An intervention at UNESCO on participation and intercultural dialogue

Diversity, culture and dialogue are profoundly, intrinsically participatory.
This was the theme of my speech atUNESCO last Sunday.

Let me set the scene...
NGO representatives from all over the world (really!), gathered in Asunción, Paraguay, to talk about what both makes us unique and binds us together: culture.
And more precisely: intangible cultural heritage.

I was privileged to be invited to take part in a round-table discussion on the theme of " Opportunities and challenges of participatory work ", along with other fascinating speakers.

I won't repeat the entire thread of the rich exchanges, but I did want to reemphasize a point that seems central to me: culture isn't fixed, and it certainly shouldn't be transmitted vertically. It is fluid and flourishes when each generation and each person can draw inspiration from it and make it their own.

And how can we not recall what I often share at conferences, particularly in the corporate world:
👉 There is no unity without diversity.
If we seek uniformity, we exclude everyone and no one feels legitimate to be themselves. We wear masks, we protect ourselves, culture crumbles.

I'm back to my meetings and thinking of you from Asunción.
I can't wait to infuse some of this into my next conferences!

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🎤 I'm Charlotte Courtois, intercultural management speaker, founder of the NGO Konstelacio and creator of the podcast Surprises Interculturelles.

If you're wondering how to develop your teams' intercultural skills, send me a message and I'll be happy to help!