Brian Vassallo’s inspiring and positive contribution on inclusive cultures (April 4) comes at a time when several political leaders are focusing on their national identities with the result of blurring one’s international perspective, dependence and responsibilities.

A globalised world and the fact that today’s societies are pluralistic and multicultural is a clear proof that we need to inculcate in our citizens, at a very young age, those values that help us live together in harmony without any prejudices or misconceptions.

Schools are a representation of society at large. Students come from various family and ethnic backgrounds and it is here that they encounter, very often for the very first time, peers of different cultural backgrounds.

As a former head of school, where inclusion in all its aspects with all its implications had been one of my foremost basic principles, I cannot but fully agree with Vassallo’s insistence on the need of inculcating in school administrators the value of multi-ethnic education.

As he emphasises, “it is the school leader who needs to be a catalyst for the promotion of inclusive cultures”. It is he who has to inspire and motivate his staff to believe in and work for an inclusive society.

When students are being endowed with those skills and values that are needed to live in harmony with one another, we would be also reaching out to their parents and other family members. So, indirectly, schools would be helping in transforming societies into places where diverse ethnic groups are felt welcome and accepted.

Values that help intercultural living should be promoted and encouraged. Rather than building barriers to exclude those that differ from one’s culture, schools should be perceived as open environments where students mix easily and freely and interchange their different perspectives and ideas.

As Vassallo very aptly concludes, “[multi-ethnic education] should not be perceived as an added burden but as an essential tool to dismantle social barriers through the widespread recognition of common values and beliefs”.