LEICESTER—Vibrant faith communities, committed political participation by ethnic minorities, and trusted local media outlets make Leicester a model for integration, according to a report released today by the At Home in Europe Project of the Open Society Institute. Located in the East Midlands of England, Leicester is one of the largest cities in the country and is also set to become the United Kingdom's first "plural city" with no overall ethnic majority.
"Other cities in Europe have much to learn from Leicester. This city serves as a powerful example of how ethnic and cultural diversity can be managed well and, in fact, turned into an asset," said Nazia Hussain, director of OSI's At Home in Europe project. "But there are challenges on the horizon. Rapidly changing demographics, mobility of people into and out of the city, and a number of key socioeconomic difficulties mean that continued action is needed."
The Muslims in Leicester report is the culmination of more than two years of research and numerous one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions with Muslim and non-Muslim residents as well as interviews with local government officials, Muslim leaders, academics, journalists, and activists. The research focused on the wards of Evington, Stoneygate, and Spinney Hills and was carried out in conjunction with the Leicester-based Policy Research Centre.
This city study was prepared as part of a series of monitoring reports titled "Muslims in EU Cities" focusing on eleven cities in the European Union with significant Muslim populations: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Berlin, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Leicester, Marseille, Paris, Rotterdam, Stockholm and the London Borough of Waltham Forest.
"The diversity in Leicester is one of our greatest assets," said Sheila Lock, chief executive of Leicester City Council. "We have many different faith communities and are constantly seeking new and better ways to engage with them. We welcome this report which provides us with the most detailed study of Muslims in the city to date, and highlights the work going on in the city at a local level."
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Active in more than 70 countries, the Open Society Institute works to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Working with local communities, the Open Society Institute supports justice and human rights, freedom of expression and access to public health and education.