International Days
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
May 21st 2024
In 2002 the United Nations declared May 21st the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, following UNESCO’s adoption of Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, to promote understanding and respect towards different cultures. A high percentage of conflicts is due to a lack of dialogue, especially from an intercultural perspective, so it’s essential to bridge the gap in order to collaborate for peace, freedom, development and all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations, as well as to lead to a decrease of inequity.
This day represents a chance to appreciate the value of every culture with the aim of learning to live together in a constructive way, by fostering solidarity and empathy. Furthermore, since the establishment of the 17 SDGs that must be achieved by 2030, unity and collaboration are increasingly important: in fact, these goals can be achieved more easily when all the creative potentials are brought together.
Being in touch with different cultures is a way to learn to know ourselves, as we exist only in relation to other people. As Ryszard Kapuściński states in his book “the Other” we know our Self through the Other. Hence, awareness and embracement of other cultures provide an enrichment from different perspectives: this not only contributes to freedom but also leads to improvements in many sectors, such as education, health, and the environment.
To celebrate diversity, today you can try to approach other cultures by visiting an art exhibition, cooking traditional food that is unfamiliar to you, volunteering with an organization working for diversity and inclusion, or learning traditional stories.
We need to be open to different experiences: the more we expand our horizons, the better we can guarantee freedom and human rights.
Sources:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/cultural-diversity-day
https://nationaltoday.com/world-day-for-cultural-diversity-for-dialogue-and-development/