Our Philosophy
In an age of global
communication and increasingly codependent economies, cross-cultural understanding
has become critical to the future of the human species. For industrially
advanced nations, this means becoming sensitive to the living conditions
and challenges facing the Third World, and understanding the values, attitudes,
and customs of the people that live there.
For less developed countries, this means seizing opportunities to learn
from the successes and failures of industrialization, and taking advantage
of ways to produce and distribute the world's resources and wealth more
equitably. For all people, cross-cultural understanding requires
a view that sees beyond the stereotypes and oversimplifications that are
found all too often in the mass media.
The Intercultural Research Institute believes that one of the best ways to achieve cross-cultual understanding is through active personal contact. While it is true that modern communications technology makes it much easier to send messages globally, there is no substitute for a face-to-face meeting. Such encounters can shape entire lives, expanding world-views and creating human bonds in ways impossible via communication at a distance. For this reason, the Institute has created the World Encounter project. We also provide information and services for researchers and educators around the globe, and participate in a variety of international initiatives to facilitate sustainable, non-dependent regional development. We are, quite simply, changing the way the world meets. |
