Hooshang Paiger came to London in 1997 after the rise of the Taleban in Afghanistan. He has worked for the Afghan Association of London, the BBC World Service (Uzbek Department) and also works as an interpreter on a voluntary basis.
I thought of London as an English city. I had imagined that it would be a city that a majority or ninety percent should be white people. But, when I started to explore the city, it appeared that you can find people from all around the world here. I was surprised. It's a cosmopolitan city. Now, I think that fifty per cent of the population of London are foreigners.
For me, it was interesting to see many Asian people here, especially from the Indian subcontinent. When you go to some particular places like Southall or Wembley, you will feel that you are in (laughter) Pakistan or India. The only reason I am saying this is that the majority of the population are Asian. For a moment you forget that you are in London, you find yourself in the Indian subcontinent. Or, if you go to the north of London, like Wood Green, the majority are Turkish. It's like a little Turkey. Whoever you bump into [inaudible].
I was really surprised when I saw people from all over the world here. I was thinking that white English must be in the majority, but it was so mixed, that even sometimes you struggle to associate all these people or make a connection between them. It's really amazing, and it's very impressive.
So, I really think that fifty percent must be foreigners. From the statistics I have, the Afghan population in London is between ten and twenty thousand. So, if we compare this with other nations who are really visible; four out of eight million population of London would be foreigners (laughter) who live in this big and great city.
Well, … I picture London in my mind with its historical buildings, with its old buildings or the heart of politics where you can feel the pulse of politics and politicians. That's what I imagine of London. The world's most important decisions are made in the House of Commons. You can trace the oldest history of politics here. You can say that London is the mother of the first democratic capital city in the world. First democratic rights have been recognised in this city.
I imagine London, as a city of revolutions.
Many great changes in the history of the modern world have happened in this city. Great thinkers and philosophers have been born in this country and lived here. For example, Karl Marx has lived here and he brought new political ideas to the world and his ideas later lead to many big revolutions across the planet. Or Frederick Engels also lived here. William Shakespeare has lived here, who is known to all of us.
All of those great thinkers, or persons, have benefited from the facilities and advantages of this great city which have been offered during the years. I am happy that I live in a suburb of London and benefit from what London offers .
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