Multiculturalismo

The word multiculturalism can be divided in smaller ones. Multi (prefix=diferent/several), cultur (language, customs, tradictions, food, music, races, ethnicities…), al (suffix used to form adjectives) and ism (suffix used to form nouns).
Multiculturalism is the doctrine that several different cultures can exist peacefully and equitably in a single country.
Some examples of the most multicultural countries in the world are Australia, USA, Canada, UK, France.
Multiculturalism involves coexistence, pluralism, multilingualism, diversity, tolerance, respect, equality, human rights, freedom…
We can describes the multiculturalism in two metaphors: the melting pot and the salad bowl.
The melting pot theory says that the United States is like a pot of soup. People from other cultures who move to the country take on the American culture and therefore melting some of their old cultural beliefs and practices.
The salad bowl concept suggests that the integration of the many different cultures of United States residents combine like a salad, as opposed to the more traditional notion of a cultural melting pot.
Why do people emigrate? Employment, poverty, hunger, war, religious and political persecutions, natural disasters…
They are locking for: better working and living condictions, better salary, better education, political and religious freedom.

Should these people adopt the customs of the new country or should they keep their own traditions?

Multiculturalismo (ou pluralismo cultural) é um termo que descreve a existência de muitas culturas numa região, cidade ou país, com no mínimo uma predominante. O Canadá e a Austrália são exemplos de multiculturalismo; porém, alguns países europeus advogam discretamente a adoção de uma política multiculturalista. Em contraponto ao Multiculturalismo, podemos constatar a existência de outras políticas culturais seguidas, como, por exemplo, o Monoculturalismo vigente na maioria dos países do mundo e ligada intimamente ao