Example for a Project to facilitate Cultural Reflection
The following demonstrates an example of how schools in different countries can bring peers from different cultural, religious or educational backgrounds together and "go beyond": How they can lay the foundation for a peaceful togetherness. To foster a deeper understanding of both others as well as oneself, this project includes elements to challenge perspectives on "being different" and one's own positionality.
How can Cultural Reflection be facilitated?
A school in Canada teaches on different cultures and invites partner schools in Pakistan, Spain and South Africa for a virtual exchange seminar. The students are encouraged to reflect on their positionality before the exchange: their cultural, religious or educational background, for instance. They are then discussing a set of topics ranging from global issues to everyday experiences with their peers from all over the world. After the exchange, participants are analyzing different aspects of this experience while being guided by the facilitators. Students are advised to journal before, during and after the exchange and document impressions for a final project of their choice.
What guiding Questions can be Part of the Project?
Overall, the direction of this project depends greatly on what the facilitators want to teach and reflect on. Questions which will definitely be interesting after the exchange can be the following:
a: What have I learnt about the other culture or myself?
b: What stereotypes or ideas did I have about the other person?
c: Which ways of thinking may I not be aware of?
d: What does this say about myself?
e: How can I work to limit that conscious and unconscious bias?
Often, it is helpful to compare answers of reflective questions before and after the exchange. Similarly, it can be very empowering to openly share the observations with the exchange partners at a later moment.
