Deputy Prime Minister launches Diversity Programme
The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, launches the Naz Legacy Foundation’s Diversity Programme at the National Portrait Gallery.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, with schoolchildren from deprived and minority communities, is launching the Naz Legacy Foundation’s Diversity Programme at the National Portrait Gallery.
For some of the children, the visit, which involves learning about the rich heritage of diverse role models in Britain, is their first trip to a gallery or museum.
The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, a Trustee of the National Portrait Gallery said:
I’m proud to support the Naz Legacy Foundation’s Diversity Programme. Naz Bokhari, the first Muslim and first Asian head teacher in the UK, was a champion for education. He believed that every young person – no matter what their background or circumstances - deserved the best quality of education available. To ensure that for all of the children he taught, Naz Bokhari would take them to visit our country’s great galleries, museums and theatres.
The Naz Legacy Foundation continues this work today, extending these brilliant opportunities to as many young people as they can. And the National Portrait Gallery in London is just one cultural institution, which - working with the Foundation - has gone out of its way to ensure that the work it exhibits fully reflects Britain’s modern diversity, alongside its rich heritage.
For me this work matters, because it can help inspire all children to learn and succeed in their own lives. As a champion of social mobility, I believe that everyone, whatever their background or circumstances, should have the opportunity to rise as far and high as their talents and ambitions allow them. It’s been one of my biggest priorities in the coalition government to ensure that happens. So, I want to wish the Naz Legacy Foundation every success as it continues to enrich the lives of Britain’s children and helps us to build a fairer society.
Sandy Nairne, Director, National Portrait Gallery said:
The National Portrait Gallery is pleased to collaborate with the Naz Legacy Foundation on the launch of their initiative to encourage more schools to visit public galleries and museums. Today [30 April], 4 schools will have a special opportunity to visit the Gallery and encounter diverse stories, including that of Ayuba Suleiman Diallo. The Gallery’s work with diverse audiences includes various community programmes, internships and apprenticeships, and a 3-year project working with NEET (not in education, employment or training) young people to encourage them to visit the Gallery for the first time.