Intercultural Dialogue and The Earth Charter : Intercultural Dialogue and The Earth Charter Compiled by Jaana LaitinenEarth Charter International secretariat
Background : Background The problems of the world are interrelated – we have to be able to work with each other!
Globalization is bringing cultures closer together
simultaneously highlighting just how far apart they are
Answer to the challenge:To highlight the importance of promoting global ethics and shared values in the midst of our rich cultural and religious diversity as a core strategy for tackling the global challenges
By beginning at the level of citizen-to-citizen interaction that concerted action by connected citizens will lead to global action
Two elements to build a global partnership : Two elements to build a global partnership There are two elements of an approach to building a “global partnership” aimed at mitigating and healing the social and environmental issues of today
1. dialogue between people of many different backgrounds and cultures
2. a tool or framework that will serve as a basis upon which mutual understanding between global citizens can be built through the process of dialogue
The Earth Charter is just such a framework
The Earth Charter outlines the values and principles for a more just, sustainable and peaceful world and is also seen as a declaration of interdependence and responsibility
Dialogue : Dialogue Dialogue takes place face-to-face between willing participants, with participants of differing power status coming together as equals and participating equally, and this interaction takes place over an extended period of time
The process of dialogue does not focus on reaching a consensus or compromise, which are qualities of negotiation
During the process participants are challenged to see issues from another’s perspective and often to develop the ability to hold multiple and sometimes competing perspectives at the same time
As this takes place the participants’ world view is broadened and one sees that there are alternative versions of reality
Culture : Culture Culture can be thought of as the way in which people
feel, think, and act; that is, in the way they understand themselves and the world, realize their happiness, express their moral, aesthetic, religious, and political values, and establish particular relations as individuals and groups in every sphere of practical living
Culture “exists in the hearts and souls” of all people
Intercultural dialogue : Intercultural dialogue Intercultural dialogue takes place between people of different cultures
Participants will bring to the table the various cultural, racial, or gender power asymmetries and stereotypes that are reflected in the world today
A primary prerequisite for the dialogue is the willingness to listen to others, as opposed to reaching a consensus or debate
It is important to suspend judgment, respect for the opinions of others, and to be conscious of our thought process
Slide 7 : Through the process of building mutual understanding the participants develop a shared language; a language that is created by all participants and gives each a sense of ownership and inclusion
This type of intergroup dialogue can lead to increased awareness, understanding and respect of people of cultures other than one’s own when participants meet as equals
Slide 8 : The Earth Charter can be a valuable resource in advancing the dialogue on shared values and in building support for global ethics and cooperation for peace
It places as a starting point what we all have in common
that is, our dependence on the earth and the resources it provides
The values contained in the Earth Charter, in particular the Preamble, are specific yet nonprescriptive; they provide the space for individuals to creatively adapt them to personal action and beliefs
Dialogue on the “value framework” of the Earth Charter will allow participants to experience how different cultural identities interpret the values and the concept of sustainable development, thereby providing a structure within which to increase cultural awareness
Slide 9 : Values, both cultural and individual, that are not as yet conscious, can become so when seen from the perspective of another culture, through the process of dialogue
Through the process of dialogue we hope to make conscious the beliefs that we hold to be truths
In exploring our own relationship with these truths and how they define our worldview we may gain perspective on the importance of beliefs in defining the identity of others
This process may require a person to loosen their hold on a personal or group belief that has been held as truth
Slide 10 : The two paths for achieving a state of cultural understanding and recognition through dialogue on the Earth Charter are through an emphasis on the similarities between cultural interpretations and an emphasis on the differences between cultures
If the structure of intercultural dialogue is such that the participants only focus on the values that they share, they risk undervaluing the diversity between cultures
This can lead to a false sense of cultural homogeneity and essentially a false bottom from which to address global issues
This framework begins with the notion that although people differ in culture, we share a common overarching set of values
Intercultural and interreligious dialogue can be especially effective when attention is focused on where different worldviews overlap regarding ethical values and practical action with reference to common problems
Slide 11 : During these dialogues, it is also important that participants do not assume that the perspectives that they hear are representative voices of the whole culture
the voice of one person is not representative of the whole
one should not be expected to speak on behalf of their culture
Of the understanding that is created through intercultural dialogue: when persons from a variety of cultural backgrounds understand each other, it is more likely that they can act together in harmony on projects of mutual interest
The relationships that form during intercultural dialogue on the Earth Charter will become the cement upon which peace and positive change take place
Earth Charter and Intercultural Dialogue : Earth Charter and Intercultural Dialogue “Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development” Earth Charter, 11
This principle stands contrary to some cultures of the world in which gender equality is not recognized
Dialogue on this principle does not involve negotiating or reasoning a change in the culture; the principles should not be viewed as a single and uniform worldview to be adopted by all
Rather, the principles are a tool to recognize a person’s own subjectivity
When an awareness of our subjectivity is gained through the process of dialogue, participants have a greater chance of understanding that an alternative truth exists
Slide 13 : dialogue include questions as: how do I interpret the values of the Earth Charter; to what degree is my own interpretation a product of the views of my culture; are there elements of the values in the Earth Charter that I or my culture might object to; are there assumptions within the principles; what might be the outcomes of living by the principles; how accurately do the values of the Earth Charter match with the values of my own culture
These questions may highlight cultural differences but will lead to an understanding of the diversity of views that can exist in even a small group
Slide 14 : References
Leander, Melissa, 2008The Earth Charter as a Framework for Multicultural Dialogue in Education
http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/invent/details.php?id=379
Rockefeller, Steven C., 2007 High-Level Dialogue of the General Assembly
http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/invent/details.php?id=619