THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
In this powerful reflection, Collins Nweke* takes us on a deeply personal journey through Europe’s evolving relationship with diversity. Drawing on his lived experiences as a Nigerian-born Belgian public servant, father and now grandfather, he explores the shift from multiculturalism – living side by side, to interculturalism, where mutual transformation takes root.
Upfront I want to say that it would be a mistake and a disservice to reality, to declare multiculturalism dead. It is, instead, undergoing a difficult, sometimes painful, evolution. This evolution is tensive. I have lived this tension firsthand: as a husband, raising a family between cultures; as a father, watching my European-born sons navigate identity in spaces that sometimes subtly questioned their belonging; as a first-time young grandfather, now contemplating what kind of Europe my grandson — a beautiful mix of African Nigerian and European Belgian heritage — will inherit. Will he get to walk into any room on this continent not as a “token” of diversity, but simply as a European, fully at home?
Signs of Progress
That evidence of the evolution is there if we choose to see it. We see it in our children and their generation. They do not beg for belonging. They claim it confidently as their right. The claim is evident in the job interviews they attend, where their skills, not colour, are put in the focus. It is evident in daring to audaciously negotiate a pay raise after a positive work evaluation in a tone that suggests they are happy to leave if not sufficiently appreciated.
Younger generations of assorted colours and creeds across Belgium and Europe are more cosmopolitan, less chained to narrow definitions of identity. They are growing up bilingual, trilingual, seamlessly blending cultures. Intercultural marriages are steadily increasing. Public life, once overwhelmingly homogenous, is beginning to reflect the diverse societies it serves. The other reality that we must choose to see is that there remains much ground to cover.
The Ideal vs. the Reality
When I first arrived in Belgium, wide-eyed and armed with youthful idealism, the word “multiculturalism” seemed like a promise. I saw it as a living testament that people from all walks of life could coexist, contribute, and thrive together. It wasn’t long before I realized that while the ideal was spoken about in polished policy documents and political speeches, the practice was something altogether more complicated and deeply human.
As a first-generation Nigerian diaspora, I carried more than just my suitcase; I carried my culture, my dreams and my resolve. Over the years, I have watched Belgium—and indeed Europe—wrestle with the beauty and the burden of diversity. The truth is, multiculturalism here is a work in progress. It is messy, imperfect, often frustrating, but, at its core, full of promise.
I experienced this duality firsthand when I joined the Belgian Civil Service in the Municipal Department of Social Welfare. Many colleagues only knew me from a distance. As a co-social activist, a neighbour, a community member—an “outsider-friend,” if you will. But becoming a colleague was different; a big Black man occupying that professional space was, for many, an unfamiliar sight.
It was not hostility in the open sense, but a persistent tension that hovered in small gestures, quiet exclusions, subtle intimidation, awkward silences. I persevered because I had to—not just for myself, but for other migrants who looked up to me, believing their dreams could find space here too. Slowly, for most, the discomfort gave way to acceptance. But for a tiny minority, it remained unacceptable till the end. Their frozen stares and silent disapproval were daily reminders that the journey toward true multiculturalism is not linear. It is layered with human frailty.
Still, I walked the path with my head high, knowing that every small victory widened the road for those who would come after me.
Perhaps the most defining moment of my public life came when I was elected, the first non-Belgian-born person to hold political office in West Flanders. It was historic, yet deeply disorienting for many. It wasn’t overt rejection I faced, but a palpable uncertainty. Many simply didn’t know what to do with me, how to place me, how to welcome me into a tradition that had, until then, seen political leadership through only one cultural lens.
But again, I leaned not on validation, but on my mandate. My mandate is the sacred trust of the people who elected me—people who saw in me not just an outsider, but a partner in their collective future.
Towards Interculturalism
Navigating the complex terrains of politics, where subtle exclusions often hurt more than explicit ones, taught me the value of resilience over resentment. It taught me that representation is not just about occupying a seat at the table, but about reshaping the table itself so that many more seats can be added for all who are yet to come.
Increasingly, the future of Europe must go beyond multiculturalism—the respectful coexistence of distinct communities—toward interculturalism, where genuine dialogue, interaction, and mutual transformation become the norm. Mine was the Europe of multiculturalism. The Europe I dream of for my grandson is one of interculturalism.
It should be about daring to live together, hand in hand—not in fear of losing our distinctiveness, but in the confidence that our shared humanity enriches us all. Stated differently, multiculturalism brought us thus far; interculturalism should take us further.
Multiculturalism and interculturalism in Europe are not about achieving perfect harmony. They are about the willingness to keep trying, to keep talking, and to keep building. Together.
If my own journey has taught me anything, it is that perseverance, compassion, and open-hearted honesty are still the best compasses we have. And with those in hand, I remain an optimist. Not a blind one, but a stubborn one. Because despite our stumbles, I believe Belgium, Europe, and all of us who call it home will find a way forward. Not just side by side, but hand in hand.
When—not if—we succeed, multiculturalism will give way to interculturalism. It will no longer be an embattled concept in Belgium and Europe. It will simply be the way things are.
That should be the Europe worth fighting for.
__________
The author, Collins Nweke, is a Belgian of Nigerian origin, a former Green Councillor at Ostend City Council, and a long-standing advocate for migrant inclusion. His reflections were written to mark #EuropeDay2025.
