Cultural diversity is defined as the cultural differences that exist amongst people of specific regions, countries, continents and across the globe. Cultural diversity means that people from different culturally diverse areas can maintain their cultural heritage without discrimination or prejudice from others (Diller, 2011). The concept of cultural diversity was brought forward as a positive concept that encourages people not to hide their cultural identities but to embrace and retain these cultural influences. Cultural diversity comes forth in different areas such as language, mode of dressing, ethnicity, religious beliefs, and personal values among others. Traditionally, when cultural and racial discrimination was rife, most people felt it necessary to discard their cultural backgrounds and adopt a more acceptable lifestyle.
Explaining why developing and maintaining cross-cultural relations is a useful skill. Since the world has come to globalization, it is important to understand other’s culture and have an approach to cultural universals. Stop using your belief to judge others culture since it may create biases. Understanding others culture based on their culture standards is the key solution to maintaining good relationship with anyone from any culture. Developing and maintaining cross-culture relation will help you much with in the following.
Figure 1: The INCA model of Intercultural Communication Competence Framework Openness refers to being open minded enough to show respect for otherness and display tolerance for ambiguity. Respect of Otherness: This is demonstrated by showing a readiness to regard the values, customs and practices of others. Although one may not share or agree with them the people are still to be shown respect—for diversity. People should also be treated equally despite differences ergo it means that within an internationalized higher institution, student to student contact irrespective of cultural affiliation can be fostered when regard for other cultures is displayed. Tolerance for Ambiguity: this means actors within the cross cultural context are willing to accept the ambiguities and are able to willingly resolve whatever problems that may possibly arise while interacting.
It is also considered as a useful weapon to combat conflicts through the universalism of human rights, democracy. The objectives are shortly described here: (a) The Council will share the visions of the world in order to understand and learn from those who do not consider the world as the Council does; (b) it will address the similarities and differences between different cultural traditions and perceptions; (c) this will achieve such agreement that should not be resolved through violence; (d) this body will manage cultural diversity in a democratic manner through adjustments to all types of existing social and political arrangements; (e) It will also close the gap between the people who treat the diversity as a threat and the people who view it as an enrichment; (f) this will let the people know the best practices in the areas of intercultural dialogue; (g) and it will introduce new projects in this field through mutual collaboration and joint
Understanding different kinds of cultures will make a smooth intercultural communication. We should also condone little mistakes that happens because of different culture.Therefore, I believe that accepting various culture will make people understand people who have different opinions. By doing this, I believe that we can be able to improve the problem of intercultural communication. In conclusion, I assume that intercultural communication has become one of the most considerable issue in the 21st century. I believe that having strong bonds between the countries is crucial in this globalized world.
My friend and I once again point out differences in our culture, compare and contrast them in order to find the most suitable way of communicating. Another reason why culture differences can be utilized is that the information people share can be plentiful and diverse. The more we receive, the less misunderstanding we get. When communicating, we - human - exchange our culture in our languages, behaviors and gestures. At first, we may not understand everything shared but if they happens again and again, our brain will recognize and get used to it.
Although non-verbal expressions are present in every culture, their individual meanings and relevance are going to change from one to another, this is why it is important to not only recognize the overall value of this topic, but to study the different patterns of nonverbal communication from different cultures as well. Since we are studying to become international negotiators we have to be prepared to work in a multicultural environment, since it is very likely we will be working with people from other parts of the world. Understanding how others communicate and how we do it too and not to take everything at face value is primordial for us, since this will help us to minimize
Self-awareness One of the most important reasons for studying intercultural communication is to gain an awareness of one‘s own cultural identity and background. In principle, the study of intercultural communication begins as a journey into another culture and reality and ends as a journey into one‘s own culture. In other words, by studying and appreciating other cultures we become aware of our own culture. If we respect the culture of other people, we expect others to respect ours. Such appreciation and respect is the foundation for the building and promotion of a culture of peace.
I came to realize that education should be dominated by advanced concepts, assisted by effective teaching strategies, and reinforced by a global understanding that is essential for bringing out a greater social role from education. As I endeavor into the professional world, I came to realize that the simple purpose of the exchange program was to erode the culturally rooted mistrust that sets individuals and nations against one another. The exchange program is not a panacea but an avenue of hope.
This will encourage interactions to be peaceful and accepter of each other’s cultures and exchange positive practices of others. Which let us think critically and accept diversity in form of different prevailing cultures around us. As a whole, these all can be achieved through learning other languages that are the innate languages of other cultures, where we initiate interacting with others from outside our borders, and indirectly expand multilingual abilities. This is condition, through which one will truly discover similarities than differences when understanding others languages. Culture embarks your choices, lifestyles, thinking, beliefs and a lot more to be explored.