Do one thing for diversity today!

In 2001, UNESCO declared 21st May as UN World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. So what does that mean? The reason why we have this day is to have the chance to celebrate the cultural diversity of people around us and discover more information about what we have in common, instead of that which separates us. Here are a few modest and simple ways to achieve this:

1. : You may be inspired to create something yourself by a casual visit to a local museum or exhibition which can heighten your desire to learn about a new topic or culture. There are several virtual
exhibitions you can tour even if you cannot make the trip to a museum.

2. : If you have friends of a different religion, why not ask them to tell you a little about it? Why not teach your children about world religions if you have some? Learning about another religion might teach you about the multiple beliefs, cultures, traditions and histories of people in your country and how they have shaped the society you live in.

3. : Most of the world knows all about Hollywood, and you might have heard of Bollywood – the world’s biggest film industry, based in Mumbai – but do you know about Lollywood, the ever expanding film industry based in Lahore, Pakistan, or Nollywood in Nigeria? Gaining prominence on the international film scene, many of the films coming out of these countries are becoming household names globally. Cultures and traditions can be so vividly portrayed through cinema, and watching a film from another country provides a window on distant and faraway places.

4. : Even if you don’t understand the words, music has a way of cutting across languages. There is perhaps no better way to experience another culture than listening to music. That something so subtle can provoke such deep emotional reactions is remarkable.

5. : Language and culture are inseparable. You can show people that you care enough to communicate with them in their own language just by a basic understanding of a few ‘stock’ phrases.