylum


stir up = rozvíriť, vyvolať
clamp down on = zakázať, zakročiť proti
hatred = nenávisť
diverse = rozmanitý, rôznorodý
enhance = zvýšiť hodnotu
woeful = poľutovaniahodný
nasty = nebezpečný
influx = príliv
label = označiť
accusation = obvinenie
generosity = veľkorysosť
to be ashamed = hanbiť sa
to be proud of = byť pyšný
watershed = predel
baffling = zavádzajúci
flee/fled/fled = utiecť
touch = dosiahnutie
bogus = falošný, predstieraný
stifle = utlmiť, potlačovať
dare = odvážiť sa
vanish = zmiznúť, stratiť sa
rostrum = tribúna
insult = urážať
befriend = chovať sa k niekomu priateľsky
disapproval = nesúhlas
clash = konflikt, zrážka
fortune teller = veštec
ignorance = nevedomosť
object = namietať
provision = poskytnutie
refugee = utečenec
tension = napätie
unremarkable = nepozoruhodný
blame = viniť, obviňovať
diverse = rôznorodý
emphasize = zdôrazniť
grumble = šomrať, nahnevano sa sťažovať
promote = presadzovať, podporovať
recess = prestávka
rootednes = zakorenenosť, pevnosť
subconscious = podvedomý
suspicious of = byť podozrievavý
underprivileged = neplnoprávny, sociálne ukrivdený, chudobný
wilderness = divočina, divá príroda