Why is cultural diversity important? The term diversity means an act of incorporating individuals from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Diversity teaches us valuable lessons on how to coexist and collaborate with those who are different from ourselves.
Cultural diversity is important because knowing different cultures broadens your perspective about other cultures which means your outlook expands which is a fantastic method to learn new things and get a fresh perspective on the world. It also helps in eliminating unfavorable preconceptions and prejudices that one may have about certain communities so it’s better to engage with others to create cultural connections of respect, trust, and understanding. Creating connections also enables us to appreciate and identify “ways of being” that may differ from our own and creates a calm and interactive environment for living. Jecel said, “It’s important because it helps us to become one union.”
The positive effect of diversity is strategic thinking which is combining a variety of perspectives and broader ideas to generate creative ideas, increasing their sense of productivity and connectedness by showing empathy as well as compassion, and it also expedites the solution of problems.
There are infinite cultures on the globe, and each is rich in its own unique way in terms of language, poetry, music, and art. In the modern world, diversity matters because it promotes mutual understanding and acknowledges that each person is exceptional and unique in their own manner. The main idea behind cultural diversity is to value the various groups that make up society, each of which has unique abilities, interests, and skills. Mariam Ahmad says, “It’s important because students can see just a little bit of many cultures around the world. We can start to appreciate the different cultural backgrounds that everyone comes from and learn more about other students.”
Muslim Student Association (MSA) organized an event for students called Culture Day in which students had to dress in traditional attire to represent their culture. Stated differently, the purpose of this day was to showcase the splendor of cultural diversity. Aliza Siddiqui, a board member of MSA, states, “Knowing your ancestry and your history is a blessing in my perspective. Embracing it in a society where you are seen as “different” is beautiful because you have your own unique background. It plays an important role for others to be open minded and learn about different cultures.”
Cultural sensitivity, diversity awareness and acceptance, and cross-cultural ethics are characteristics of effective leaders. Diversity teaches us valuable lessons on how to get along and work with others who are different from ourselves.
