Diversity finds its origin in the word “diverse”, meaning different

 Diversity finds its origin in the word “diverse”, meaning different. Different in what?  culture, ideas, values, lifestyles, thinking, goals, background, faith, etc. 

The globalized world of today is full of different cultures, all brought into one common place; “diversity”.  How and why is diversity important in society?  to understand this concept, we must understand what does diversity do?  Diversity, teaches us to accept differences in others and look beyond the base emotions of language, culture, race, faith, and color, it teaches us to be more open and accepting of things that are different from us and in that process makes us more adjustable and open.  That is why; intercultural communication is an important factor in accepting and understanding diversity. 

In my opinion, schools and colleges where knowledge and education is imparted are the perfect place to teach children the importance of diversity and how to be more accepting.  Young minds can be developed to be accepting of diversity and understanding that there is a completely new and different world out there.  Studying about different cultures, habits, styles, and value systems will help kids become better individuals.  Encouraging cultural diversity in the classroom will help kids appreciate their own culture, as they will go back to their roots to find out more about where they have come from.  If they were to travel to any other part of the world, adjustment will be minimal because of their diverse education.  Feelings of superiority, prejudice and bias will be eliminated and therefore they will become excellent citizens at an early age.  There will be an inclusion of topics that do not revolve around a common theme from the same background.  A culturally different group means that there will be diverse topics to discuss.  This helps gain not merely knowledge, but also develop creativity. 

Another area of diversity is the workplace.  Now a day, the workforce is a mixture of diverse cultures, religions and races; therefore, it is important to promote ethnic, social, cultural and gender-related diversity in the workplace.  The advantage of promoting inter-cultural communication in the workplace provides for better approaches to the same problem and with no limitations. If there are different, thinking styles then there will be different ways of approaching the same problem with a more creative solution.  Diversity at the workplace is essential because it allows the best ideas to come forward and gives a wide choice of solutions.  Diversity improves the effectiveness and productivity of the workforce.  It helps in promoting one's business and makes it possible to take it to an international level.  Diversity in the workplace refers to the way a business is backed by varied diverse thoughts and cultures, thus the best of all worlds can lead to success.

Why is diversity important today?   With the world becoming more and more global, one will obviously wonder whether globalization is a boon not a bane.  The globe is becoming a melting pot of cultures and different diversities.  Therefore, diversity helps to bring a positive reform in society.

Maha Witherington