Institute assures on harnessing religious, cultural differences in Nigeria

By Evelyn Okakwu

The Country Representative of the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD), Mr. Dickson Osas Omoragie, has assured that the institute will harness religious, cultural differences in Nigeria.

Omoragie, who gave the assurance in an interview in Abuja on Monday, said the ICD understands that in an increasingly globalized world in which people are able to travel and exchange information faster than ever before, this will grow inter-dependency between cultures and religions.

In his words: “As a result, successful inter-cultural interaction will undoubtedly become a major challenge for international relations in the 21st century.

“In this regard, the ICD believes that inter- and intra-cultural relations can be strengthened and maintained through dialogue.

According to him, this will in turn lead to a better understanding and greater trust between cultures, prevent misunderstanding, improve communication and help to reduce the likelihood of socio-cultural conflicts.

He explained that ICD is an international, not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, founded in 1999, with headquarters in Berlin, Germany and the USA.

He identified major objectives of the ICD as to extend current research, programs and practices in the field of cultural diplomacy and create a platform to promote and sustain inter-cultural dialogue at all levels.

“The ICD´s ultimate goal is to promote global peace and stability by strengthening and supporting inter cultural relations at all levels.

“Since 1999, we have worked hard to raise awareness of the field of cultural diplomacy and bring together in sustainable networks individuals from diverse cultural, academic, and professional backgrounds.

“The result of this combined effort is a large archive of publically-available material including audio visual interviews and speeches, academic papers, academic presentations, and a broad range of case studies in cultural diplomacy”, he said.