Unity in diversity
Unity in diversity is used as an expression of harmony and unity between dissimilar individuals or groups. It 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. The idea and related phrase is very old and dates back to ancient times in both Western and Eastern Old World cultures. It has applications in many fields, including ecology, cosmology, philosophy, religion and politics.
The concept of unity in diversity was used by both the indigenous peoples of North America and Taoist societies in 400–500 B.C. In premodern Western culture, it has existed in an implicit form in certain organic conceptions of the universe that developed in the civilizations of ancient Greece and Rome. The phrase is a deliberate oxymoron, the rhetorical combination of two antonyms, unitas "unity, oneness" and varietas "variety, variousness". When used in a political context, it is often used to advocate federalism and multiculturalism.
Origins
The diversity is a permanent human condition.The concept of unity in diversity can be traced back to Sufi philosopher Ibn al-'Arabi, who advanced the metaphysical concept of the "oneness of being", namely, that reality is one, and that God's is the only true existence; all other beings are merely shadows, or reflections of God's qualities. Abd al-Karīm al-Jīlī expanded on Al-'Arabi's work, using it to describe a holistic view of the universe which reflects "unity in diversity and diversity in unity".
Leibniz used the phrase as a definition of "harmony" I.12/A VI.4.1358. Leibniz glosses the definition with Harmonia est cum multa ad quandam unitatem revocantur "'Harmony' is when many are restored to some kind of unity".
Religion
The Old Javanese poem Kakawin Sutasoma, written by Mpu Tantular during the reign of the Majapahit empire sometime in the 14th century, contains the phraseBhinneka Tunggal Ika, translated as "unity in diversity" or "out of many, one". Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is now the official national motto of Indonesia. The poem is notable as it promotes tolerance between Hindus and Buddhists, stating that although Buddha and Shiva are different in substance, their truths are one:
Unity in diversity is a prominent principle of the Baháʼí Faith. In 1938, in his book The World Order of Baháʼu'lláh, Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith, said that "unity in diversity" was the "watchword" for the religion.
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, the head of the Baháʼí Faith from 1892 to 1921, explained this principle in terms of the oneness of humanity:
In Meher Baba's Final Declaration, he stated that "Unity in the midst of diversity can be made to be felt only by touching the very core of the heart. This is the work for which I have come. I have come to sow the seed of love in your hearts so that, in spite of all superficial diversity which your life in illusion must experience and endure, the feeling of oneness through love is brought about amongst all the nations, creeds, sects and castes of the world."
Unity in diversity is also a slogan utilized by the disciples of Swami Sivananda. They came to America to spread the true meaning of Unity in Diversity; that we are All in One & One in All in an all loving ahimsa God.
Politics
In modern politics it was first used, as In varietate unitas, by Ernesto Teodoro Moneta in the context of Italian Unification.Canada
, while Premier of Quebec, published an article entitled "Canada: Unity in Diversity" in the Council on Foreign Relations journal. He asked,The phrase has since become somewhat of a staple of Canadian multiculturalism in general.
The phrase was invoked in the Interdisciplinary Research Seminar at Wilfrid Laurier University in the 1970s. Ervin Laszlo presented his paper entitled "Framework for a General Systems Theory of World Order" as one of the first seminar Papers that led to the establishment of the IRS in 1975.
The motto of the province of Saskatchewan, adopted in 1986, is a variation, Multis e gentibus vires.
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 23 other languages. "Unity in diversity" was selected by means of a competition involving students from member nations. According to theIndia
, the first Prime Minister of India and leader of the Indian National Congress, vigorously promoted unity in diversity as an ideal essential to national consolidation and progress. He wrote at length on this topic, exploring it in detail in his work The Discovery of India.Indonesia
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, an Old Javanese phrase translated as "Unity in Diversity", is the official national motto of Indonesia. It is a quotation from an Old Javanese poem Kakawin Sutasoma, written by Mpu Tantular during the reign of the Majapahit empire sometime in the 14th century.Malaysia
The slogan Unity in Diversity in Malay language that is inculcated nationwide is known as "Kesepaduan dalam Kepelbagaian".Nepal
Nepal is a multilingual, multiethnic, multicultural and multi-religious nation. The people with different faiths, cultures and ethnicities have been living harmoniously since ancient times. Unity in diversity is the defining characteristics of Nepali society.In Nepal there are 125 different caste living together and there are 129 different language spoken in Nepal.
Papua New Guinea
The national motto for the nation of Papua New Guinea on the Eastern side of the island of Papua is Unity in diversitySouth Africa
When apartheid South Africa celebrated 20 years of independence on 31 May 1981, the theme of the celebrations was "unity in diversity". Anti-apartheid campaigners denounced the motto as a cynical attempt to explain away the inequalities in South African life 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.The term has since been incorporated into the preamble of the 1996 Constitution of South Africa as a central tenet of post-apartheid South Africa.