Essay- Integration and culture

200 000 is the number of migrants who come to France each year. They are from different countries, continents and so are their cultures. The cultures represent our identity, it is the result of our past, of our education and of our environment and here is the issue. Indeed, integration into the social life means for some people to melt away into the masses by following local customs and behaviour. On the contrary, other believe that integration doesn’t mean that they must erase what they are because cultural differences can make a country better.

On the one hand, there is no denying that a lot of people think that all the persons that come into a new country must follow their way of life through their customs for instance. First, sometimes customs of other country cannot be applied in the host country because of the security. For example, in various Arabic countries, the wear of the burqa is allowed however in France it is not because the person could not be identified. Also, following the local behaviour make easier the integration and it avoids communitarianism. There are in France some quarters where people recreate a little part of their country and they just live between themselves which is also sad because there are no exchanges with other people and before all they don’t participate to the political life of the country while their opinions is also important.

On the other hand, it would be a pity to not welcome cultural differences. Indeed, it may be a cultural wealth for the host country. Because a culture is also a way for people to open themselves to the world. When people come and make you food from their home country or speak another language it makes us travel without even moving. Also, culture is also intellectual. Education is not the same in all countries this is why visitors can share knowledges and improve the country. Finally, it is hard for people to come in another country especially when they have no family, no friends when they don’t even speak the language so instead of rejecting who they are we must welcome them.

To conclude, this is an actual issue. Today, a lot of people reject migrations because they don’t want to welcome cultural differences. They think that it will change the essence of the country. However, I do think that it is only hypocrisies because we need their differences to learn more about the world especially in this time of globalization. We are all different, that is our identity. Each difference is essential if we want to improve our societies.

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