EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Aspen UK in partnership with the Khalili Foundation
We live in a society faced with increasing polarisation and division. Much of this is down to our relative ignorance of one another’s cultural perspectives. We know that effective intercultural exchange fosters mutual understanding, respect, and ultimately, peace and unity. But how might we facilitate such an exchange in a variety of spaces, both physical and conceptual? And how is it possible to harness the power of cultural diversity to problem-solve and innovate?
The Aspen Institute UK, in partnership with the Khalili Foundation, is launching the ‘Designing for Diversity’ webinar series, in which we explore these pertinent questions. It is part of the wider World Festival of Cultural Diversity which, in association with UNESCO, is bringing together various intellectual and creative initiatives in collective celebration of our world’s cultures.
For decades, intercultural dialogue has been central to the Khalili Foundation’s mission to advance peace, unity, and mutual respect worldwide. The Foundation’s seminal 2021 book marking the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity brought together leading voices to offer their insights on how to promote and celebrate cultural diversity. Its founder, Professor Sir David Khalili is internationally acclaimed as a bridge-builder across cultures and faiths – HM Government referred to him as “the embodiment of interfaith harmony” when he was awarded a knighthood.
As part of this yearlong webinar series, we will focus on six key spaces for conversation: Cities and Communities, Schools and Education, Organisations and Workplaces, Media, Arts and Culture, and Activism and Social Justice. We will be joined by some of the leading thinkers of our time from different fields and cultural backgrounds, each offering ideas on how to design spaces that foster the intercultural dialogue and collaboration we so desperately need as a society.
SERIES SESSIONS:
Session 1: Cities and Communities – Listen to the podcast now!
Session 2: Schools and Education – Listen to the podcast now!
Session 3: Organisations and Workplaces – Listen to the podcast now!
Session 4: The Media and the Digital World – Listen to the podcast now!
Session 5: Arts and Culture – Listen to the podcast now!
Session 6: Activism and Social Justice – Listen to the podcast now!