Belfast Mela 2011

I had the pleasure of attending the Belfast Mela 2011 last Sunday afternoon.

Over 18,000 people descended on Botanic Gardens to witness first hand the vibrant and colourful spectacle which has become a regular date in the Belfast calendar.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland is delighted to support and be associated with the Mela and again officers were present, meeting with members of the public, providing advice and information.

The Mela, in its fifth year, has now become Northern Ireland's largest multi-cultural festival and I was delighted to see that it was again so well supported.

As I walked around visiting the various stalls and meeting people it was fantastic to see how multi-cultural Northern Ireland has become and all the opportunities that this presents.

Sadly not everyone sees a diverse Northern Ireland as an opportunity and the symptoms of this are present with almost daily reports of racist hate crimes and incidents. A minority of individuals choose to attack people or their property simply because they perceive them to be different.

The huge contribution that people from various cultures, countries and backgrounds provide is totally lost on this minority. Not only is it important that we attend events such as the Mela to engage with the public, but it’s also important that we show our support for minority and vulnerable communities and visibly reassure them that the Police Service is there for everyone no matter what their background is.

We are your Police Service and we will continue to do everything possible to protect those who are most vulnerable, regardless of background.

I look forward to Belfast Mela 2012 and sincerely congratulate everyone who made the day such a success.