ToT 4. Culture and diversity

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What do you understand the terms culture and diversity to mean?

[Karma Phuentsho]

A group of people will have a typical way of life and the group will have norms, customs and traditions. Likewise there will be other communities and societies in other parts of the world who have different cultures and traditions. Different societies will different cultures which is diverse and different from one another. Even within the same communities there may be diverse nature of individuals and families. Therefore the world has rich diversity of inhabitants.

[Misha Bradford]

In addition to the above, in the context of wheelchair-related trainings, we can leverage and learn from the diverse experiences and perspectives of wheelchair users to be better educators and partners.

[Yasmin Garcia]

Culture can group together a persons who have the same beliefs, traditions, norms, and the way they understand disability for instance. Where as diversity differentiate them. It is important to understand what are the cultural differences not only for the participants of a training but also for the persons they will serve so we can adapt to and respect diversity. If are able to understand cultural needs of other service providers/wheelchair users we will be more effective in meeting them.

[Joseph Tell]

Culture refers to the commonly held views, beliefs, values, and perspectives that are unique to other people groups. Diversity is the variance of these identifying factors that is present among a particular group. This is very important when considering the approach you will take with teaching.

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Culture is closely related to the identity of a person. It is the way their worldview is shaped based on the factors influencing their norms and social and living environment. Since these are inherently different for persons of different backgrounds it constitutes a diversity which we have to value neutrally and with equal value, preserving the dignity of each persons identity.

[Amira Tawashy]

I take culture to mean anything that identifies a group of people together – nationality, similar profession, sports team etc. Diversity is what makes us different… You can have a diverse group of people within a certain culture.

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As a different approach, I think of culture to be that which shaped me; my identity and behaviors. The home in which I was raised, with the people that were in it was my ‘micro culture’, and then the schools and community in which I interacted with others outside my family grew and gave varying layers to the culture that has defined my identity and behaviors. In that, there is the uniqueness to each of us, that I believe is God’s design of who we are unique to another person. Perhaps that could be considered our ‘diversity’ as well.

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Thinking about culture as the “same-ness” of each of us in a specific group and diversity as that “different-ness” about us is a clue to the stereotypes that we all hold, known or unknown. We act out of our own culture and diversity, and I believe that we also view other cultures through a lens that we don’t fully understand.

That said, I believe that we need to function in community with others whom are different from us to achieve the best result. An example comes to mind in the body. We can’t function if our whole body were an eye or an ear or a foot. We need even those parts that we can’t see…like our heart, and brain and lungs in order to live! In the same way, we need each other with our very different abilities and God-given design to be the best that we all can be…together!

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Culture show the richness of value and experience of a group of people through belief and thinking express through performance in their living environment.Diversity means there are many form of expression of cultures.

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