TO SHARE NOT TO DIVIDE

Multi-cultural tolerance is a 21st century issue that each individual must internalize. It is no longer a luxury to be aware and understand of multi-cultural differences. It is complicated by the fact there is a poor level of global awareness among children around the world, and there is generally a poor standard of global education in many leading countries. Because of this inadequacies, multi-cultural emphaty should be our motto in standardization of global awareness.
In today's volatile world, in order to be educated and culturally aware, it takes a committed life for a child to build a tolerant and peaceful global context. As educaters, teachers and parents should prepare this global atmosphere for children to apply their lifes. The atmosphere will create many opportunities for children from all social backgrounds, races, religions and educational abilities to join together and integrate for common targets. So we can also support the fight against racism and xenophobia.
According to my previous experiences, being in a different country contributes to personal dimension and adds different perspectives from various needs and backgrounds. Despite the fact that there is no possibility or opportunity for our students to be in abroad, the efforts of bringing different cultures together within the same context will contribute to promote multi-cultural emphaty and intercultural tolerance. Therefore, it will be an exchange of new ideas and interaction of cultures in a global atmosphere.
The importance of teaching English, as a foreign language with the relation of cultural elements that will provide a universal access to different backgrounds, represents a main point for understanding and developing multicultural and international relations. The co-ordination with other countries will create a wider context among generations and bring ‘internationalisation’.
From this co-ordination with different countries, there is no alternative than a multicultural and global product that is; intercultural emphaty or multicultural tolerance.
In each society, the cultures include lots of differences and similarities. Within a wider context these differences can be reflected through a common global perspective. Even some archeological expeditions display that different religious views share the same peaceful environment reflected in the foundation of sinagogs, churches and mosques in the same area. As the multi-cultural tolerance expressed in famous universal philosopher Mevlana’s lines that so many people know:
“Come, come whoever you are,
An unbeliever, a fire-worshipper, come.
Our convent is not of desperation,
Even if you have broken your vows a hundred times,
Come come again.”
I think we can easily understand that we have a common world to share but not to divide. Under the same roof without desperation, and with the help of endless efforts we can evaluate the diversification of cultures, customs or traditions.

Tuba ÜNSAL