Jain Network 2010 11

Author(s): Natubhai Shah
Publisher: UK Jain Network

Page 2

Introduction
Britain today
The British are a diverse, multicultural society, with "strong regional accents, expressions and identities". The social structure of Britain has changed radically since the 19th century, with the decline in religious observance, enlargement of the middle class, and increased ethnic diversity. The population of the United Kingdom stands at around 61 million, with a British Diaspora concentrated in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, and post war immigration in Britain from more than 200 countries of the world.
People from various ethnic groups reside in the United Kingdom. Migration from what are now the Northern European states has been happening for millennia, with other groups such as British Jews. Since the World War II, substantial immigration from the New Commonwealth, Europe, and the rest of the world has increased and altered the demography, social structure and culture of many cities in the United Kingdom
British Society
With considerable migration after the Second World War making the UK an increasingly ethnically and racially diverse country, race relations and equality policies have been developed that broadly reflect the principles of multiculturalism and assimilation of minority communities. For last 25 years the Government and the Statutory Authorities have realised the value of faith communities and the work of their organisations and have established consultative councils to advise them on issues concerning faiths.
Historically, Christianity "has been the most influential and important religion in Britain", and it remains the declared faith of the majority of the British people. Its influence on British culture has been widespread, extending beyond the spheres of prayer and worship, in architectural landscape of cities and towns, schools, hospitals and other public institutions, and the way of life of the people. Christianity remains the major religion of the population of the United Kingdom in the 21st century, followed by Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Buddhist, Jain, Baha'i and Zoroastrian in terms of number of adherents. Secularism was advanced in Britain during the Age of Enlightenment, and modern British organisations such as the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society offer the opportunity for their members to "debate and explore the moral and philosophical issues in a nonreligious setting".
Diverse Communities
In the major cities of Britain today many diverse communities live. Many of them have preserved their own culture, languages, food habits and way of life. Their younger generation and some of them are trying to integrate in broader part of British way of life, but sometimes their efforts do not produce the expected outcomes. They feel marginalized. We believe the cultural diversity affects everyone and people have to learn to live together as a
2