Identity and diversity

During a discussion with her classmates, Nadia expressed her opinion that a 'true' Maltese must profess the Catholic faith. It was at this point that the teacher intervened: "What does it mean to be Maltese?"

When Malta, Estonia and eight other nations join the European Union next May, children in classrooms may easily find themselves struggling to answer questions related to national identity. "What does it mean to be Estonian?" For this reason we should reflect on this topic which is becoming so closely connected with the concept of diversity.

Robert is a six-year-old attending Year 2 in one of our village schools. His mother got the shock of her life when she saw him come out of school hand in hand with a very dark girl who apparently is sitting next to him in class.

Nowadays, even in the rest of Europe, there are minority groups living side by side with the 'local' or 'ethnic' population.

This was reflected upon by participants attending a course about the 20th century held by the Council of Europe in Uppsala last September. We all agreed how common it is to find minority groups in European countries. In Malta itself we have a long-standing Indian community as well as a Russian and an ever-growing Libyan community. Who knows, perhaps one day Malta's representative in the Eurovision song contest will shock some people and take them aback!

Throughout Europe one finds different co-existing cultures. Ideally this should present a rich and healthy situation. But certain problems prove great, particularly in classrooms where children do not always speak the same language.

We realised during the course in Uppsala that many textbooks present difficulties because they do not take into consideration the presence of minority groups. The examples they provide appeal only to the majority. So minorities may not feel welcome. Some children may even feel uncomfortable during certain lessons.

How would a Muslim child feel in a Maltese classroom when studying about the Great Siege of 1565 and the never-ending struggle between Islam and Christianity? Other examples may easily spring to mind.

Petra's parents are German, and she was deeply embarrassed when her class was discussing Nazi brutality during a lesson dealing with a novel set during the Second World War.

These are realities that present themselves in Maltese and in other European classrooms. We have to face these challenges and adapt accordingly. Some perhaps want to resist change.

A hot issue is the presence of the Russian minority in Estonia. They form about a third of the population. They speak Russian and resist learning Estonian although this is compulsory, even if they attend Russian schools. They do not want to integrate themselves with their fellow Estonians. Yet they prefer to remain in the country and do not dream of returning to Russia. Religion too divides them from Estonians, who are Lutherans, while they belong to the Russian Orthodox Church.

There are similar, though not identical, situations in other parts of Europe. There are thousands of Ukrainians in Poland. They speak Ukrainian as well as Polish; but they still feel torn between being Polish and/or Ukrainian.

The Polish representative in Uppsala observed that Poland's membership in the EU would help because there might be an emphasis on a European identity. Again the question presents itself: "What does it mean to be European? What does it mean to be Maltese within the European Union?"

It is possible to find in Europe different groups living peacefully side by side (Hungary provides a good example). However, this is not always the case, and violence results.

At this point it is appropriate to examine the concept of identity. One should distinguish between 'national' and 'individual' identity. National identity does not follow a fixed pattern or formula. In some cases it could be identity based on statehood.

For example, we feel we are Maltese because Malta is an independent state with well-defined frontiers. The fact that both Estonia and Malta will become part of the EU could be another factor that may strengthen or, perhaps, weaken (though probably not the case) the political identity of the nation. Whatever the results may prove to be, it is a fact that, at present, both in Malta and in Estonia there are people who really believe that national identity as well as independence will suffer as a result of membership in the EU.

In some cases 'identity' is not political at all; it is based on language, religion, history, and culture, as is the case with the Kurds in Turkey or in Iraq who, however, also have political aspirations. So one realises that the question of identity is complex, particularly because an individual has multiple identities.

Sometimes these 'identities' could cause serious conflicts in one's conscious - for example, a Maltese Catholic identity in conflict with homosexual tendencies. That's why the issue of diversity is inseparable from that of identity both in individuals, as well as within the framework of a whole community or a nation.

With the enlargement of the EU to 25 member states, the issue of identity and diversity will become more complex in a Europe with so many different languages and cultures. There are also different religious denominations, and in this context it is perhaps appropriate to include a reference to a 'Supreme Being' in the European Constitution.

We are heading towards a united Europe, but this does not imply cutting down on 'positive differences' and trying to create a homogenous population. That would be suicidal.

The Council of Europe is in favour of diversity, and the celebration of the European Day of Languages (September 26) is indeed proof, if any were needed. The acceptance of Estonian and of Maltese as official languages of the EU is yet another proof of the maxim: unity in diversity.

Teachers and parents have to understand the philosophy behind the whole issue of identity and diversity. But we shouldn't stop there. From words we have to move on to actions. We have to ask ourselves a basic question, namely, are we really tolerant towards others? Moreover, do we really believe in celebrating difference?

In Malta we have children in our classrooms who are not Catholics. What happens during religion lessons? (It came up during the course in Uppsala, that in Spain, children are given lessons in their own religion. Just think about that!)

We have children in our classrooms who do not understand Maltese. They are refugees, expatriates or children of returned migrants. Are we doing our best to make them feel welcome? Are we giving them extra help to learn Maltese, which is, very often, the medium of instruction?

Closely connected with these concepts are those of discrimination and inclusion. For Malta and Estonia it can be racial discrimination, or, in a more subtle way, gender discrimination. Over and above all this we have children with different abilities in our classrooms.

In Malta, our National Minimum Curriculum rightly advocates differentiated teaching rather than streaming. But what about streaming in Years 5 and 6 in Government primary schools? We know its negative effects, and yet, it is still with us.

If we really believe in the identity of the individual, in his or her right to be different, we have to face the challenges that present themselves in all spheres of life including that of entertainment (reflect on the discrimination that some may claim goes on in Paceville!) Are we going to make the effort to give everyone his or her due irrespective of one's race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, social status, religious beliefs or political inclinations?

In Uppsala (regarded as the historical and religious centre of Sweden) we came up with a number of suggestions such as the review of the curricula and of textbooks, and the need to teach the History of minority groups. We also reflected upon the importance of the teacher in the classroom. Teachers have to help students realise that diversity is within us even as individuals.

If we study our own roots (take surnames for example) we soon realise that there is no such thing as a 'pure' Maltese or Estonian. Teachers are therefore in a position to either narrow or widen the 'negative differences'. Hence every teacher can be an instrument of peace or division.

As teachers we have to make greater emphasis on human rights stressing the fact that we are human beings even before being Italians, Maltese, Estonians, Poles, Ukrainians or whatever. We have to stress that the world need not be homogenous; we should be after unity in diversity, celebrating differences to create an even more colourful picture. We have to create discussions between the different groups. This will lead to better understanding and co-operation not only between governments but also between peoples. It will also help understanding between groups living within the boundaries of particular states, as is the case in Estonia.

We know where we are and where we want to arrive. That is a great step towards achieving our goals. Let's hope that one day us Maltese and Estonians, together with other peoples of the world, will feel that we are children of the earth, brothers and sisters who are able to live together peacefully and harmoniously in spite of our differences.

Mr Grech is Education Officer at the Educational Assessment Unit while Ms Grichin is a teacher from Estonia.