May 21st is the day designated as World Day for Cultural Diversitythe state of being diverse or different, variety and/or diversity is more than exhibiting "different" outward appearances; diversity is often much more about cultural differences. What does that mean? It does not mean checking out people to see if they are Black, Brown, White, or otherwise, and shaking hands. It is a day to explore different cultures, learn about diverse traditions, and engage in activities that promote understanding and respect. How can we do this? It can be done by taking courses, watching documentaries, learning about different religions, visiting museums and artthe expressive or application of human creative skill and imagination in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, or in music, literature, or dance; art is created primarily for beauty and emotional power; and "holds art is anything the viewer or listener finds aesthetically pleasing." exhibits, listening to music, going to concerts, attending workshops, learning a new languagea system of symbols that allow people to communicate with each other, also the MOST symbolic way that culture is passed down, cooking and sharing foodany nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink, or that plants absorb, in order to maintain life and growth from different cultures, engaging in conversations with scholars, and/or participating in a cultural event or celebration.
Almost all the above possibilities for exploration can be done virtually! Wow! How easy is that? Since you are reading this musing, you can check out some courses available at <itsallaboutculture.com> to learn about cultural diversity. There is also dialogue and development within the courses offered.
Within the US, we have many opportunities to have intercultural dialogues, but this is not so in other countries. It is said that “89% of all conflicts in the world occur in countries with low intercultural dialogue.” That is the reason why UNESCOUNESCO is an acronym standing for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, established in 1945 (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) leads this celebration each year. https://www.unesco.org/en. They highlight the richness of the world’s cultures, as well as calling out the “essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.”
At <https://www.unesco.org/en/cultural-diversity-dialogue-development-day> it is where you can learn how “…the cultural and creative sector is one of the most powerful engines of development worldwide.” In September 2022, UNESCO sponsored the largest world conference in 40 years, devoted to cultureculture is not genetically inherited, it is shared, learned, and dynamic- never static. At that time, they affirmed culture as a “global public good.” They also called for it (culture) to be the specific goal in their agenda, “beyond 2030.”
On the website, <itsallaboutculture.com>, we understand how important knowledge of cultural diversity is to all people. There are several short courses offered to help broaden the gaps in knowledge we all have about other cultures besides our own. Cultural anthropologythe holistic study of humanity in its broadest context in all times and places, ancient and contemporary on this website studies human lifeways in the broadest possible comparative perspective.
As a professor of anthropology, I witnessed how students’ attitudes changed toward their peers and others as they grasped the idea that culture is a determinant of how they treat others and how they react to others because of enculturationlearning culture begins at birth; it is both conscious and unconscious learning, and both informal (within families) and formal (within institutions, as in church, or school), but most importantly it is passed down from generation to generation throughout their lives. Some of the courses available at <itsallaboutculture.com> are:
What is Culture? (Free)
Art in Culture
Enculturation and Being Culture-boundthinking that you are limited by your own cultural patterns, not able to recognize or assimilate into another culture's way of thinking - an example would be if you were visiting a culture where they raise dogs for human consumption and you could not "wrap your head around" that kind of thinking, that it was normal to raise dogs for food, you would be culture-bound
Global Villageson this site Global Villages are representatives of the 11 dominant culture regions, as designated by cultural geography maps, Parts I, II, and III
Cultural Evolutionthe gradual development of something from a simple to a more complex form; a gradual, progressive change; in nature, different organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms; Darwin's theory of natural selection seeks to explain the process of evolution of all organisms More and “The Political”
Culture for Kids – Parts I and II
The courses have no time limits. They can begin and end at the user’s desire. The courses and lessons are not about credits or long assignments. The acquired knowledge is about lifelong learning and continuing education. They give you concise knowledge in a short period. There are videos and links to explore at length.
Studying the world’s cultures is both eye-opening and fun. With the current situation in the world of so much racial and religious discrimination, the courses offered on the cultural anthropology website willa document stating how a person wants real and personal property divided after death More help break down barriers, close gaps, and eliminate misunderstandings and conflicts. Habits, formed over the years, are hard to break, but attitudes can change immediately when knowledge and truth are acquired.
When we are exposed to a variety of cultural norms(cultural) norms are the shared expectations and rules that guide how people behave in a society or group, either formally or informally More and beliefs and ways of doing things differently, we become more empathetic and tolerant, which in turn promotes inclusiveness and more understanding in our societies. We become enriched with a variety of traditions, customs, and perspectives, which make our world more vibrant and much more interesting, and promote the goal of UNESCO on this day.
