Multiculturalism is a stage of historical awakening in which the peoples of the world are coming to recognize that all the cultures and civilizations of the human family, of the present as of the past, have their intrinsic value and beauty.
From the sands of Mesopotamia which was one of the cradles of human civilization to the spiritual empire of India which probed into the mysteries of human consciousness, from the Chinese sense of harmony with the world and the imposing majesty of the pyramids to the once vibrant richness of Mayan and Aztec civilizations, there is a magnificent range of thoughts and accomplishments, of insights and frameworks which have breathed life and feeling in a wide spectrum of human cultures. Through these expressions, the human spirit forged many particular ways of recognizing and reckoning the world, giving meaning to human existence, and achieving an impressive variety of material and moral ends. There is glory in the myriad expressions of art and music, in poetry and philosophy, in myth and creativity.
Even as every biological species must be protected from extinction, every language and tradition which has evolved over the centuries and millennia, deserves to be nurtured and respected. Each one of them needs to be studied and understood, preserved and respected, for the further enrichment of one and all.
Multiculturalism may thus be looked upon as a call to recognize the variety and splendor in humanity’s heritage. This is the positive side of multiculturalism.
Spurts of Thought 