It is still too early to determine whether Dublin City Council’s ‘One City One People’ campaign has been effective. But just like the capital itself, it is a work in progress.
Since 2010, the campaign has been in effect to combat the racism and discrimination that migrants face on a daily basis. These efforts were rewarded on 23 September last, when the Council of Europe and the European Commission formally recognised Dublin as an intercultural city, honouring its work toward inclusion and integration and commitment to towards ending racism and discrimination.
While Declan Hayden of Dublin City Council’s (DCC) Office for Integration was glad to see the city’s hard work being recognised, he was hesitant to get too excited.
“It was just one of the hills in a series of mountains we’re still climbing,” he said. “It is only the first chapter of a long story. We still need to do a lot more.”
Adverts and posters have been plastered all across the city, but the most significant work has been done within the community and in social and political structures, said Hayden. Many organisations, including Dublin Bus and sports bodies such as the GAA, have put anti-discrimination policies into place.
Meanwhile at DCC’s Office for Integration, they’re putting together various meetings and seminars that will bring up hot button issues affecting migrant communities.
For instance, the office plans on setting up a conversation between various mainstream and migrant media. Hayden said many people find that the media give unfavourable representations of migrants and other cultures.
“We aren’t saying that the mainstream media is racist or that they are discriminatory because that would put people’s backs against a wall,” he said. “But we are going to pose and facilitate the question: is the media doing as much as it could?”
Migrants have also experienced much discrimination in the private housing sector. Many landlords will not accept people as tenants because of their foreign names and accents. In response, the Office for Integration intends to host a conference where the likes of the Private Housing Council and the Private Residential Tenancies Board can meet and agree on anti-discrimination policy.
One of the main objectives of the ‘One City One People’ campaign is to counter the hidden racism lurking within Irish society. So-called ‘white spots’ – areas where no migrants live – are scattered throughout the capital. According to Hayden, these areas typically have a lack of jobs, rampant drug abuse, crime and a lack of education and integrations.
Hayden said that within these communities there is there is a fear that if migrants come in resources will be taken away from current residents.
“Addressing the tensions and issues is key,” he said. “If people are talking about them, they are on the table and are no longer underhanded and hidden.”
Although the campaign’s success is not tangible, the number and variety of multicultural events taking place in the community shows a greater acknowledgement of multiculturalism within the community.
For example, the Indian community of Ireland was not celebrated culturally until very recently, but the city is now hosting an event for Diwali, the ‘festival of lights’ – complete with fireworks – at RDS Simmonscourt on 22 October.
“For a new community to emerge in Dublin is a symbol that our work is doing well,” said Hayden.
Events such as Diwali also highlight the similarities between different cultures. “Every culture has a celebration that has something to do with life ceremonies, seasons and the concept of light and dark,” said Hayden. “Every culture might do it differently, but they all do it.”
Hayden also considers it an accomplishment that the Office for Integration had no direct involvement in many other multicultural events taking placing around the city.
“The whole success for the Office for Integration would be if it didn’t need to exist anymore,” he said. “It would mean that migrant groups would no longer be considered to be migrant groups. Instead, they would be seen as Irish people doing an Irish event.
“It would be to promote their culture, but the organisation would no longer need the resources and backing of others, they could do it themselves.”
Alyssa Goldman is a journalism student from the United States and is currently an intern at Metro Éireann.
