Latest news with #WorldDayforCulturalDiversity
New Straits Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Always aim for a stronger unity in diversity
LETTERS: On May 21st, 2025, the United Nations marked World Day for Cultural Diversity — a day to recognise that cultural diversity is not a threat to unity but a pathway to peace and progress. For most countries, this may be a ceremonial occasion — marked by cultural showcases or academic forums but in Malaysia, diversity is not an annual event. It's our daily experience and way of life. We are a country where different ethnicities, religions, languages and histories coexist. We celebrate multiple religious and cultural festivals as national holidays. Our people switch languages mid-sentence and know enough about each other's customs to comfortably attend weddings, funerals, and open houses. At its best, Malaysian diversity is a living model of tolerance. It's one of the reasons tourists are drawn here. It gives our cuisine its unforgettable flavour, and our culture its richness. But we must also admit that diversity here must never be taken for granted. In fact, we often manage diversity as something fragile, even volatile — requiring careful "balancing", rather than shared nation-building. Our public discourse is often shaped more by racial reflexes than by shared values. Our politics, while officially multiracial, continues to have ethnic posturing. And the national conversation on unity is often reduced to campaigns and slogans, not serious reform. In this context, World Cultural Diversity Day should be treated as a mirror — one that reflects not only the richness of our multiculturalism, but also the unfinished business of building true national cohesion. So what now? For Malaysia, the challenge is to become more united in our diversity. That means shifting from mere tolerance to mutual respect. It starts in the classroom, where we must encourage integration from a young age. It extends to the workplace, where cultural empathy should be a skill. And it must be championed by leaders — political, religious, and community — who are willing to speak across their constituencies. We don't need to reinvent Malaysia. We just need to help it grow into what it already promises to be — a nation where differences are not just endured, but embraced.
Daily Tribune
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain a ‘model for peaceful coexistence'
Bahrain has shown that people of different faiths and cultures can live side by side and do so well. MP Dr Maryam Al Dhaen said the country stands as a global example of tolerance, shaped by the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and supported by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. She made her remarks on the occasion of the World Day for Cultural Diversity, observed annually on 21 May. The lawmaker described it as a chance to revisit Bahrain's experience, where churches, temples and mosques exist side by side and where shared human values are practised in daily life. Al Dhaen referred to a recent article by HM the King in an American newspaper, noting that it reflected a deeply rooted national approach based on respect for religious, sectarian and cultural difference. She said Bahrain has become known as a place of peace and tolerance, both in the region and abroad. Bahrain Declaration The MP also spoke of the Bahrain Declaration, launched by His Majesty, which rejects violence, extremism and incitement carried out in the name of religion. That same approach, she said, had helped shape a society built on kindness, fairness and openness to others. She noted that Bahrain had not limited these values to its own borders. Rather, it had taken active steps to share its example with the wider world through exchanges, international forums and institutions such as the King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence. Cultural diversity Al Dhaen concluded by calling for the use of cultural diversity as a means of progress and dialogue. Bahrain, she said, provides a setting where such diversity is welcomed within a framework of rights and freedoms. This, in her view, helps deepen mutual understanding, supports development goals and reinforces the bonds that keep communities stable.
Shafaq News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi academy, Culture ministry host forum on Feyli Kurdish plight
Shafaq News/ A symposium focusing on the marginalized history and identity of the Feyli Kurdish community has been hosted by the Iraqi Scientific Academy and the Ministry of Culture's Feyli Cultural House in Baghdad on Wednesday to mark the World Day for Cultural Diversity. The event featured academic panels and historical research highlighting the Feyli Kurds ' persecution under past regimes and their role in shaping Iraq's cultural heritage. Exhibits also showcased rare photographs, official documents, and regime-era decrees used to target the community, alongside literature on their language and traditions. On the sidelines, Academy President Dr. Mohammed Hussein Al-Yasiri condemned the continued marginalization of Feyli Kurds, noting that despite Iraq's political shifts, the group still lacks full legal and social recognition. He stressed the Academy's repeated efforts to spotlight their plight and push for restitution, particularly regarding forced displacement, political exclusion, and confiscated property.
Barnama
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Aaron Calls On Malaysians To Cherish, Preserve Country's Rich Culture
KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Malaysians should continue appreciating, preserving, and celebrating the rich cultural heritage that exists in the country's diverse society, said National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang. He said Malaysia is a unique nation, home to people of various races, ethnicities, languages, and beliefs, where this diversity has never been a barrier to progress, but instead serves as a valuable asset in enriching the country's national identity. "In conjunction with the World Day for Cultural Diversity, which is celebrated on May 21 every year, I would like to call on all Malaysians to continue cherishing, safeguarding and embracing our cultural richness. "In today's world, which is increasingly polarised by racist sentiments, extremism and narrow identity concepts, we need to emerge as a model of a harmonious and diverse society, guided by the values of moderation, mutual respect and open dialogue," he said in a Facebook post today. According to him, the World Day for Cultural Diversity was introduced by the United Nations (UN) in 2002 in recognition of the role of culture in shaping peace, sustainability and development. Aaron said the celebration aimed to promote intercultural dialogue, build mutual understanding and instil tolerance among communities of diverse backgrounds. He said the Malay traditions, Chinese heritage, Indian culture, indigenous customs of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the various minority communities, contributed to the diversity in food, art, clothing, religious ceremonies, music, dance and language that made Malaysia known internationally. "Moderation is not just a principle, but an approach to life that rejects extremes and chooses a balanced middle path. In diversity, we need to instil the value of acceptance and understand that differences are not a threat, but a unifying force. Through respect between communities and open communication, we can resolve misunderstandings, build empathy and strengthen bonds as Malaysians united in diversity," he said.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Aaron calls on Malaysians to cherish, preserve country's rich culture
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysians should continue appreciating, preserving, and celebrating the rich cultural heritage that exists in the country's diverse society, said National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang. He said Malaysia is a unique nation, home to people of various races, ethnicities, languages, and beliefs, where this diversity has never been a barrier to progress, but instead serves as a valuable asset in enriching the country's national identity. 'In conjunction with the World Day for Cultural Diversity, which is celebrated on May 21 every year, I would like to call on all Malaysians to continue cherishing, safeguarding and embracing our cultural richness. 'In today's world, which is increasingly polarised by racist sentiments, extremism and narrow identity concepts, we need to emerge as a model of a harmonious and diverse society, guided by the values of moderation, mutual respect and open dialogue,' he said in a Facebook post today. According to him, the World Day for Cultural Diversity was introduced by the United Nations (UN) in 2002 in recognition of the role of culture in shaping peace, sustainability and development. Aaron said the celebration aimed to promote intercultural dialogue, build mutual understanding and instil tolerance among communities of diverse backgrounds. He said the Malay traditions, Chinese heritage, Indian culture, indigenous customs of Sabah and Sarawak, as well as the various minority communities, contributed to the diversity in food, art, clothing, religious ceremonies, music, dance and language that made Malaysia known internationally. 'Moderation is not just a principle, but an approach to life that rejects extremes and chooses a balanced middle path. In diversity, we need to instil the value of acceptance and understand that differences are not a threat, but a unifying force. Through respect between communities and open communication, we can resolve misunderstandings, build empathy and strengthen bonds as Malaysians united in diversity,' he said. He said the World Day for Cultural Diversity celebration should be a catalyst for efforts to instil cross-cultural understanding, strengthen dialogue between communities and strengthen the identity of Malaysians as a nation united in diversity. At the same time, he called on the people to continue to preserve and nurture the country's cultural treasures for a more peaceful, prosperous and harmonious future for Malaysia.
