Unity in diversity is a concept of "unity without uniformity and diversity without fragmentation"
that shifts focus from unity based on a mere tolerance of physical, cultural, linguistic,
social, religious, political, ideological and/or psychological differences towards a
more complex unity based on an understanding that difference enriches human interactions.
"Unity in diversity" is a popular motto within and among nation states, and also in political
and social movements. The idea and related phrase is very old and
dates back to ancient times in both Western and Eastern Old World cultures. The concept
of unity in diversity was used "in non-Western cultures such as indigenous peoples in North
America and Taoist societies in 400-500 B.C.E. In pre-modern Western culture it has been
implicit in the organic conceptions of the universe that have been manifest since the
ancient Greek and Roman civilizations through medieval Europe and into the Romantic era."
Examples of usage Bahá'í Faith
In 1938, in his book The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, then head of the Baha'i Faith,
said that "unity in diversity" was the "watchword" for the religion.
Canada Adélard Godbout, while Premier of Quebec,
published an article entitled "Canada: Unity in Diversity" in the Council on Foreign Relations
journal. He asked, The motto of the province of Saskatchewan,
adopted in 1986, is a variation, Multis e gentibus vires.
Unity in Diversity: Interdisciplinary Research Seminar
The term was used by a group of academics who formed the Interdisciplinary Research
Seminar at Wilfred Laurier University with a sense of community in mind working to develop
practical wisdom through interdisciplinary activity as opposed to the trend towards fragmentation
and ever narrowing specializations in academia. Ervin Laszlo presented his paper entitled
"Framework for a General Systems Theory of World Order" as one the first seminar Papers
that led to the establishment of the IRS in 1975.
South Africa When the Apartheid of Republic of South Africa
celebrated 20 years of independence on 31 May 1981, the theme of the celebrations was
"unity in diversity" as a cynical attempt to explain away the inequalities in South
African life. Anti-apartheid campaigners opposed these celebrations and called on runners of
the Comrades Marathon to protest at the co-option of the event by wearing a black armband. The
winner of the race, Bruce Fordyce, was one of those wearing a black armband.Template:Sen
Michael Novak Michael Novak wrote,
European Union
In 2000, the European Union adopted 'United in Diversity' as official Motto, a reference
to the many and diverse member states of the Union in terms of culture. Apart from its
English form, the European Union's motto is also official in 22 other languages. "Unity
in diversity" was selected in through a competition process involving students from member nations.
According to the European Commission: European Union official website
Other nation-states It is also the motto of the nations of Indonesia,
Papua New Guinea and South Africa. Commercial
House of Blues performance venues have an emblem at the top of the stage with several
religious symbols, and the phrase "Unity in Diversity."
See also Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
E pluribus unum Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno
Demographics of India Maitreya
House of Blues Citations
References Effendi, Shoghi, The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh,
Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, ISBN 0-87743-231-7, retrieved 10 January
2014 Effendi, Shoghi, "Unity in Diversity", World
Order of Bahá’u’lláh, Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, pp. 41–42,
ISBN 0-87743-231-7, retrieved 10 January 2014
The EU motto: United in Diversity, "European Union official website", Europa, nd, retrieved
10 January 2013 Godbout, Adelard, Canada: Unity in Diversity
21, Council on Foreign Relations, retrieved 10 January 2014
Roxanne, Lalonde, "Edited extract from M.A. thesis", Unity in Diversity: Acceptance and
Integration in an Era of Intolerance and Fragmentation, Ottawa, Ontario: Department of Geography,
Carleton University, retrieved 9 January 2014 Morgan, Brad, Bruce Fordyce: Comrades King
Novak, Michael, "Epigraph", in Carol L. Birch, Unity in Diversity: An Index to the Publications
of Conservative and Libertarian Institutions, Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press: New American
Foundation, p. 263, ISBN 0-8108-1599-0, retrieved February 12, 2012
Nyiri, Nicolas A.; Preece, Rod, Unity in Diversity 1, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Wilfred Laurier
University Press, ISBN 0-88920-058-0, retrieved 14 February 2012
"Unueco en diverseco", Wikipedia Esperanto, nd, retrieved 10 January 2014
"European Motto in varietate concordia", Eurominority, 2004, retrieved 10 January 2014