Cultural Awareness Essay: The word ‘culture’ refers to the lifestyle of an entire society. Cultural differences are the variations in the way of life, traditions, beliefs and the laws that surround different countries, societies, religions and also people. Here are some examples of cultural differences within different countries like Clothing, Food, Language and different Rules. For example Scottish men wears kilts to express their heritage, Islam people aren’t allowed to eat pork, Scottish people have their own language to communicate with one another, the European rules and regulations are different from United States of America’s rules and regulations, etc.
A culture is more than food and clothing, it’s the customs, values and beliefs passed down through generations. People must be aware of different cultures and also respect them to find new opportunities.
Cultural awareness is all about recognising and understanding different values, beliefs and customs of the other group or a person. The culture of one person or one country can be entirely different from another. By respecting other cultures and accepting people’s opinions, rights and feelings even if they are different to us – we can truly benefit from cultural diversity.
You can also find more Essay Writing articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.
Globalisation and technology have made World more smaller. People from various cultural backgrounds can travel or also work together easily. This is possible because of cultural awareness. It is very essential for people to have cultural awareness and also understand the cultural diversity to communicate with different people. It also allows a person to build successful and professional relationships in a diverse environment.
The main purpose of cultural awareness is to make people understand other cultures and respect their values, beliefs and customs.Cultural awareness will break down cultural barriers among the countries and will make people learn how to love, and appreciate those having different cultures from us.
Long Essay on Cultural Awareness 800 Words in English
Culture is the term used to identify the customs, social behavior, beliefs and customs of a particular people or society which is passed down from generations.
Cultural awareness is the understanding of different cultures of different groups or individuals that our own culture differs from. Being culturally aware enables us to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds more effectively. Language plays an important role in building cultural awareness.
When we learn new languages and cultures, we realize our own behaviors, values, and beliefs. We value people with different cultural backgrounds as we begin to understand ourselves better. This results in more better relations than conflicts.
Food is another great way to learn about other cultures. Arrange monthly lunches that have food from around the world, or ask people from different cultures to share recipes for their favorite foods from home. During religious or cultural festivals, invite your friends to share your culture with them. Introducing new traditions to your friends and society helps to bridge the gap between different people with different cultures.
By being culturally aware, we can recognize and have an appreciation for other’s values, customs, and beliefs and meet them without judgment or prejudice. Cultural awareness will make people realize what is inappropriate or offensive to others. Incorrect body language often leads to misunderstandings. Cultural differences may affect and influence individuals at business places too. Here are some reasons why cultural awareness is so important at the workplace:
- It makes people aware of their own culture so that they understand and appreciate it.
- It allows people to communicate with the people you work with in different cultures effectively.
- It stops people from making quick judgement calls on others’ behaviour
- It gives each and every employee equal opportunities and a friendly environment to work with.
- It improves collaboration between colleagues
There is a need to create a homogeneous environment that fosters creativity, and innovation while boosting productivity and profitability.
The cause of many conflicts is a result of miscommunication and misunderstanding. People from different cultural backgrounds often have different styles of communication. For example, in some cultures, they bow down to greet instead of a handshake. So while working with people from other parts of the world having different cultures, try to study communication norms of their cultures. This way, you’ll have more context in understanding the physical and verbal communication because that differs from your own.
We can develop cultural awareness by learning and understanding other cultures.
We need to explore ourselves and get information about different cultures around us. One of the most authentic ways is attending cultural festivals and events at which people express themselves through music, food, and art. And, we get the opportunity to interact with people who are different from us. When we get acquainted with people from different cultures and interact with them frequently, we can observe different lifestyles, customs and beliefs.
By understanding the differences in ethics, beliefs, and values of different individuals and developing cultural awareness, we create a happy and productive environment.
FAQ’s on Cultural Awareness Essay
Question 1.
How to develop cultural awareness among the people?
Answer:
We see many diverse populations around us and we come across people of all ages, ethnicities and cultures. People speak different languages, dress in different kinds of clothing, and eat different kinds of food.
Cultural Awareness matters because it opens our eyes. When we become aware of people and respect our diversity we can work in a more effective environment. We can develop cultural awareness through following ways
- One way to increase cultural awareness is to have a better understanding of each other’s cultural experiences.
- Go to lunch, or invite someone into our home for dinner who is different from us in some way.
- Another aspect of awareness is understanding different cultures through reading the history of other racial groups or your community.
- Visiting cultural institutions in your community is also a great resource of cultural awareness.
- Sometimes visit the National Museum of History and Culture to study different cultures.
Question 2.
Is it important to develop cultural awareness among the students?
Answer:
Yes, students are the future of the country so it has become necessary to develop cultural awareness among the students. The following are some benefits of teaching diversity to students.
- Students become more empathetic with people having different cultural backgrounds
- Students understand their lessons and people better.
- By exposing them to a diverse range of opinions, thoughts, and cultural backgrounds, they will be more open-minded.
- Students who are aware of different cultures during their education feel more comfortable and safe in life.
- Also students can interact in a wider range of social groups and feel more confident in themselves.
- Today it has become more important to be able to work with people from different cultures and social groups.