Cultural Diversity 2020

What is cultural diversity?

Culture is the underlying values that direct how people behave. Cultural diversity in the workplace / community is a result of practices, values, traditions, or beliefs of people based on race, age, ethnicity, religion, or gender.

Economic globalization is one of the driving forces of cultural diversity in the workplace. The modern workforce is made up of people of different genders, ages, ethnicity, religions, and nationalities. Employers have realized that workforce diversity provides both material and intangible benefits. For employers to reap the benefits of cultural diversity in the workplace, they must communicate their commitment to addressing the challenges of a diverse workforce. Employers must be seen to be celebrating their employees’ diversity to avoid workplace issues, like awkwardness and hostility.

Why does cultural diversity matter?

The world’s major conflicts have a cultural dimension. Bridging the gap between cultures is urgent and necessary for peace, stability, and development.

Cultural diversity is a driving force of development, not only with respect to economic growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral, and spiritual life. This is captured in the culture conventions, which provide a solid basis for the promotion of cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is thus an asset that is indispensable for poverty reduction and the achievement of sustainable development.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Cultural Sector

Cultural events cancelled, cultural institutions closed, community cultural practices suspended, empty World Heritage sites, heightened risk of looting of cultural sites and poaching at natural sites, artists unable to make ends meet and the cultural tourism sector greatly affected. The impact of COVID-19 on the cultural sector is being felt around the world. This impact is social, economic, and political. It affects the fundamental right of access to culture, the social rights of artists and creative professionals, and the protection of a diversity of cultural expressions.

Culture: A Source of Resilience

During this time of mass confinement, billions of people are turning to culture as a source of comfort, well-being, and connection. There has been a surge in the creation of, and access to, cultural content online, from virtual visits to museums and galleries, streaming of films and even community choirs via social media, showing its fundamental role as a source of resilience for communities. Major crises throughout history have often given rise to a renaissance of culture and an explosion of new forms of creativity, so vital for human progress.

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Read more:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/cultural-diversity-day

https://www.deputy.com/blog/the-importance-of-cultural-diversity-in-the-workplace