Lately I’ve been thinking, there are a lot of international and intercultural issues out there that need to be solved. That’s a fact. These issues revolve around various and different aspects of life – of differences in cultures and cultural approaches. That’s also a fact. So …what can we do about it?
…
Personally, having a higher educational background in among others intercultural communication and having traveled and lived abroad various times, I think we need to start there by creating mutual cultural understanding. Because, by creating mutual cultural understanding foreign cultures inbetween, we’ll create a basic understanding for difference. This won’t only be beneficial in international and intercultural cooperations. No, this will also be benefial to own culture(s), as it will create perspective. As a result, we might see a broadened acceptance and respect for differences in general.
In this sense, I am questioning: Why do children not have a intercultural communications class in school? Around the world, we have all sorts of different classes that are vital for our up bringings into adulthood, however, why not in intercultural communication? Isn’t that also something that is vital for our future!?
In an intercultural communications class, the children could learn about cultural diversity, social norms and believes of foreign cultures and make these cultures less foreign to them. They could learn about these cultures and not just from a religious or political/social science perspective. No, from a basic understanding for these cultures. Furthermore, they could, with the help of modern technology, talk with and discuss certain cultural differences with children from other parts of the world. I’m not saying they would have to discuss big comprehensive issues, however, rather cultural differences in for example cuisine, clothing, leisure activities, wheather, work forces, political systems etc. Basic aspects of a culture. I think this would really help the future generations to have a more open-minded and welcoming attitude towards solving cultural differences. I absolutely believe that it’s vital for the future! Moreover, in an increasingly international and intercultural world, isn’t this the next logical step for our school systems around the world? …To create mutual cultural understandings: To learn that cultures are different, to learn that it’s okay to be different, to learn to accept and respect other cultures with an open mind. Just like we want our own culture to be accepted and respected, not (pre-)judged. I think so. What do you think?
xo P!
Picture Google’s search engine
