The Welsh Government has vowed it will change the “beliefs and behaviour of the white majority” in Wales.
They claim it is part of an “anti-racist” action plan which aims to make all aspects of public life “inclusive”.
The devolved Labour administration made the pledge as it unveiled how it intends to make the country ‘anti-racist’ by 2030 and ensure ‘all areas’ of public life are transformed and made “inclusive”.
The Telegraph reports: To meet the demands of the plan, public bodies have launched policies which include potentially destroying statues of “old white men” that have been deemed offensive, and official reports have advised creating “dog free areas” to boost inclusion.
The Labour Government has now revealed that one outcome of the plan will be a change in “the beliefs and behaviour of the white majority”.
This is stated in an updated plan released with a foreword by Eluned Morgan, the First Minister of Wales, who has reiterated her “commitment to building an inclusive and equitable society for all our black, Asian and minority ethnic people and communities”.
An explanation of the “logic” of the refreshed action plan states that the overall “vision of an anti-racist Wales” will be achieved through “shifts in knowledge, beliefs, experiences and behaviour as well systemic and cultural changes”.
It states that the outcomes of policy changes made to bring about this vision should take place at an organisational, societal and “individual” level.
The plan adds that this “includes shifts in the beliefs and behaviour of the white majority”.
Intended changes in society will be measured by the Welsh Race Disparity Evidence Unit, which will look at “whether we are seeing a reduction in any disparities”.
The plan states that this reduction in racial disparities must be pursued across all public institutions and in all areas of life, from Civil Service employment to the work of museums and art galleries.
The Welsh Government as an employer has set out to “drive behaviour change” with action such as “induction for new recruits” and “options for mandatory training”.
Youth work is also required by the plan to support its goals by encouraging discussions of racism among the young.
The Labour Government gathered evidence to inform future policies intended to make the outdoors more inclusive for ethnic minorities. One advisory report to the government suggested creating “dog free areas” to help achieve this.
In order to realise the goals of the anti-racist action plan, museums, galleries, and public artworks have been told to set the “right historical narrative” that provides a “decolonised account of the past”.
