The beginnings of mass migration in the UK began when hundreds of young men and women, who had set out carrying hopes and dreams for a new life in Britain, arrived from the Caribbean when the SS Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury in June 1948.

This was an unprecedented event in British history which has gradually led to the rich melting pot that contributes to the cultural and economic fabric of the UK. This is all the more visible in London and other major cities such as Birmingham and Manchester which have become truly cosmopolitan where it is possible to see individuals with genetic traits from every corner of the world, to find restaurants that offer a variety of world cuisines and to be able to see the second and third generation children of immigrants.

Assimilating with ever-growing ease into mainstream life in the UK while preserving the culture and language of their heritage to various degrees.

Britain has long been a centre for academic research in the studies of foreign languages and societies which contradict the image of the ‘xenophobic Brit’. In fact Britain’s legacy from the colonial era has brought about tremendous shift in attitudes towards identity and citizenship so that Britain has embraced ethnic minority communities and come to regard them as an asset to the complex, liberal and globally-conscious British identity.

In fact, most people are attracted to the capital for precisely this reason. London has bustling, eye-catching areas that have become the hub for cuisine and businesses pertaining to a given ethnic group; the mouth-watering restaurants of Chinatown in Soho, legendary reggae shops and the Carnival in Notting Hill, Middle Eastern cafes in Edgware Road, curry-houses in Brick Lane and Kosher supermarkets in pockets across

North London aren’t even the tip of the iceberg that explain how richly multicultural parts of Britain have become. Famous personalities; news anchors, entertainers, politicians are increasingly members of second and third generation ethnic minority communities. On the other hand, it is a commonly held view, especially for Brits who have been born in multicultural areas in cities like London, that they hardly ever notice another’s ethnic and cultural background.

According to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the term ‘ethnic minority’ is a vague and loaded term which constitutes both racial and cultural characteristics. There are a number of variations on the term in use that reflect the ethnic diversity in the UK as outlined by the ESRC:

• ‘Ethnic group’ refers to people of the same race or nationality with a long history shared history and a distinct culture.
• ‘Ethnicity’ refers to the tangible quality or sense of being, derived from that racial or cultural affiliation.
• ‘Black and Minority Ethnic’ (BME) is a term commonly used by the Home Office. Other Agencies use the term ‘Minority Ethnic Group’.

This year’s census is expected to show that 10% of Britain’s population or over 5 million people belong to an ethnic minority community; a figure which has the potential to alarm as well as to be celebrated. The most recent census was held in 29th April 2001 and the next one, which is due to take place in 2011, is bound to show significant shifts in migratory trends due to the fairly recent entry of a number of Eastern European nations into the EU and a rise in asylum applications as a result of the tragedy of conflict in countries at war, such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri-Lanka.

Traditionally it was common to view the bulk of Britain’s ethnic population as those originating from the Caribbean and South Asia. Nowadays, it is too simplistic to describe Britain’s ethnic minority communities as broadly as that since inter-racial marriages have become so widespread socially acceptable and the fact the many British-born Asians and West-Indians are second and third-generation children of immigrants who strongly identify with British values and who use English as their main language or only language. In addition to this, Britain has attracted communities from all over the globe for economic reasons as well as the world’s trend towards globalization and modern sensibilities which disregard restraints according to race, culture and background. In the capital, it is possible to meet individuals from Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, South and the Middle East of various social backgrounds and it is inevitable to meet children, and often adults, who are the products of inter-racial marriages. The rise in economic migrants from Eastern Europe is evident in the UK and the majority of whom are under 30, economically active and at an age where lack of commitment means that settling in the UK permanently is a viable option for them.

The genetic makeup of the UK has changed and is still changing rapidly. For some this causes concern over the loss of British traditions and fear of the burden of having to support vulnerable migrants in education and health services – an issue which is sometimes hijacked by the media and politicians for personal gain. In the most extreme cases there has been a rise in support for far-right groups and white-supremacy and a worrying global trend in demonizing faiths like Islam. Fortunately for those of us who are classed as members of ethnic communities, first, second and third generation, it is more than possible to find hope in the progressive attitudes of the majority of the indigenous British populace that acknowledges and often celebrates the contributions made to the economy, arts and culture cuisine in the UK as a result of this wide-reaching diversity