What really holds a diverse nation together

Mainul Haque writes that Australia’s strength lies not in monoculture but in shared values, trust and a true sense of belonging.

AS A YOUNG village boy growing up in northern Bangladesh, I could never have imagined that one day I would stand at Government House in Canberra and receive the Medal of the Order of Australia.

The journey between these two moments has taken me to four countries and three continents. Along the way, he taught me a question that feels particularly relevant today: What truly holds a diverse nation together?

It’s a question worth asking at a time when some argue that Australia’s future lies in becoming more monocultural.

I understand why this idea appeals to some people. Rapid demographic change, global conflicts, economic uncertainty and increasing social polarization have left many Australians wondering whether we are losing the common values that have long held us together. These concerns need to be heard. A strong society cannot guarantee social harmony.

However, my own journey, shaped not by theory but by lived experiences, led me to a different conclusion.

The strength of a nation is not determined by how similar its people are to each other. It is determined by whether people from different backgrounds trust each other, whether they share common citizenship values and whether they feel like they belong.

My understanding of diversity did not start in Australia. It started long before I came here.

I was born and raised in a small rural village in northern Bangladesh, where almost everyone spoke the same language, shared similar customs, and lived much the same way. It was a close-knit community, and I am deeply grateful for the values it instilled in me. This sense of familiarity shaped my early years, but it also meant that I had yet to encounter a world beyond this.

Everything changed when I received a Malaysian Government scholarship to study economics at the International Islamic University Malaysia. I was part of the university’s pioneer recruitment. For the first time in my life, I found myself living and studying with students from Malays, Chinese, Indians, Africans, Arabs, Europeans and many other countries.

The classroom has become much more than a place to teach economics. It became a place where I learned about people. We came from different cultures, spoke different languages, practiced different traditions. Still, we shared lecture halls, did homework together, played sports, shared meals in the cafeteria, and made lifelong friends. These experiences challenged many of my assumptions and expanded my understanding of the world.

I then moved to Canada to study for a master’s degree in economics. Once again, I found myself surrounded by people whose backgrounds were very different from my own. Diversity was no longer occasional. It had become a part of daily life.

My travels in the United States have further expanded this perspective. I saw a nation shaped by successive waves of immigration, from major cities to small communities. I also found that diversity alone does not guarantee harmony. Every different society faces the same fundamental question: How do people from different backgrounds develop trust, create a common identity, and create a sense of common purpose?

Each of these experiences has deepened my understanding of both the promise and complexity of diversity. When I immigrated to Australia in 1992, I had already experienced multicultural societies in different forms around the world.

Australia gave me the opportunity to experience something else. It gave me the opportunity to belong.

I worked in the Australian Civil Service for nearly thirty years. This experience showed me how diversity works in practice within the framework of a common national purpose. Sitting around the meeting table were Australians whose families came from every continent. We brought different perspectives and life experiences to our work, but our purpose remained the same: to serve the Australian people with integrity and professionalism.

I saw that the same principle was reflected in social life.

As President of the Canberra Muslim Community, I have had the privilege of leading the development of the Muslim community. Gungahlin Mosque. From the beginning, we wanted this place to be more than a place of worship. We wanted it to be part of the wider Canberra community.

When the mosque opened its doors, we welcomed neighbors, church leaders, politicians, journalists and people of all faiths. We hosted the public during Ramadan iftars A place where Muslims and non-Muslims sit, eat and establish relationships together. We didn’t just build mosques. We were building trust.

Over the years, I too have had the privilege of serving. Rotary And Red Crossas Official Visitor to correctional facilities and on various government and non-profit boards. I saw the same simple truth in all of these roles. No matter our background, people want pretty much the same things. They want dignity, justice, opportunity and hope. They want to be treated with respect. Above all else, they want to feel like they belong.

Looking back, I realize that belonging has been a common thread throughout my own journey.

Australia has never asked me to choose between where I come from and where I belong. It allowed me to honor both.

In my opinion, this is one of the country’s greatest achievements.

Some critics argue that multiculturalism encourages communities to live separate lives. There are examples where we can do better, and we should not shy away from this conversation. Strong social cohesion requires more than celebrating diversity. It requires learning English, participating in civic life, respecting Australia’s democratic institutions, embracing equality before the law and building relationships between communities.

These responsibilities do not belong solely to immigrants. They belong to all Australians.

Similarly, those born here have a responsibility to welcome newcomers who are willing to contribute, to judge people by their character rather than their surname or religion, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate fully in Australian society.

This is how trust is built.

This is how belonging develops.

History shows that societies can be deeply divided even if people share the same culture, language, and ancestry. They may still be fragmented along lines of class, politics, religion or power. Sameness has never guaranteed harmony. In contrast, diverse societies can thrive when they are built on shared civic values, strong institutions, and mutual respect.

Australia’s success has never depended on everyone looking the same, praying the same or coming from the same ancestry.

It was connected to something much more powerful.

A shared commitment to democracy, freedom, equality, the rule of law and fair rights to all. These are the principles that shape how societies hold together in practice.

These principles have become more than just ideas to me. They became visible in the life I was able to build in Australia.

As a young village boy growing up in Bangladesh, I could never have imagined that my life’s journey would take me to Asia and North America before bringing me to Australia. Nor could I have imagined that one day I would stand at Government House and receive the Medal of the Order of Australia.

That moment was much more than a medal for me.

It reflected the generosity of a nation that judged me not by where I was born but by how I tried to contribute.

This reminds me that Australia is at its best when it values contribution over ancestry, background over character.

Looking back, Bangladesh taught me the value of community. Malaysia taught me the richness of diversity. Canada showed me how diversity can be part of national identity. My travels in the United States have revealed the opportunities and challenges of diversity.

Australia has incorporated these lessons.

He taught me that monoculture is not what holds a nation together.

Nor is it diversity alone.

It is the willingness of people from different backgrounds to build a common future together.

This is the Australia I know.

Australia, which I am proud to call home.

And Australia is where I hope we will continue to build for future generations.

Mainul Haque OAM is a retired Australian public servant with nearly three decades of experience in government, academia and community leadership.

Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA.