Islamaphobia

Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:09 pm on 14 March 2018.

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Photo of Julie James Julie James Labour 3:09, 14 March 2018

Yes, indeed, and, again, I've nothing to really add to that. That's a very potent way of putting it. I think the thing I mentioned was actually a module in the Welsh baccalaureate that is called 'Challenging extremism' that we teach as part of the modules that you can select in the Welsh baccalaureate. I have had some discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Education about the way that we teach citizenship and various other things. I have to say I've not had a specific conversation with her about religious education, although I'm very happy to do so. But we have had a number of conversations about the way that we teach citizenship and healthy relationships and tolerance and community cohesion, but I'm more than happy to include religious education in that conversation that I have very regularly with that Cabinet Secretary. The reason we have that very regularly is because we very much want to make sure that our children grow up in a spirit of tolerance and acceptance and good community relationships—good relationships with all of their neighbours.

To quote Jo Cox, the MP, 'We have more in common than that which divides us.' And, as I say, my own experience around the world has shown that, actually, all communities are very much the same. We all have myths around family relationships and so on, but, when you actually talk to somebody who appears to be from a very different culture to yours, you find that their myths are very similar, because actually very many human beings are all very similar. And, as I said in my earlier response, all communities have people of whom they are very proud, but also, I'm afraid, people that they are not so proud of. So, you're absolutely right. We need to stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone who has experienced fear and feels excluded because of this hateful campaign, and make sure that we both support the victims but also bring the perpetrators to justice.