“The Diversity Debate” at the Nobel Peace Center, Oslo 27 October 2011

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown in conversation with Trevor Phillips, Chair, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Nazneen Khan-Østrem, Commissioning Editor, Aschehoug Publishing House, Asle Toje, Researcher, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo and Lord Bhikhu Parekh, author, academic and legislator, House of Lords, UK.

Summary: We live in a time where diversity appears to be just as, or even ore, provocative and fundamental to our lives than fiscal turmoil or climate change. Arguably, it should probably be obligatory for individuals to have an understanding of what the facts are concerning diversity, what is fiction based, and what are fantasies, when we think about our shared future.

Nobel Peace Center (part 1) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

The Diversity Debate at the Nobel Peace Center (Part 2) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

The Diversity Debate: Facts, Fiction and Fantasy. Debates taking place at The House of Literature, 27-28 October 2011.

City Life/ City Strife

Urban Communities are a great source of economic growth, creative innovation and “free” spaces in which individuals decide how they wish to lead their lives. Cities may also be frustration and tensions where marginalisation, social deprivation and segregation leave their footprints, affecting individuals, neighbourhoods and societies. How can public policies, as well as ideas developing in more organic ways, achieve environments that give everyone the opportunity to live a good life?

Welcome by Sarah Prosser, Country Manager British Council Norway
Opening by Stian Berger Røsland, Governing Mayor, City of Oslo

City Life City Strife debate (Part 1) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Keynote: Richard Barnes, Deputy Mayor of London, “Brining London’s Communities Together – The Mayor of London’s Approach”

City Life City Strife debate (Part 2) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Contributions from presenters and debaters:
Akhenaton Oddvar de Leon, Chair, The Immigrant Council of Oslo
Erik Kjeldstadli, Director of Alna District, Oslo

City Life City Strife debate (Part 3) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Conversation and questions and answers moderated by Jane Edmonds, Senior Fellow, Northeastern University, USA

City Life City Strife debate (Part 4) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

The Politics and Policies of Diversity

Documents, hardly more than a decade old, such as The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain (UK, 2000) and Diversity through Inclusion and Participation (Norway, 2004), recognise and celebrated the increasingly diverse populations in the UK and Norway. In recent years we have seen and increasingly critical view develop regarding the perceived consequence of these policies, whereby exclusion and parallel lives are explained and understood as a consequence of failed attempts at integration and inclusion.

Keynote: Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh, Author, academic and legislator, House of Lords, UK  “Fostering Common Belonging in a Diverse Society”.

The Politics and Policies (Part 1) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Contributions from presenters and debaters:      

Henriette Westhrin, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion   Osmund Kaldheim, Chair Government Committee on Inclusion and Chief Municipal Executive of Drammen Trevor Phillips, Chair, Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Politics and Policies (Part 2) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Contribution from Kari Helene Partapuoli, Director, The Norwegian Centre Against Racism and conversation with question and answers chaired by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown.

The Politics and Policies (Part 3) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Access and Equity in Public Services for all?

Public services are tremendously important for millions of individuals every day. The provision of access and equity in public services for an ethnically diverse population is difficult to practice and yet has enormous consequences for individual rights, individual outcomes and fundamental principles of democracy.

Keynote: Surinder Sharma, National Director Equality and Human Rights, Department for Health, UK “Tackling Inequalities and Promoting Equality in the Health Sector”

Access and Equity Debate (Part 1) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Conversation moderated by Barbro Bakken, Director General, Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion. Contributions from:

Bjørn Guldvod, Deputy Director General, Direcorate of Health, Norway
Jane Edmonds, Senior Fellow, Northeastern University, USA
Trevor Phillips, Chair, Equality and Human Rights Commission, UK
Heidi Wyller, Senior Adviser, Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud Norway
Akhenaton Oddvar de Leon, Director, Institution Against Public Discrimination, Norway

Access and Equity Debate (Part 2) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.

Access and Equity Debate (Part 3) from Our Shared Europe on Vimeo.