When
I meet new people, especially during my travels abroad, the first
question I get asked is where I come from. My answer is always, “I
come from Sweden, but I’m a Londoner.” This is also followed with
a declaration of love, “I really think that London is the best city
in the world.”
During
my many years working here, I have realised what an open, warm and
welcoming city this is. With more than one million foreign nationals,
there are so many cultures, styles and religions. It makes for a
dynamic, creative and fabulously weird mix. London is unlike any
other place, with a different DNA altogether.
When
I recently read an article by BBC journalist Pallab Ghosh, it all
made sense. According to a DNA study, London was actually ethnically
diverse from the very start. Museum of London curator Caroline
McDonald says:
“The
thing to remember with the original Londoners is that they were not
born here. Every first-generation Londoner was from somewhere else -
whether it was somewhere else in Britain, somewhere else on the
continent, somewhere else in the Mediterranean, somewhere else from
Africa.”
Some
might argue that a diverse community will lead to misunderstandings
and conflict. Quite the contrary, I have experienced fewer
communication issues here than in for example a workplace with only
Swedes in Sweden. In teams of the same nationality there is an
expectation to think and feel the same, whilst in a diverse team the
communication is more straightforward and people tend to accept each
other’s quirks.
Londoners
are privileged to live in such a buzzing hub, something also made
clear following the recent Brexit news. Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan,
has launched the #LondonIsOpen campaign to show how London is still
very much open for business, people and ideas. He says:
“London
is the best city in the world. It is creative, international,
entrepreneurial and full of opportunities… We don’t simply
tolerate each others’ differences, we celebrate them. Many people
from all over the globe live and work here, contributing to every
aspect of life in our city.”
One
should not promote candy, but now is an exception. You see, London is
like a bag of pick ‘n ‘mix, full of sweet, sour and salty
flavours. And I would advise anyone to get a big bagful of delicious
candy in all shapes and sizes. I know for sure that I have no desire
to eat the same type of candy for the rest of my life. Despite
Brexit, let’s hope London remains a diverse mix of sweet, sour,
salty and melt-on-the-tongue chocolate.
Malin
Norman,
Freelance
Writer
More
information:
BBC
article on London’s DNA
#LondonIsOpen
campaign by the Mayor of London
#LondonIsOpen
campaign on YouTube
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portfolio:
