Cultural Diversity with a Sense of Belonging

Cultural diversity is the nature and beauty of mankind. Our origin and our heritage are what bind us as humanity. We belong where we feel free and culturally attached. Our world is a diverse bond of cultures. 

Sense of Belonging

Our World is in different multicultural societies, belonging to certain traditions that define who we are as people and the world.

Humanity has roots, and abandoning its roots is a costly mistake the price is natural. Acknowledging and respecting cultural diversity is important because, the roots which are strongly embedded in our daily lives are the source of love, humility, respect, peace, morality, and generosity. Our species’ ability to behave prosocially may be based on human-unique psychological mechanisms. 

Belonging means being a part of something, the systems are marginalization agents because their legacies don't offer inclusivity to all global cultures, since the formation of our nation's and global social systems. A study shows that a sense of belonging is linked to well-being in many aspect of life in a society. 

The global systems divide humanity and remind them of the ugly past of human history where the formation of group identities around common culture as a result of relocation, oppression, and modernization associated with minority populations is also apparently clear.

Reformation and restructuring of the systems is a proper way to go to a better future when inclusivity of all people and respect for all cultures will be achieved.

Cultural revivals and addressing the conditions of socio-economic deprivation, prejudice, and lack of opportunities. Bridging gaps among cultures and healing the past is an important step toward the prosperity of humanity.

An alarming sign that reminds us, that we have a lot to do for our future as humanity

While Humanity has many problems to take care of already. Problems such as hunger, diseases, ignorance, poverty, etc. Man-made problems cost nations to spend much on conflicts and war causing the situation to get even worse.

Racism, tribalism, prejudice, xenophobia, segregation, sexism, and terrorism are not only troubles but diseases that infect our societies enhanced by turning the blind eye to issues that matter the most.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter".Martin Luther King Jr

Issues such as equal rights and Justice, equality, dignity, respect for humanity, etc.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment to destiny. Whatever affects one affects all indirectly". Martin Luther King Jr

And it does good for us when we come together during hard times like natural disasters, and pandemics, and also during good times such as sports events, and seasonal holidays including religious holidays.

The incompetence of entrusted individuals and poor policies contribute to the problems which are inspired and enforced by evil systems. They lead to endless suffering for the people.

The multicultural ideas take on the cultural diversity in which language, location, and racial differences are key elements.

1. Linguistic diversity due to migration and nationalism.
2. National minority populations.
3. Distinct territory location.
Aspects in 1 to 3 are conceptual differences.
4. Races.
5. Physical characteristics for example eye color, skin color, hair color and texture, bone/jaw structure, nose structure, height, etc.

It's a shame and sad to claim the descent of the most superior being while regarding and treating your brothers as lesser beings.

People all over the world have the same sense of belonging, we belong to humanity

Despite those differences fore mentioned, we all like any other form of life feel pain, anger, sadness, and happiness. We all eat, drink, work and fall asleep, and bear fruits (children). We all share the same Sunshine, sky, natural disasters, water cycle, and global climatic conditions.

We all live under the same sun, moon, and stars. We breathe life and death like any other living organism. We grieve and suffer. We all share dreams of hope, peace, prosperity, and love as well as self-actualization.

Despite those life facts we tend to feel, and claim nobility ignoring the call of nature, the alarm that binds us together. We are related, we depend on each other, we can't move alone, we need people, we need to work as a team, We need each other.

We need our families, parents, siblings, relatives, neighbors, community, society, nation, and the world and they need us too in good and bad times.

"We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race". Koffi Annan

With pride driven by ego, we act to belong somewhere else and we know and care so little whatsoever.
Bob Marley once sang;

"You see Men sailing on their ego trip, 
Blast off on their spaceship,
Millions of miles from reality,
no care for you no cares for me".
In the song "So Much Trouble in The World"

Our bodies it's where we belong, you belong to yourself, extending that sense of belonging to the family, society, nation, continent, the world, humanity, and the universe.

In that sense, our belonging is infinite since space and time have no end.

A sense of belonging had impacted our lives positively and negatively

1. Division.

When the sense of belonging is narrowed
we tend to develop hate which divides people into lines of nations, races, cultures, ethnicity, regions, religions, and so on.

As a result, we kill each other, and we destroy the Earth's nature that allows us to exist as a species and even that small sense of belonging. We destroy our roots as mankind.
     
"We don't need bombs and guns to destroy, to bring peace, just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world". Mother Teresa

It's natural to have diversity, but this diversity has been miss used as a tool to inflict wounds and pain on one another.

Being blinded by greed, pride, nationalism, ethnicity, religion, etc, we forget that we are one with nature and the cosmos.

 Nature is in oneness and harmony unless it's provoked. Our roots are one unless we destroy them.

"My home is a place of warmth and love.No one should be denied a home".Gail Porter

2. Unity.

Unity widens the sense of belonging and strengthens it.
Sense of belonging when enhanced cultivates trust and mutuality.

We come together under the same course of life, sharing, cherishing, and eventually, the seed of peace, love, humility, hospitality, and prosperity germinates and grows even stronger.

"I long, as does every human being, to be at home, wherever I find myself".Maya Angelou

Eventually the Earth it's where our world calls home, it's where, each form of life, each one of us belongs."We have a responsibility to look after our planet, it's our home." The Dalai Lama

The problems we have as the world should bring us together to end them as humans.

We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope".Martin Luther King Jr

Be your brother's keeper, lift your brother don't put him down.

References 

Haim-Litevsky, D., Komemi, R., & Lipskaya-Velikovsky, L. (2023). Sense of Belonging, Meaningful Daily Life Participation, and Well-Being: Integrated Investigation. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(5), 4121. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054121

Song, S. (2017). Justice, gender, and the politics of multiculturalism. In Routledge eBooks (pp. 341–347). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315097176-49

Boualam, N. K., & Ennam, N. A. (2024). Identity and belonging in multicultural contexts: Navigating complex dynamics. International Journal of Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(2), 28–40. https://doi.org/10.32996/ijcrs.2024.4.2.4