Diversity in Europe, a crisis of tolerance
Diversity in Europe was the subject of a debate hosted on 27 May 2011 during the 22nd European Foundation Centre (EFC)’s Annual General Assembly (AGA) and Conference in Cascais, Portugal.
Speakers
Entitled ‘Diversity in Europe: a Crisis of Tolerance?’, the debate was organised jointly by the EFC’s Diversity Migration and Integration Interest Group (DMIIG) and the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM). Antonio Vitorino, former European Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs and Rob Berkeley, Director of Runnymede Trust, addressed the session.
Crisis of tolerance
Opening the debate Vitorino referred to the current crisis of tolerance in Europe which is a result of the on-going cultural and economic crises facing the continent. He expressed deep concern about those European countries that have questioned multiculturalism recently and about the growing number of right-wing parties with an overtly anti-immigrant discourse. He also drew attention to the problem of mainstream parties appeasing those perceptions. You can see the interview with Dr. Vitorino in the video.