Iceland review - 2014, Page 24

22 ICELAND REVIEW
mULtiCULtUrALiSm
passions—but acknowledges that inte-
grating can be tough. When the chance
to volunteer as a representative on the
Multicultural Council of reykjavík,
an advisory board to the City Council
departments, came up, he jumped at
the chance. “Many policies which con-
cern immigrants were being decided
by icelanders without clear knowledge
of what was really needed,” he explains.
originally from Jamaica, Claudie
ashonie Wilson is also heavily involved
in immigrant matters in iceland. a
recent law graduate and vice-Chair
of Women of Multicultural ethnicity
network, Claudie says reykjavík has
in recent years been making headway
in the area of policy. “other communi-
ties could use reykjavík as an example
because of the way it incorporates mul-
ticulturalism into policy and the school
curriculum,” she says, adding that more
could however be done in the work-
place. in July this year reykjavík City
Council approved the Human rights
office’s proposal to apply for membership of the project
intercultural Cities, operated by the Council of europe.
The project supports cities in reviewing their policies
through an intercultural lens and developing strategies
to help them manage diversity positively.
spHEREs of influEncE
in his seven years in iceland Juan says he has noticed two
main changes concerning immigration. “immigrants are
more visible and more and more foreigners speak good
icelandic, things that five years ago weren’t the case.”
armed with better icelandic skills, Juan says he is seeing
a change in the way immigrants are viewed in the labor
market.
Some are concerned, however, that the influx of immi-
grants has the potential to form a disenfranchised under-
class of people who are underpaid, have fewer opportuni-
ties with regard to housing and advancement within the
workplace and are marginalized culturally. “There is still
this huge prejudice towards immigrants from outside
europe, and perhaps north america or australia. They
are seen as lacking skills, of being ignorant and needing
help,” Juan says.
rather than viewing immigrants from certain countries
mULtiCULtUrALiSm
“I love the
challenge
of
speaking
three
languages
every
day.
I feel that
really
helps
expand
your
mind.”
- Juan Camilo
Román Estrada.
Participants in the intercultural day parade.