Do you think there should be a 'National Britain Day'? What events would you like to see?

Question

Senior Ministers have announced that we should have a 'National Britain Day'. What kind of things could we do on that day to celebrate?

Read more about it here:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/itn/20070605/tuk-national-britain-day-proposed-dba1618.html

Answer 1

I'm in favour of a National Britain Day. Everyone should fly the Union Jack, there should be parades and marching bands playing. It should be held on a bank holiday each year, preferably during spring or summer, so everyone has the day off and there are picnics and family fun. There should be a theme about what it means to be British and how great it is. There should be a lead up to the day in all schools discussing important events that created British values and the promotion of freedom. The Queen and her family should get into it as well. I'm an American who has lived in England for 3 years. This kind of thing is taken for granted in the USA and US citizens of all backgrounds are very proud and patriotic and believe in the American dream, etc. I think it would really help all British people relate to one another and think of each other as part of a cohesive group--as fellow Britains.

Answer 2

A National Britain Day is a wonderful idea. I've recently returned from a few years in Australia and I was very impressed by their patriotism. Every year they celebrate 'Australia Day' and they even have a few days off to celebrate the Queens Birthday!
It makes me so angry that people go so over the top to celebrate St Patricks day just because they might have been there on holiday once, but St Georges Day passes by hardly even mentioned.
I am extremely proud of our country and what we've acheived over the past few hundred years compared to other countries. I am proud that our grandparents fought in the world wars and died for our country, and won - how sad they must feel to hear people say they are not proud to be British. To quote John Howard, the Australian Prime Minister 'If you don't like it, get out' - we wont miss you and could do with the room.
As we are a multicultural society though, I think we should also celebrate the other cultures who live here and contribute to our society. For instance, a 'Celebration of India Day' where parades are organised in the big cities and beautiful traditional outfits are worn, traditional food is served and music played - this would work for all the different cultures in our society and would help teach us all about our neighbours.

Answer 3

I'm all in favour of another Bank holiday as we have relatively few in the UK when compared with some other European countries.

However, it would have to be handled carefully or a National Britain Day could become an excuse for jingoism and racist bigotry. Already on this thread, just discussing the idea has brought out a lot of ignorant comments about different ethnic groups - so a whole day which encourages people to feel national 'pride' is worrying. Why should anyone feel particularly proud of having been born in one particular area of the world as opposed to any other? 'Pride' if it should be celebrated at all, should only be in the way that people in that area have worked to get along and made life better for everyone. Diversity and mingling of cultures and languages has led to the land and the languages in current use today.

Perhaps it would be better to have a National Human Day with the emphasis on getting people from different backgrounds and communities to get to know each other a bit better. It's much harder to hate someone you know.

Answer 4

Why can they not just use Commonwealth Day or St Georges Day as the national Britian Day? Here in Ireland we have St Patricks Day, surely it is more appropriate to use St Georges Day, or is that a no no due to the christian aspect to St George. My opinion is though, when in Rome do as the Romans do, if people want to live in Britain then surely they have to respect the customs of that nation. As another post mentioned about the Celtic heritage, Saxon, Angles and Norman etc, etc. This idea seems to have been put forward by celtic people, Kelly and Byrne. Maybe this goes to show how far we have gone in Western Europe, when we can suggest these ideas, without a political or public backlash. In this day and age when Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland are looking to be excluded from Westminster, is it too much too late? Is the any point to this whole idea? Surely Britain is almost on its last legs, the empire is as good as finished, are Britain hoping to cling on to the past celebrating all the deeds and harm they have done in the past around the world, is this rubbing salt in the wounds of many world cultures? I would be interested to hear the British opinion on this. Is this a fair comment or unjust?

Answer 5

There should be a theme about what it means to be British and how great it is. There should be a lead up to the day in all schools discussing important events that created British values and the promotion of freedom. The Queen and her family should get into it as well. I'm an American who has lived in England for 3 years. This kind of thing is taken for granted in the USA and US citizens of all backgrounds are very proud and patriotic and believe in the American dream, etc. I think it would really help all British people relate to one another and think of each other as part of a cohesive group--as fellow Britains.
Asker's rating & comment

Answer 6

everyone has the day off and there are picnics and family fun. There should be a theme about what it means to be British and how great it is. There should be a lead up to the day in all schools discussing important events that created British values and the promotion of freedom. The Queen and her family should get into it as well. I'm an American who has lived in England for 3 years. This kind of thing is taken for granted in the USA and US citizens of all backgrounds are very proud and patriotic and believe in the American dream, etc. I think it would really help all British people relate to one another and think of each other as part of a cohesive group--as fellow Britains.
Asker's rating & comment

Answer 7

National Britain Day? Yes a good idea. Out here in the Middle East, where I currently live and work, we and all the surrounding countries have a National Day which is always a source of pride for the celebrating nation. An official holiday is given and there are military tattoos, cultural shows, camel races and other such activities going on which one can attend. Of course if one so wishes it can just be a lazy day at home or wherever. Yes definitely a good idea!

Answer 8

National Britain Day? This is a joke right?

I live in Spain - Like many English people living out here I celebrate St George's day and I fly the St Georges cross on my house - which is also common thing to do here. The Irish celebrate St Paddys and fly their flag, ditto the Scots, Swedish, Finnish, Germans etc etc.

It seems to me that the only people who link "national pride" with "racism" are those members of society who consider them themselves "politically correct" - the average man in the street doesn't care about racist undertones - he wants to celebrate being English - I don't know anyone who considers themselves British... I am not even sure what that means... I am ENGLISH!

I don't think anyone would deny seeing the St G's cross on TV during racist events, but the same can be said for many flags at many different events... should any nation really give up such a huge part of their heritage and tradition because of a gross and offensive bastardization of a national symbol?

The Irish are proud, the Scots are proud, the Welsh are practically fanatics.... why is this even an issue in England? Come on England - fight for your rights, fight to celebrate your own traditions! Forget "National Britain Day", bring back Saint George!

Answer 9

In a word 'NO!'.
I am Scottish and don't want to be celebrating a day of no relevance to me, perhaps having a nation day where the English celebrate their English-ness, Scottish day where we celebrate Scottish-ness, Welsh and Northern Irish doing likewise.
Why is it that the perception of government is that we all feel British? If I had it my way I would hold a Scottish passport, live in a independent Scotland and never be associated with the word Britain.
I'm not racist, I hold no grudges with English people or that of any other nation and I don't advocate or condone any kind of inequality based on a persons nationality.
I do however sense that being labelled British is more important to politicians and perhaps to English people as they are widely regarded by others as the rulers of Britain and the Commonwealth (don't get me started!).
We already have public holidays that mean very little other than a day off to most people, so I would consider it far more productive that any future day of celebration accurately mirrors the people who celebrate it and makes the day truly meaningful.

Answer 10

How can we celebrate a national Britain day. This is a contradiction in terms. Britain is not a nation it is a collection of nations - England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. With regional assemblies becoming ever more powerful. Wales and Scotland wanting to separate increasingly from England and at last an assembly in N. Ireland how are we supposed to celebrate a Britain Day. By debating the Mid Laotian Question?

No. We should celebrate England, Wales, Scotland as countries with their own distinct heritage.

But first we need some pride in our respective countries. When the PC brigade stop telling us that all of our customs are wrong and our traditions are shameful and our history is tainted, then we can develop national pride - not a national guilt that has been thrust upon us.