The Necessity of a New Multicultural Peace Culture

THE NECESSITY OF A NEW MULTICULTURAL PEACE CULTURE Ada Aharoni COBISS 1.01 "The same stream of life that runs through my veins day and night runs through the world. " (Rabindranath Tagore) MULTICULTURALISM VERSUS THE “WAR OF CULTURES” Culture is the essence of personal and national identity. What people read and watch, and the kind of culture, literature, values and nonns they are exposed to, through the home, education, society, television and the internet - provide them with basic values, attitudes and nonns which affect and motivate them throughout their lives. The stories people hear and read as children and as adults, become an integral part of the core of their identity and personalities. The Nobel Prize Laureate, Elie Wiesel, explained: “We are the stories we hear and the stories we tell.” Even religions, which are an integral part ofculture, are mainly built on stories and parables. It is of crucial importance therefore, that those stories we are exposed to, at the socio-cultural and educational levels, which we watch on television and in films and which we read, should be pluralistic and peaceful ones that open our eyes to the world, and that build and do not destroy. The Webster New World Dictionary describes “culture” as: “The development, improvement and refinement of the mind, emotions, interests, manners, tastes, as well as: the arts, ideas, customs and skills of agiven people in agiven period.” The Oxford English Dictionary adds to this definition, that culture is “The intellectual side of civilization.” Mu1ticulturalism therefore, designates a network or system of various interrelated and inter-mingled cultures, having and sharing the characteristics defined above. The definition of “multiculturalism” used in the present article is based on all the above, and it comprises values and contents promoting a hannonious climate that has succeeded to overcome cross-cultural barriers. After the honendaus terrorist attack on the Trade Center in New York (September 11, 2001), it has become obvious that the new era has ushered a dangerous “war of Dve domovini • Two Homelands 19 • 2004, 69-86 Ada Aharoni cultures.” It has also become obvious that these new developments, including the trend of suicide bombings which is a crime against humanity, cannot be overcome by guns and bombs, but rather by an openness to other humanistic cultures and values, or in other words, by multiculturalism. The fear that the “enemy” disdains one's culture, and is anxious to eliminate it, is one of the profound causes of the clash of cultures. In the era of globalization, there is a new wave of global culture spreading all over the world, parallel to the spread of aglobal economy, international relations, markets, information and technology. However, it is unfortunate that the emerging global cul ture instead of spreading positive values, is more influenced by the predominance of violence, crime and homicide films daily shown on television, than by a culture of peace and harmony. On the other hand, multiculturalism and pluralism can promote the awareness of the oneness ofhumanity and the consciousness of common values and nonns in vari ous cultures, and it can promote the new identity of the “global citizen,” in addition to the variaus ethnic identities and cultures of specific and particular groups or nations. There can be a dynamic balance and a symbiotic enrichment ofboth levels, that of the national culture and that of the global culture, when they come in contact with each other and nourish each other. It has therefore become urgent to build an effective multicultural system, at regional and global levels. To accomplish this, the following measures are recommended. States today, should invest in developing the multicultural culture of peace that would help people and nations to understand and respect each other; this would reduce the possibility of conflicts and save in the cost of armaments. The creation, develop ing and spreading of a multicultural peace system, could be the best investment for defense. As in “preventive medicine,” the promotion of a harmonious multiculture can prevent the dangeraus influence on society caused by a widespread rise of fear, terror and hatred that lead to conflicts and wars. Governments should consider establishing ministries of “Multicultural Peace Culture,” with appropriate budgets that can accomplish the great task of changing the national cultures of violence and terror to one of multicultural openness to other cultures, harmony and peace. Literature and arts in the pursuit of peace collected from the variaus civilizations and cultures, should be researched, translated, and widely used, and multicultural peace education and peace studies at all levels should be ini tiated and established, not only for children and young people, but also for teachers and parents. THE ROLE OF NGO’ S: NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Non-governmental organizations in the various countries should be involved in the creation o f the required new multicultural peace system. These should be largely sponsored to be able to operate effectively and in an interconnected fashion. NGO's 70 The Necessity of a New Mii/licullura/ Peace Cu/ture could help in the collection of the variaus pluralistic cultural contributions of peace literature, poetry, drama and the arts, from the best that is available in variaus cultures and civilizations, that would be able to reflect the many “Voices of the Earth” yeaming for a peaceful world without violence, terror or war. These multicultural works of art and literature based on peace values, would promote powerful components of BCM's: “Building Confidence Measures”, among people and nations, including the values of appreciation and respect for the culture of “the other”. A wide program of multicultural peace education and culture should be implemented regionally and globally, through well funded and well equipped institu tions, colleges and universities. In a conflict situation, there are several benefits to be reaped from the develop ment of a multicultural and intercultural peace system. These can be grouped in three major stages: before, during, and after, the occurrence of a conflict or a war. Before a conflict situation, multiculturalism based on openness and peace values, can fonc- tion as a preventive remedy. Coming into contact with the culture of “the other” and listening to his side of the “story” and conflict, an acceptable agreement by both sides becomes easier and he ceases to be a threat. The popular saying: “An enemy issom eone to whose story we have not listened lo" is pertinent to this afore stage of the conflict. An open, pluralistic culture, based on values of tolerance and moderation, can help in arriving to a solution. Even in the second stage, when conditians for a settlement may have developed, attainment of peace can be delayed by the mistrust crcated by the conflict situation. The building ofbridges of understanding of the “other's” view, and respect for the other’s culture and identity can help in the building of the required confidence measures. In the third stage, a multicultural system can also help in building renewed trust between people and nations after the conflict or war is over. During a war not only buildings are destroyed, but also the image of the enemy, who is usually portrayed as a “demon,” by each of the sides. Deep residues of fear, hatred, and mistrust linger in the hearts of fonner opponents. These sentiments cannot be overcome only by the signing of a peace treaty by leaders, but require also a thorough re-construction of a positive image of each other, by the people themselves, and by acquiring knowledge, understanding and respect of each other’s identity, ethnicity and culture. Asuitable vehicle for this required “reconstruction,” is the multicultural approach. The arts, literature and poetry, are especially suited for that, as they are vehicles ofboth feelings and thoughts, and as such, they have the ability to reach the deeply emotional layers of mistrust and hatred built over the years in the hearts of enemies, and they have the power to unlock the fences and to dissipate them. A multicultural approach also helps to know the history and cultural heritage of the fonner “enemy,” which is instrumental for the reaching of a full reconciliation. Another possible innovative aspect of the building of a new multicultural sys tem, which municipalities could consider, is the founding o f“peace museums.” This development has recently been established in variaus countries to help propagate 71 Ada Aharoni multiculturalism and the peace cultural and historical heritage of nations, and to make it accessible to the whole of humanity. Peace museums have been founded in variaus countries, including Japan, England, Samarkand and other countries. Japan that has suffered so much tram the atomic bomb during World War Two, is a leading figure in this new trend, and ithas already founded more than sixty peace museums. These mu seums demonstrate the great yeaming of the Japanese people for a multicultural peace system, after having suffered the atrocities of the atomic bombs thrown on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These Peace Museums are multicultural in their outlooks and goals. The one in Kyoto, for example, has a whole floor dedicated to the condemnation of the Holocaust and the extennination of Jews by the Nazis, during World War II, despite the fact that Japan was on the side of Gennany during the war. Multicultural peace museums represent a new conception ofwhat a museum should be, they are “alive” and full of vital activity and multicultural programs for all ages, and are becoming increasingly popular. School children and students regularly visit them, and use their materials for their works and research on multicultural peace. They are a great aid in presenting and promoting not only national but also global cultures of peace, through variaus exhibitions and activities.

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