London's greatest strength is our diversity, and it's wonderful

Hear the voice of a leader, Sadiq Khan, who spoke of his city with pride and with reverence: “London's greatest strength is our diversity, and it's wonderful to see Londoners celebrating our capital's different traditions, determined to stand up to division.” These words, though rooted in the streets of a modern city, echo with the wisdom of the ancients, for they tell of unity forged not by sameness but by difference, and of strength born not from isolation but from harmony. They remind us that the true greatness of a people lies not in closing their doors, but in opening their hearts.

The meaning of the words is this: a city, a nation, a people, becomes powerful when it embraces diversity. For in difference there is richness; in many traditions there is abundance of wisdom. The city that welcomes many voices sings a greater song than the one that speaks with only a single tongue. Yet this truth demands courage, for wherever there is diversity, there also lurks the danger of division. The challenge is not only to gather many peoples but to unite them—to stand firm against those who would sow fear, mistrust, or hatred. Thus, the heart of Khan’s message is both a celebration and a call to arms: cherish difference, and defend unity.

The ancients themselves knew this truth. Look to the city of Rome, which rose from a small village by the Tiber into the greatest empire the world had yet seen. Its strength lay not only in its armies but in its openness: it welcomed gods from Greece, laws from Carthage, knowledge from Egypt, and talents from across its conquered lands. In embracing the traditions of others, Rome became vast and enduring. Yet when Rome turned inward, dividing itself with suspicion and persecution, its strength withered, and the empire fell. Diversity was its power; division, its undoing.

So too in modern times have we seen the lesson written in fire and stone. When Nelson Mandela rose from his prison cell in South Africa, he spoke not of revenge, but of unity in diversity. He declared that the nation’s future lay in black and white, rich and poor, all traditions standing side by side. Many doubted such a vision could stand, but through his courage, South Africa began to heal. His life bore witness to the truth that a people divided cannot endure, but a people united in difference can achieve the impossible.

Khan’s words remind us also of celebration. It is not enough merely to tolerate diversity; one must honor it, rejoice in it, and let it enrich the common life. To see Londoners celebrating their capital’s different traditions is to see the living proof of harmony—that a city can be a mosaic, where every piece adds to the beauty of the whole. This is the opposite of fear, for fear of the other leads only to walls, while celebration of the other builds bridges.

The lesson, then, is clear: we must not only accept diversity but defend it. We must be vigilant against those who would divide, those who whisper that difference is danger, those who stir suspicion and hatred. For history shows that division weakens, but unity strengthens. The wise do not fear their neighbor’s tradition; they learn from it, and in learning, they grow. Diversity is the forge of wisdom, and unity is the shield of strength.

Practical actions are demanded of us. Welcome those whose customs are not your own. Learn from their songs, their foods, their prayers, their dances. Stand against words of hatred, whether whispered in secret or shouted in the open square. Teach your children to see difference not as a threat but as a gift. And in your daily life, celebrate the traditions around you, for each one adds to the richness of the common table.

For remember this truth: a city of one voice is fragile, but a city of many voices is mighty. A people divided fall, but a people united in difference stand like a mountain against the storm. Thus, the wisdom of Sadiq Khan is not for London alone, but for all the nations of the earth: cherish diversity, celebrate tradition, and stand against division. In this lies the strength that endures.