Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan Baku International Multiculturalism Centre Azerbaijani Multiculturalism Textbook for Higher Education

7.3. Australian Model

Another country that like Canada officially implements a policy of multiculturalism is Australia. A large number of aboriginal peoples inhabited the Australian continent before the settlers of European descent came to the area.

Immigrants from Europe have formed the majority of the population of modern Australia since the early 19th century. Australia is a multicultural nation. After World War II, seven million people immigrated to the country. Almost a quarter of

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the population of Australia was born overseas. In addition to immigrants, there are over 270 indigenous peoples in Australia who speak 260 languages and identify with various tribal ancestries.

The Australian government is founded on the principles of justice and integration while considering multiculturalism to be in the national interests, as well as in the interests of all social groups of the population. This policy encompasses cultural, religious and linguistic issues. The phenomenon of cultural pluralism is considered to be an Australian national asset. The multicultural policy of Australia embraces the development of all common values and cultural traditions. This policy creates opportunities for everyone who considers themselves an Australian to protect their own mother tongue and traditions without being discriminated against, within the framework of the law.

The principles of Australian multiculturalism are as follows.

The Australian government highly appreciates and welcomes the cultural diversity of the population of the country. This policy largely focuses on the unity of the people, harmony in diversity and the application of democratic values. The realization of cultural diversity is a factor enriching the Australian people. Therefore, the state recognizes and promotes cultural diversity on the basis of legislation.

The Australian government is interested in building a fair, inclusive society where all members of the population benefit from the services and opportunities offered by the state. Regardless of ethnic roots, every citizen has the opportunity to contribute to the socio-economic and cultural life of Australia. The government removes the barriers preventing those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds from joining government programmes and ensures that the policy pursued in this direction is equally accessible to all.

The Australian government highly values the economic benefits of multiculturalism. The new labour force formed as a result of immigration is considered to be the most valuable economic power of Australia. Immigration and cultural diversity here give vitality to economic life and increase the wealth of the country.

The Australian government rejects racism, discrimination, intolerance, and bias. The government takes action against racism and intolerance by anti-discrimination laws and appropriate legislation.

The Australian government has established the Australian Multicultural Council with the purpose of developing multiculturalism. The Multicultural Council explores the current issues of multiculturalism in the country and gives recommendations to the government in this area. Moreover, grants are allocated for projects for multicultural arts and festivals in Australia, and sports competitions with the participation of young people from different ethnic backgrounds are organized. The multicultural policy of Australia is one of the most successful models of multiculturalism in the world.