‘Cultural diversity promotes borrowings’
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Shehu Ozigis, said “cultural diversity promotes interdependence, mutual exchanges and borrowings and should be encouraged and sustained as it serves as a platform for tolerance, in-depth understanding of the worth of others, intellectual growth and poverty reduction worldwide.” He emphasised that the essence of the day […]
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Shehu Ozigis, said “cultural diversity promotes interdependence, mutual exchanges and borrowings and should be encouraged and sustained as it serves as a platform for tolerance, in-depth understanding of the worth of others, intellectual growth and poverty reduction worldwide.”
He emphasised that the essence of the day is to foster unity among mankind by affirming and respecting our plurality, religions, traditions, norms, values racial and biological differences as an instrument that guarantees universal peace and understanding, while safeguarding cultural diversity as the common heritage of humanity.
The Director-General of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Ms. Irina Bokova, according to the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity said, “Cultural diversity is as necessary for mankind as biodiversity is for nature, adding: “this year’s ‘Day’ bears the hallmark of 2010, International year for the rapprochement of cultures which has been set as the goal to build up dialogue among cultures in order to strengthen ties among peoples throughout the world and facilitate the onward march of civilization.
School children, while celebrating the 2010 World Culture Day, emphasised that there is no Nigerian language that is inferior to the other while Nigerians should disabuse their mindset from the notion that there are major languages and lesser ones.
According to Mr. George Ufot, Director of Culture in the Ministry, this year’s sub-theme, ‘Cultural Reconciliation among communities: A panacea for peaceful coexistence’, is to create greater awareness of cultural values and the need to preserve them for posterity.
Adopted by all UNESCO member states in 2001 at the 31st General Conference, World Culture Day is a derivative of UNESCO’s universal declaration on cultural diversity.