Broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald told a high-profile public debate in Bradford today that the district could provide a multi-cultural role model for the rest of the country.

He was hosting the event as part of the 20-20 Vision for Bradford Campaign launched by Bradford Council.

Sir Trevor was chairing the debate at the Stakis Hotel in Bradford. It was attended by 300 invited guests from business and community organisations.

The broadcaster said he was well aware that Bradford was a positive example of a multi-racial community.

"It's a very good idea to be a role model in community building. That is excellent," he said.

"There are a number of places which can boast of this kind of racial ethnicity but why shouldn't Bradford be a role model?"

Sir Trevor said that many of Bradford's problems were not unique and in his career as a journalist he had seen societies grappling with similar difficulties in places such as South Africa, the Philippines, and the Far East.

"The interesting thing for me as a journalist travelling the world is that you see a commonality about these problems. Nowhere is very unique in these things any more," he said.

Sir Trevor said Bradford could be a positive example of how different cultures could live together successfully.

"Bradford is multi-racial and multi-cultural and I think that is the way of the future, that is the way of the world. Nothing else will do. We have gone past any possibility of escaping that," he said.

"I am optimistic but not stupidly so about the inevitability of the merging of cultures, about people getting on because there is no other way. There's a kind of universal aspect to this kind of thing. Only when people grow together, only when people have a greater understanding of each other, only when there is a kind of tolerance and a willingness to pool resources and efforts, only then can there can be any kind of success.

"I happen to think that this has been helped by the shrinking of the world. It is a much smaller place and you don't have to get into a boat anymore to get to the other side of the world."

The aim of the event was to draw up a draft 20-20 Vision document setting out a strategy for making comprehensive improvements to the quality of life for everyone in the district until 2020 and beyond.

Bradford Council's Chief Executive, Ian Stewart, opened the debate by saying he hoped the strategy would be inclusive, inspiring and visionary.

Delegates were invited to put questions to Sir Trevor and a panel of experts drawn from business and community groups.

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