Diversity is not simply a migrant issue

Following an invitation by HSBC bank, on 25th October we participated in an activity organised by the company as part of their annual Diversity Month programme.  We were asked to deal with the subject of ‘Diversity’.  We were very happy to participate in this event, not only because it represented an excellent opportunity to get our human rights message across to a new audience but also because we fully support similar initiatives by the private sector.

Our Director, Neil, delivered a brief presentation to around 90 participants on the meaning of diversity, immediately followed by our good friend Ali Konate from the Migrants’ Network for Equality, who spoke about his life in Malta.  Together with Neil’s presentation, we also displayed a set of 8 photographs mostly taken by local artist Joanna Tabone for our event earlier this year 9 Parts of Desire, through which photos we had wanted to portray the diversity of women in Malta…yet united in sharing common dreams and desires.  For the HSBC event we adapted the photos to also include 2 men, yet the ultimate aim and core message were the same as with our original exhibition: diversity is far beyond migrant issues, but is really all about the human story.

In fact, in his presentation Neil emphasised the fact that diversity is not an abstract or academic theme but a component of daily life and that diversity is present in all persons: husband, wife, children, neighbour, colleague, parent, friend, employer, shop-keeper, butcher…and that all persons are equally entitled to human rights enjoyment, irrespectively of their diversity.

It was an interesting event, and we’d like to thank HSBC for having us over and also congratulate them for the initiative.