Mention rugby to a Welshman these past few days, and you’ll have no difficulty kick-starting an animated dialogue! Everyone has an opinion and will take every opportunity to express it.

Something similar exists in the Indian sub-continent with cricket or in Brazil with football. On a more cultural level, think how the Italians relate to opera or the Irish to poetry; and we all know how the French like their food.
Such stereotypes can often be misleading, and what applies in general may not be valid in specific situations. But an insight into the particular predilections of people of different backgrounds is an invaluable aid to greater understanding and can help initiate the necessary dialogues we need if we are to strengthen community cohesion.

Last year’s Report by the Commission on Integration & Cohesion, Our Shared Future is probably one of the best pieces of work in this field and highlights both the challenges and much existing good practice. Without question, there is a need for public bodies to open up channels of communications with many groups who form part of our complex multi-cultural society. This was already a difficult task before the vast increase in EU migrants over recent years – today it is urgent.