The one of multiculturalism is a relatively new concept in our language and is used to account for the variety of cultures that are present in a community, in a nation, in a group, among others.
Variety of cultures that coexist and interact peacefully in a territory and that resolve their differences through dialogue
Meanwhile, this coexistence must take place within the framework of pacifism and good coexistence so that all cultures, majority and minority, can develop satisfactorily and not that one does it to the detriment of another.
What the concept proposes is to maintain that diverse individuals who come from different cultures can coexist without problems, accepting and respecting those differences, and can even resolve through dialogue the disagreements that may arise as a result of these differentiations, because what will prevail is the objective of living together harmoniously.
Dialogue is undoubtedly the mechanism that takes the lead when it comes to resolving disagreements between different cultures, for example, it is that it should be promoted above all things to resolve conflicts through this tool, always positive and that encourages growth.
Globalization and advances in communication, key in the development of multiculturalism
This conjuncture is easily palpable in this time where globalization has proposed a multicultural world from where you look at it, even the conditions seem to deepen and spread more and more ...
Advances in telecommunications, transportation, and new technologies have shortened geographical and face-to-face distances and this has created close commercial and personal ties between distant nations, something certainly unthinkable a few centuries ago.
Then, in this context, the coexistence and flow of relationships between people of different cultures is inevitable.
Meanwhile, the concept is mostly used at the request of those geographical places where diverse customs and cultural traditions come together and coexist harmoniously that were opportunely developed by different ethnic groups, an emblematic example of these days are some capitals of America and Europe that concentrate citizens from different parts of the world and that contribute that cultural and ethnic variety that we mentioned.
Cultural enrichment from differences
It should be noted that multiculturalism is considered a great value since the ingrained presence of several cultures in the same place will end up enriching it in terms of knowledge, uses, customs, traditions, rites, myths and legends, among other issues.
Peaceful coexistence is fundamental for the existence of multiculturalism and that is why we have highlighted it, since in those territories in which there is a multiplicity of cultures but harmony between them is a pending debt, there the scenario will be complex and It is usual for each culture to want to eliminate the other.
Thus, multiculturalism will have value only when the various cultures accept, respect, coexist and nurture each other, giving way to a multicultural scenario in which each one enjoys their rights and what the “sister” culture provides. .
On the contrary, when the dominant culture tends to limit, subdue, and discriminate against the rest of the cultures that have settled, without a doubt there will be a very difficult coexistence scenario in which obviously minority cultures will be the most affected, because they will be subjected to coercion to abandon their uses and customs and join those of the majority, or discriminated against, surely causing much unhappiness and resentment in those who are subjected.
Currently and as a consequence of the globalization of the planet, almost all nations, to a greater or lesser degree, have multicultural elements.
Meanwhile, as we pointed out, this will have a positive influence as long as the contribution of other cultures is accepted and respected.
Tolerance and respect
For this reason, it is necessary for each nation to develop policies that tend to protect multiculturalism and avoid actions that go against those who establish themselves as a minority, and obviously also promote public policies that protect these minority sectors so that it is tolerated and respect their differences.
Also, it is worth mentioning that this concept is associated with another that acts as its synonym, that of multicultural.
The word multicultural broadly expresses the same as the concept that concerns us: the existence of several cultures, either in a territory or nation.
