TURNING WORDS INTO ACTION TO ADDRESS ANTISEMITISM | Page 11

shy away from the challenge of trying to reach higher levels of unity of thought and common
vision.
She noted that there was a growing preoccupation in the European discourse about the
possibilities and challenges raised by human difference and about how diverse people are to
live together. The discourse contains some prevalent views. There was one view that the
diverse peoples of the world, with their varied cultures, ethnicities, religions and customs, are
so fundamentally different that they cannot and should not live together. Another view
responded to cultural difference and plurality by calling for assimilation. In other words, in
the interests of social cohesion, societies only function when minorities fully assimilate into
the culture of their host country. And yet another view was that multiple cultural traditions
should be protected and respected, and enabled to coexist side by side within a nation. Yet
another view called not only for a side by side existence of different peoples or respect, but
actually encouraged “mingling”.
Each of these perspectives emanates from certain assumptions about human nature and
society. In some of the views, there is an implicit or less implicit assumption of
irreconcilability or incompatibility. Differences in how each culture understands the
relationship between the individual and the State, liberty and authority, husband and wife,
God and man – differences such as these are commonly assumed to be pronounced,
centuries-old, ineradicable, and productive of conflict.
Some views also rest upon a certain assumption of what constitutes true civilization or
progress. Other views rest on the assumption that the living together or arrival of diverse
populations is inevitably a challenge, rather than a tool for that society to progress.
Ms. Bayani noted that coalition building needs to start with challenging and revisiting these
assumptions. When we look at today’s society, there is a tendency to solely identify with our
differences rather than with what we have in common: we identify with our social, cultural,
national, physical, religious differences. Then place these differences at the centre of our
understanding of self. According to the speaker, it is, however, no longer enough to solely
identify with our differences.
Today’s reality needs a conception of our identity that is wider, one which expands to include
all of humanity. It is a notion that goes beyond agreeing that we are all human. It goes
beyond the minimal current discourse of what unites the human race. It means, Ms. Bayani
highlighted, that we need to develop a strong sense of loyalty or responsibility towards all of
humanity, rather than only towards those sharing similar social, cultural, national, physical or
other characteristics. It means that we look at the interest of the whole of humanity, rather
than only our own.
She further noted that only a strong sense of common humanity or loyalty and responsibility
towards all of humanity can ensure that the richly varied manifestations of human diversity
can find true expression. Without a sense of common humanity, individuals will always feel
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