Example of Cultural Diversity

When you talk about cultural diversity, reference is being made to the degree of cultural diversity and variation that exists both globally and in some specific communities. Thus, cultural diversity refers to the coexistence of different cultures within a society, be it global, national or local.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that for gender human, cultural diversity is as important and necessary as biological diversity is for all organisms alive.

And is that UNESCO affirms that cultural diversity is “a driving force for development, not only in terms of economic growth, but also as a means of having a more enriching intellectual, affective, moral and spiritual life ”(UNESCO, 2014). According to this important global organization, cultural diversity is essential to achieve the goal of reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development.

The protection of cultural diversity

Due to the great importance of cultural diversity, some international organizations have created initiatives related to it. On the one hand, in 2001 the

UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. This statement talks about cultural diversity in a wide variety of contexts.

On the other hand, the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Cultural Diversity was launched in 2005 by the United Nations, and aims to:

1. Protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions
2. Create the conditions so that cultures can flourish and interact freely in a mutually beneficial way.
3. Promote dialogue between cultures in order to guarantee broader and more balanced cultural exchanges in the world in favor of intercultural respect and a culture of peace.
4. Promote interculturality in order to develop cultural interaction, with the spirit of building bridges between peoples.
5. Promote respect for the diversity of cultural expressions and raise awareness of their value at the local, national and international level.
6. Reaffirm the importance of the link between culture and development for all countries, especially countries in development, and to support activities carried out at the national and international levels so that the true value of this link.
7. Recognize the specific nature of activities and cultural goods and services in their capacity as bearers of identity, values ​​and meaning.
8. To reiterate the sovereign rights of the States to conserve, adopt and apply the policies and measures that deem necessary to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions in their respective territories.
9. Strengthen international cooperation and solidarity in a spirit of collaboration, in order to reinforce, in particular, the capacities of developing countries to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions.

Cultural diversity vs. the cultural difference

It is important to clarify that the terms cultural diversity and cultural difference, although it could be thought that way, they do not mean the same thing. The point is that when you talk about a cultural difference, you are establishing that there are certain groups that are different from another or others. In this way, it is establishing that there is a superior or dominant group, while those that are not like this are different. Thus, when speaking of cultural difference, a specific group or groups are being taken as a starting point.

Instead, cultural diversity, refers to the interaction and coexistence of different groups, placing them all at the same level of importance. For example, if it were to speak that in Mexico there are cultural differences, it would be making it clear that they are mestizo people, those who live in cities and speak Spanish, those that are within the superior group, while the indigenous communities, with their traditions, their gastronomy, their crafts and their dialects, remain as groups subordinates.

It is important to handle the terms well and establish that it is a cultural diversity and not a cultural difference, since precisely this term and the international initiatives mentioned above, aim to promote values ​​such as respect and tolerance.

5 examples of cultural diversity

1. The gastronomy: Cultural diversity within a community can easily be seen reflected in gastronomy. For example, in a country where there is great cultural diversity, there are many dishes that have different origins but that have been integrated into the popular culture of the place.
2. Music: Music is an artistic expression that also serves to reflect the degree of cultural diversity of a community. Thus, even if it is the same country, the music is different in each region because it has a different cultural origin.
3. Language: All countries have their official languages, however, in some countries (such as Mexico, Spain and Latin America in general), there are other languages, also called dialects, which are nothing more than an expression of the richness and cultural diversity of the place.
4. Religious beliefs: In the same way, although in many nations there is generally a predominant religion, that is, practiced by the majority of its inhabitants, it is also true that within a community or a specific country, different religions coexist, from those that come from the West, East or pre-Hispanic spiritual beliefs, in the case of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
5. Clothing: The way in which people who coexist within a community or a country dress is also a reflection of cultural diversity. This is because, according to the origin of your clothing, it is the way it will look.

Cultural diversity in the world

It is important to note that no country in the world is exempt from cultural diversity. This is because no nation has a pure culture, all the cultures that exist today, arose from the mixture of some other older cultures. However, this issue can be seen much more clearly in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, since in these regions, there was a major clash between the culture (or cultures) of the native peoples and that of their conquerors. In the case of Latin America, it was the Spanish culture that intermingled with the different indigenous cultures.