The Austrian Government is being encouraged to consider cultural diversity an invaluable resource and to take concrete measures to promote it by recognizing the ways of life of minority groups. The country which was at the center of a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Austro-Hungarian empire a century earlier appears to be moving away from that tradition by adopting a more culturally monolithic cultural perspective. Farida Shaheed, the UN Independent Expert on Cultural Rights recently stated: “The Government should mainstream cultural diversity and the cultural heritage of Austria’s diverse populations by incorporating minority cultures and histories in public schooling curricula, media and cultural activities, They should also promote intercultural understanding and minority language proficiency in all official institutions and among civil servants,” More Action Needed by Austrian Government Ms. Shaheed welcomed a number of “excellent initiatives” to promote cultural diversity and cultural rights, especially the codification of a Romani language, but said that the approach was fragmented. She recommended that a unified framework and an institution be put in place to promote cultural diversity, oversee cultural heritage matters and promote the right to participate in cultural life. She also urged the Government to consider extending support to other linguistic and ethnic minorities in Austria. “Despite efforts to comply with provisions of the Ethnic Groups Act, bilingual education is actually rare and highly dependent on the personal efforts of individual teachers and principals. Ensuring cultural rights is about empowering individuals and communities to create culture as continuously evolving ways of life, each culture being equally valued,” Ms Shaheed urged the Government to prioritize adoption of an integrated national human rights action plan and a human rights institution in conformity with the international standards known as the “Paris Principles.” European Trend Away from “Multiculturalism” German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently proclaimed “multiculturalism” a “failure” in Germany. More European leaders have followed with similar sentiments within their own borders. However, is this cover for a cultural or even worse form of chauvinism? Is it intended to effectively disenfranchise residents who do not fit the national profile? Is it intended to particularly exclude Muslims from full rights of citizenship, and dopes this rationalize and this implicitly legitimize xenophobia. Next door to Austria, Switzerland has voted in referendum to effectively ban Mosque minarets. Is Europe reverting back to a homogenous view of the nation state. Ironically, this may run counter to many initiative by European based NGOs and Governments to promote more open, tolerant and democratic societies. It is valid to ask whether European political institutions practice what their diplomatic leaders and NGOs preach overseas? By Ambassador Muhamed Sacirbey Face Book at “Diplomatically Incorrect” Twitter – DiplomaticallyX Following Report from Farida Shaheed, the UN Independent Expert on Cultural Rights last month GENEVA – UN Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights, Farida Shaheed encouraged the Austrian Government to approach cultural diversity as an invaluable resource and to take concrete measures to promote it. “The Government should mainstream cultural diversity and the cultural heritage of Austria’s diverse populations by incorporating minority cultures and histories in public schooling curricula, media and cultural activities,” she said. “They should also promote intercultural understanding and minority language proficiency in all official institutions and among civil servants.” Shaheed welcomed a number of “excellent initiatives” to promote cultural diversity and cultural rights, especially the codification of a Romani language, but said that the approach was fragmented. She recommended that a unified framework and an institution be put in place to promote cultural diversity, oversee cultural heritage matters and promote the right to participate in cultural life. She also urged the Government to consider extending support to other linguistic and ethnic minorities in Austria. “Despite efforts to comply with provisions of the Ethnic Groups Act, bilingual education is actually rare and highly dependent on the personal efforts of individual teachers and principals,” she said. “Ensuring cultural rights is about empowering individuals and communities to create culture as continuously evolving ways of life, each culture being equally valued.” The Independent Expert called on the Government to prioritize adoption of an integrated national human rights action plan and a human rights institution in conformity with the international standards known as the “Paris Principles”. *To read the full statement by the Independent Expert, please visit: www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/cultural_rights/index.htm