European year of intercultural dialogue 2008 : together in cross-cultural learning diversity on a small Mediterranean island : Malta case study

Abstract

People identify themselves directly or indirectly on the basis of culture which clearly defines who we are and who we are not. However, culture is not of high importance only for individuals, but also deeply rooted in relations with other people in the domestic or global environment. Culture is of high importance also within international organizations, where it helps with intercultural understanding with the main aim - to achieve common goals and to prevent new conflicts from happening. The European Union consists of many nations and ethnic minorities, which have been divided with artificially defined borders in the times of both world wars preventing cultures from mixing. Based on a cultural diversity the European Union initiated the year 2008 as the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue (EYID) in order to bring nations closer together and foster inter-cultural learning and communication between individuals of various culture backgrounds to build common values. The study attempts to present not only theoretical discussion but dialogue happening in reality on the small island of the Mediterranean. Malta's national projects FIVE and Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue Night have contributed to the present study as examples of creative practises that illustrated intercultural dialogue as extremely positive, enriching and inevitable process that is needed to build bridges between the members of any existing cultures in the world.