While the event's provocative title suggests a strong critique of the continent's approach to multiculturalism, it remains to be seen how diverse opinions will be presented and debated. Truth is, diversity is not a strength of the EU Brussels bubble and movements like #BrusselsSoWhite still have a lot of work ahead of them.
Speakers at the conference include Alka Sehgal Cuthbert, founder of Don’t Divide Us, who has recently been removed from a London conference speaking roster after the conference organisers have "been contacted by several people – a combination of speakers and delegates – who communicated very clearly that they would not feel safe to speak at or attend the conference alongside a representative of Don’t Divide Us". It is worth noting that yesterday the conference organisers published an apology to Dr Cuthbert, "her colleagues and supporters for any and all implications this decision has had."
The program of the conference is divided into several panels, beginning with "Multiculturalism in action: a list of failures?", followed by discussions on whether multiculturalism can hold a society together and the evolution of diversity as a core EU value. Speakers such as Dr. Göran Adamson (sometimes referred to as The Swedish Jordan Peterson), Professor Bill Durodié, and Dr. Rakib Ehsan, among others, are expected bring diverse perspectives to the table. The panels will be concluded in a thought-provoking conversation between Professor Frank Furedi and Dyab Abou Jahjah, exploring the path "Beyond Multiculturalism."
Professor Frank Furedi, MCC Brussels Executive Director, said, “Diversity served the EU political establishment to excuse their inability or refusal to uphold and defend the values of Europe. The high level of cultural and social polarisation in many European societies is the symptom of their reluctance to protect their national culture. Multiculturalism has failed for many reasons - the most important of which is that there is little that binds people together."
MCC Brussels hopes this event will foster robust dialogue on Europe's multicultural journey, inviting insights from various political and societal spectrums. MCC is a new Hungarian think tank that arrived in Brussels last year. It's an extension of the Budapest-based Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) financed by the Hungarian government and intends to present an alternative viewpoint in Europe's "fractured cultural scene," as expressed by one of its founders.
Registration for in-person attendance is available here.
