Leicester in the age of globalisation

Oldham, Burnley, Bradford and Leeds are less than three hours' drive from the unassuming city of Leicester in the East Midlands, but that physical proximity conceals a vast social distance. Since April this year, these towns have become symbols of race trouble in Britain, prompting fears of riots spreading elsewhere and also reminding many of the high tide of racism of the early 1970s. But Leicester, with the highest population percentage of non-whites in Britain and projected to soon become the first European city with a non-white majority, presents a rare picture of multicultural harmony. Indeed, its picture of ethnic co-existence has become the subject of study for many European cities with ethnically diverse populations. Until recently, Leicester was known as the home of the Attenborough brothers (Richard and David), Gary Lineker the footballer, Thomas Cook (who took the first group of tourists from Leicester to Loughborough in 1841). It was also known for its university and traditional manufacturing industries. Now, it is held up as an example of how a multicultural society works in the age of globalisation.

Leicester last witnessed. Oldham- like trouble in 1972, when the racist National Front tried to evict the thousands of Asian immigrants who arrived here on being expelled from East Africa, mainly by Uganda's Idi Amin. Today, Leicester evokes a fierce sense of loyalty among non-whites who do not feel as comfortable or safe anywhere else in Britain. Ethnic diversity appears to be the cornerstone of its harmony. Leicester, as a recent City Council document put it, has "The joy of being a truly diverse society… (with the) potential to become the UK role model for cultural diversity and inclusion." The city is considered as the birthplace of English language, where warring Anglo-Saxons and Vikings set aside their differences and lived peacefully, sharing their trade and languages. Leicester has also had a long history of prosperity, having been a major commercial centre since Roman times. It attracted people from all over the world, but the massive immigration of Asians of East African origin disturbed the underpinnings of harmony.