Learn all about World Day for Cultural Diversity and how to celebrate the international awareness day in the workplace! In this guide, you’ll find ways for your team to learn about diversity and intercultural dialogue while bonding and connecting with each other.
World Day for Cultural Diversity is May 21. Is your team ready to celebrate? In this list, find ways to engage your hybrid or remote team. Learn, grow, and boost morale while celebrating World Day for Cultural Diversity.
Our team at Unexpected Virtual Tours is ready to help your company celebrate cultural diversity – during this holiday, and year-round! We believe you can promote diversity and intercultural dialogue amongst your team through fun, education-based activities. Let our team be your guides on how to do this well and make a lasting impact on your company culture!
In this guide, you’ll find:
- Information on World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- Activities for World Diversity Day
- How to celebrate international cultural diversity in the workplace
- Cultural diversity activities your team will enjoy throughout the year
- Tips on how to best incorporate the multicultural day in your workplace calendar
What is World Day for Cultural Diversity?
World Day for Cultural Diversity is a UNESCO awareness day for the promotion of international diversity and intercultural dialogue. The day’s full title is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, though it is often shortened. The international cultural awareness day is held every year on May 21.
Why was World Day for Cultural Diversity adopted for May 21st?
Begun by the United Nations is 2002, the multicultural day of celebration aims to highlight the abundance of cultural diversity throughout our world. In addition, the day for cultural diversity focuses on the need for intercultural dialogue. By doing so, we can collectivity support one another in furthering human rights, religious rights, promoting development, and increasing global peace.
The United Nations states, “89% of all current conflicts in the world [occur] in countries with low intercultural dialogue.” To combat this, World Day for Cultural Diversity was created to bring emphasis in cultural awareness and how working together can make positive change in our world’s future.
UNESCO’s purpose for this world day for dialogue and development is to grow our world’s relations and solidarity in humankind. In doing so, we can collectively take on our biggest challenges with empathy and unity.
Why Does Cultural Diversity Matter?
It is highly important to celebrate cultural diversity overall and within organizations. Our communities and workplaces are full of diversity. People come from all walks of life, cultures, and traditions. By recognizing our cultural attributes and celebrating the richness of cultures, we can find solidarity within one another.
The Harvard Business Review even states that culturally diverse teams are a good business decision. Plus, a McKinsey Report found that companies in the “top quartile for ethnic and racial diversity in management were 35% more likely to have financial returns above their industry mean.”
In short, cultural diversity matters because your people matter. Employees’ cultural differences should be embraced! As a bonus, your company can gain business benefits along the way. Use this holiday, and world diversity day activities, as a starting point to show your employees that cultural diversity matters in your workplace.
Why World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is Important in the Workplace
In the workplace, there are many benefits that cultural diversity brings. For example, diverse teams can experience increased creativity and innovation. By highlighting what makes team members who they are, you can even experience higher employee engagement. Plus, it can also boost problem-solving capabilities and increase productivity.
Promoting and celebrating cultural diversity allows employees to bring their entire selves to the workplace. When experiencing a comfortable and accepting workplace culture, team members are more inclined to be dedicated and engaged in their work!
Planning World Day for Cultural Diversity Activities
To celebrate World Day for Cultural Diversity, take time to plan activities for your team. This includes sharing educational resources, involving your employees at every step, and providing fun, engaging cultural diversity activities to celebrate the day.
Activities can address human rights topics including international, religious, and fundamental freedoms of people across the globe. Plus, teams can even explore another language! There is no wrong way to celebrate cultural diversity, as long as team members’ cultures are celebrated with respect.
Setting the Stage
In planning cultural diversity activities, it’s important to create an inclusive environment for all celebrations. This applies to the spaces you plan to use, the information you will share, and any visual elements you incorporate.
For example, consider whether you will be using a physical or virtual space, or both. In either scenario, think about the decorations or effects you plan to utilize and the information or activities you will share. When presenting symbols or visual elements, be sure that these are culturally sensitive. Stay away from using any stereotyped themes about cultures.
Involving Employees
Involving employees can help build excitement for events, as well as ensure activities reflect your team’s interests and needs. You can engage employees in cultural diversity activities by offering opportunities for employee-led activities, presentations, or workshops. For example, employees can share an insider’s take on their own culture for your team. Or, team members can lead a fun class on how to create specific cultural art or food dishes.
Remember, it is important to involve team members from diverse backgrounds in the process. All team members’ cultures should be celebrated. Plus, your planning should incorporate employee feedback and input from every team member. That said, some employees may not wish to share about their culture or background. Be mindful of those who would prefer to participate in a different way, and offer alternative ideas and activities.
Storytelling Sessions
Storytelling is an engaging activity that all cultures partake in to share beliefs, history, and more. In addition to this, storytelling can foster understanding and empathy. As a creative outlet, stories can portray cultural values and ways of life.
For this activity, prepare employees to share their cultural stories when celebrating cultural diversity. Create guidelines for how long stories sessions will be and how listeners can participate and ask questions. Plus, allow employees to incorporate props or traditional clothing if they would like! Alternatively, you can invite team members to read aloud a short story or poem from another author.
Virtual Cultural Tours
Treat your team to virtual cultural tours offered by Unexpected Virtual Tours! We offer virtual team building events covering topics including AAPI Heritage Month, Black History Month, Juneteenth, Women’s History, LGBTQ+ Pride, and more. Plus, our experiences include virtual travel events exploring locations across South America and Europe!
Each tour introduces team members to different cultures, histories, and traditions. We suggest selecting tours that best represent the cultural diversity within your organization. You can even involve your team members by polling which topics excite them most!
Interactive Workshops
Interactive workshops are a great way to focus on cultural diversity and inclusion. Workshop topics can include overcoming unconscious bias, fostering inclusive communication, or exploring cultural differences in decision-making.
Furthermore, interactive workshops guide employees in learning new skills and approaches to multicultural relationships. As a result, teams can increase collaboration and communication skills.
Implement a range of interactive workshops that best fit your team on this world cultural diversity day and beyond!
Reflecting and Building on the Celebration
Once the multicultural day of celebration is over, the workplace should continue to promote diversity and foster inclusion. Keep in mind, cultural diversity should not be celebrated to simply check a box. Instead, use World Day for Cultural Diversity as just one of many ongoing diversity and cultural awareness events throughout the workplace.
Sharing Celebration Highlights
Be sure to document and share highlights from your World Day for Cultural Diversity celebration! For example, debrief with your team to highlight successes and acknowledge the hard work of employees who participated.
Plus, share highlights internally for all employees to see and externally for clients and followers to enjoy. We suggest utilizing company newsletters, social media, or internal communication channels!
Continuing the Conversation
Don’t let the celebrations stop after the cultural diversity day. It is import to maintain a focus on cultural diversity beyond the calendar date of May 21st.
Incorporate cultural diversity topics into regular team meetings, training sessions, or employee resource group activities. In addition, continue collaborating with Unexpected Virtual Tours for ongoing diversity and inclusion initiatives!
For an easy place to start, check out our DEI team building calendar for an easy, year-round guide of holidays to celebrate. Additionally, tap into specific resources like virtual Black history month ideas for corporate and remote teams.
Always look to new and improved ways to celebrate and highlight the diversity of your team members and all that they bring to your company. By doing so, you’ll create a company culture committed to diversity and inclusion, and a team that feels respected and celebrated for who they are.
Make it an Event: Book Virtual DEI Events with Unexpected Virtual Tours
World Day for Cultural Diversity is a fantastic way to observe all of the cultures present amongst your team! Celebrate the cultural diversity day with fun and engaging activities such as storytelling sessions, virtual cultural tours, interactive workshops, and more.
Not only will the celebrations encourage team bonding, you will also increase team creativity, employee engagement, and even productivity. To gain these skills and more, check out Unexpected Virtual Tours‘ team building and group activities!
Unexpected Virtual Tours will take your team to new places, expand your knowledge, and instill fun along the way! Our virtual team experiences include diversity and inclusion topics that keep everyone engaged, learning, and connecting together.
To learn more, browse our virtual team building experiences and book a team activity on your calendar today!
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