Last week we heard the Department for Education was encouraging schools to celebrate “One Britain One Nation” day on Friday. It raises some sensitive issues, not least the distinction between patriotism and nationalism. One is to be encouraged, the other is to be decried. Looking at the website of “One Britain One Nation”, I applaud many of its values and aspirations but I think its branding undoes all that it purports to want to achieve.
I am the first member of my family born in England, with parents hailing from Scotland and Germany. I have always considered myself to be, first and foremost, English, and I will always support our national teams. When it comes to the forthcoming match between England and Germany, my father and I will be cheering for different teams and the draw between England and Scotland the other day was diplomatically convenient in our household.
Whatever the outcome of the match between England and Germany I sincerely hope I will be able to reflect on a well contested match and be able to applaud the victors and the spirit in which the game was played. The players will all play with great pride in the shirt that they are wearing and the patriotism they will feel will probably fuel their efforts.
But at the end of the game they will respect the efforts of their opponents, they will shake hands and the contest will have binded them in a shared experience.
“I applaud many of OBON’s values and aspirations but I think its branding undoes all that it purports to want to achieve.”
I do feel that living in Britain we have the opportunity to set the example to everyone as to what society could and should look like. Despite all the horrors of imperialism, if there is a positive to come from it, it is the reality that it has brought people from all over the world to our fair isles and with them an amazing array of cultural diversity.
The richness of diversity in this country is something that should be a beacon of hope to the rest of the world in demonstrating how we can learn from one another, live with one another, and enjoy a wealth of cultures living harmoniously together. That is what Britain should and could look like.
It should not be the case that we are focusing on “One Britain One Nation” because we most certainly are not that – and that is a good thing. I cannot think of any country in the world where there is greater diversity and it is something of which I am incredibly proud. I know that my life is the richer for the wealth of cultural diversity in Britain. It is here that we can truly claim to be global citizens, perhaps more so than any other country in the world.
“We should not be focusing on ‘One Britain One Nation’ because we most certainly are not that – and that is a good thing.”
I do worry that the “One Britain One Nation” slogan steers us inextricably towards a more nationalistic ideology and history is a warning to us of the dangers of such a path. Even in recent times, Donald Trump’s presidency was taking America down a difficult path and we could all see the impact that his nationalistic rhetoric had on dividing the nation. Thank goodness they are now back on the right path but let us take heed of what happened there and not overlook the division and discord that Joe Biden is now left seeking to heal.
Nationalism is about putting the interests of your own country ahead of others to the extent that it is to the exclusion and detriment of other nations. That is not something I can support or promote to the pupils in my school. Passion and support for one’s country in a positive and unifying context is patriotism but we must be careful it does not slip into nationalism – it is a very fine line, but an important one.
How about celebrating a “Britain for all Nations”? Let’s be proud of our diversity and celebrate it.