Celebrating Life in the Diversity of Cultures

 World Day of Cultural Diversity 2022 / 21 May / Article

Celebrating Life in the Diversity of Cultures

Fr Dr M. D. Thomas

Director, Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi

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The 21^st day of May is the ‘World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development’. It is also called ‘world day of cultural diversity’ or even more simply ‘diversity day’. The day was declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2002, following the adoption of Universal Declaration on ‘Cultural Diversity’ by UNESCO in 2001.

 

‘Celebrating cultural diversity and harmony, along with helping people learn about its importance in life’, was the purpose of declaring this day. Promoting a culture of diversity is the significance of the day, too. Recognizing the need to ‘enhance the potential of culture’ as a means of achieving ‘prosperity, sustainable development and peaceful coexistence’ at the global level also was part of the rationale of the day.

 

Further, the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on ‘Culture and Sustainable Development’. The resolution affirmed the contribution of cultures and civilizations to the various dimensions of sustainable development. No doubt, acceptance and recognition of cultural diversity contribute to dialogue among civilizations and cultures, along with mutual respect and understanding.

 

The ‘Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of the United Nations’ has a section on ‘culture and sustainable development’, which emphasizes the importance of culture, all the more. The United Nations avowed further that ‘drawing upon the creative potential of the diverse cultures of the world’, along with engaging with them in a continuous dialogue, is sure to ensure that people can benefit from all the 17 sustainable development goals, as well.

 

Besides, UNESCO Convention on ‘Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions’ also proposed ‘embracing other cultures for leading more fulfilling lives’, which ensures an intellectual, spiritual and moral fulfillment. Embracing other cultures would begin by having an open interface between those who are different from us.

 

In addition, UNESCO encourages Member States and members of society to engage with people of other cultures through events, like concerts, seminars, workshops and exhibitions. Cultural expressions of the other are to be explored through areas like museum, religion, film, music, sport, food, traditional celebrations and language. Working with organizations committed to diversity and inclusion can also help ice-breaking and cross-cultural fellowship, in addition to the above exercises.

 

Accordingly, the Council of Member States in Europe adopted a ‘White Paper’, in 2008, on ‘intercultural dialogue’ with the title, ‘Living Together as Equals in Dignity’. It affirmed that our common future depends on our ability to safeguard human rights, as enshrined in the European Convention on ‘human rights, democracy and rule of law’, along with mutual understanding.

 

What’s more, ‘Leave no one behind’ is at the heart of ‘Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of the United Nations. It is the golden principle of ‘inclusiveness and equal footing’. It affirms the deep commitment of all UN Member States to strongly stand by the small, the weak, the vulnerable, and the like, of the world, whether individuals or groups. It also highlights the advocacy against the social evils of discrimination, favouritism, highhandedness, marginalization, etc. Well, leaving certain groups of people further and further behind is nothing less than a crime against humanity and divinity, in one shot.  

 

‘Diversity’ is the central characteristic of the creation, of the human society, in special. It is an agent of ‘inclusion and positive change’. ‘Diversity’ is the richness of the humanity. Cultural expressions of the humans are diverse, too. Culture has manifold forms, tangible and intangible. They have to contribute to creative industries, dialogue, mutual understanding and development. Bridging the gap between cultures is the focal point of cultural diversity.

 

Times of crisis tend to concentrate and homogenize and such instances can cause major damage to the diversity of cultures. Indeed, corona has affected cultural events, cultural institutions, cultural practices, cultural sites, cultural persons, cultural tourism, and the like. Therefore, the social, economic, political and spiritual implications of culture are to be considered, in terms of the rights of artists and creative professionals and the cultural expressions of diversity that was in the offing.

 

All the same, the corona times of mass confinement has inspired billions of people across the globe towards cultural exposures through virtual means. Webinars, video talks, audio messages, sessions of interactions, listening to music, viewing films, visiting to museums and galleries are some of these cultural engagements. A lot of cultural interaction and sharing of events, along with innovative productions, are taking place and are being shared on the social media, too.

 

Cultural diversity is a driving force for development. Not only economic growth, but also a fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life requires cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is helpful in reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development. Safeguarding the cultural heritage of the humans and the richness of the cultures of the world is possible only through inter-cultural dialogue. The humans can avail themselves of peace, prosperity and sustainable development through cross-cultural relations, as well.

 

The question that arises is how cultural diversity could be used as a means to achieving societal cohesion. Globalization has put us in an increasingly heterogeneous society, where different religions, languages, lifestyles, traditions and beliefs are necessarily present and therefore, at times social tensions and conflicts emerge. Efforts for building bridges among groups and communities have to be an on-going process.

 

Cultural diversity is intensely ingrained in the idea of human rights, by way of freedom of conscience, thought, choice, expression, opinion, faith, and the like. Therefore, inter-cultural differences, social, religious, cultural, political and whatever, have to be honoured, irrespective of considerations of minority and majority as well as local, regional, national, continental and global entities. Wellbeing of the smallest group is equally important for development and prosperity.

 

The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 2022 is an occasion to promote diversity as an agent of inclusion and positive change. It provides an opportunity to celebrate all forms of cultural diversity and expression and to reflect on how these contribute to dialogue and development. It is a day for putting the heads together for addressing the concerns related to diversity. Initiatives followed by coordinated action have to be envisaged. Making a more ‘harmonious society’ is our target for life and the society. Being ‘culturally inclusive and interactive’ is the high way towards such a sublime destination, as well.  

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The author is Director, ‘Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies’, New Delhi, and is grounded in the diverse ‘disciplines of humanities’. He has been committed to ‘cross-cultural perspectives, cross-scriptural values, constitutional values, interfaith relations, social ethics, communal harmony, national integration and social harmony’, for the past over 40 years. He contributes to the above cause through lectures, articles, books, video messages, conferences, social interactions, views at TV channels, and the like.

He could be viewed, listened to and contacted at the following portals – websites ‘www.mdthomas.in’ (p), ‘https://mdthomas.academia.edu’ (p), ‘https://drmdthomas.blogspot.com’ (p) and ‘www.ihpsindia.org’ (o); social media ‘https://www.youtube.com/InstituteofHarmonyandPeaceStudies’ (o), ‘https://www.facebook.com/mdthomas53’ (p), and ‘https://twitter.com/mdthomas53’ (p); email ‘mdthomas53@gmail.com’ (p) and telephone 9810535378 (p).