EMF Focus Group Meetings

The Ethnic Minority Forum (EMF) is currently carrying out focus group meetings with local ethnic minority groups and associations. If your group would like a visit from a member of the EMF, please contact Faiza on 01224 523183.

The aim of these discussions is to engage with local ethnic minority communities and draw up a programme of action for the EMF.

The discussions would be around the following questions:

1.Do you know what the Ethnic Minority Forum (EMF) does and how it does it?

2.What are the issues relevant to your community that you think the EMF could take on board?

3.Please name three issues which will form the top of your priorities.

4.Would you be willing to take part in EMF activities to address the issues raised/raised by other groups? If not, why not?

Aberdeen City and Shire Race Equality - Consultation Results 

Online hub celebrates Scottish connections with eastern and central Europe new

First, second and third generation Scots are being encouraged to share their experiences by uploading photos, images and stories to Scottish Connections - a new online hub to promote Scotland's links with central and eastern Europe.

The online hub is part of the Scottish Government's One Scotland anti-racism campaign and has already received support from top Scottish Premier League footballers Dusan Pernis of Dundee Utd, Marian Kello and Marius Zaliukas of Hearts; and Lukasz Zaluska and Milan Misun of Celtic.

The footballers, along with first, second and third generation Scots have stepped up to reflect and share on their experiences of migrating to and from Scotland.

Scottish Connections is dedicated to sharing information, real stories, images and thoughts on heritage from those connected to the central and eastern European countries, who are either:

• Scots whose parents or grandparents came here from eastern or central Europeans countries in the early part of the 20th century
• Czechs, Estonians, Hungarians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles,
• Slovakians, Slovenians, Romanians and Bulgarians living in Scotland
• Scots who have emigrated to eastern and central Europe

Scots have had a positive, historical relationship with these countries for many years however racist attitudes can sometimes prevent our nation from recognising the value and contribution that migrants bring to our economy and our culture.

The new hub will seek to honour this relationship by emphasising that eastern and central Europeans migrating to Scotlandis not a new trend and by highlighting that everyone is contributing to a better Scotland.

Examples of famous Scots over generations that have connections with these countries include Bonnie Prince Charlie whose mother was Polish and former Scottish footballer and manager Billy McNeill who is part Irish part Lithuanian descent.

Catherine Emslie is a second-generation migrant living in Aberdeen, she said "Scotland's connections with Polandand other central European countries go back a long, long way and many people don't realise.My father was a Polish soldier - he came to Scotlandduring World War 2 but sadly left when I was three and I never saw him again.

"I consider myself Scottish-Polish however and have recently included my Polish family name on my door along with my own. This is because I want to celebrate my heritage and to remind people that there are so many links to Polandall around us."

Danny Rab is a Hungarian from Budapestliving in Glasgow, he said "Three years ago I moved to Scotlandto learn to play the bagpipes.  I came to stay for a year and I've never left - I really do think that I'm here to stay. I started working at the National Piping Centre and began playing the bagpipes solo - I loved it! I wear my kilt - I don't have my own tartan but I wear the Robertson tartan. Scotlandis a really welcoming place. I love the people, I love rugby and of course I like the whisky".

Sally Wood from Edinburghmoved to Romania, she said: "Romanians are very cultural, very well educated people. After the Netherlandsthey have the highest population of English speakers in Europe. I loved the country from the very beginning. Transylvaniais not unlike Scotland- it is a really beautiful country. You can experience the Alps, the SwissLakesand the BlackForestsof Germany- all from one country."

To read these stories and others in full and to upload your own go to www.scotlandagainstracism.com/connections