Abstract:

In today's interconnected world, it is important for students to understand the existence of global dynamics and to identify with people from different cultural backgrounds. Intercultural and Global Education have the power to transform students into ‘global ambassadors in their classrooms and communities’ as ‘they allow students to critically think about their role in promoting peace and cultural diplomacy’ (AFS-USA, 2016).By teaching students about globalization and diplomacy, we are helping them to develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in an increasingly globalized world. Back in 1992, the motto: “unity in diversity”, adopted in the Maastricht Treaty, set a common ground that surpasses geographic locations, the historical roots, various political and religious beliefs, and any other barriers between the peoples of our world.

In the global village, the education system, which has traditionally been a local social institution, must now confront several significant obstacles to equip our children with the skills necessary to thrive in this global community. In Greece, the recent years have been influenced by the incoming flux of refugees and migrating populations, as they are trying to find a way to enter Europe. This fact has also created the need for Greece as a host country to reconceptualize the meaning of cultural diplomacy. Unfortunately, native Greek students often harbor negative perceptions of their immigrant classmates, whom they view as having lowered the overall academic standards of their classes. Some students express disapproval, while others, particularly adolescents, espouse far-right xenophobic views. Consequently, integrating technology and the principles of cultural diplomacy into educational practice is important for fostering cross-cultural understanding, promoting social justice, building towards coexistence and peace. Technology, modern pedagogies and an inclusive mind-set can set the ground to enable students to become cultural diplomats so as to act as agents of change in order to build a socially cohesive and resilient world capable of meeting new threats and challenges. The distinctive aspect of cultural diplomacy lies in its ability to facilitate a better comprehension of the priorities, values, and symbols of other nations. For instance, by gaining insights into the fears, joys, and psyche of a people through the digitally enhanced pedagogies, one can develop effective negotiation strategies and develop empathy.

The study focuses on the perceptions of teachers concerning issues of cultural diplomacy. 15 teachers expressed their views on the challenges of engaging actively their students in developing their cultural diplomacy skills. The results of this needs analysis indicated the need of developing innovative and creative methodologies, such as collaborative digital-cultural pedagogies to support teachers in developing their students’ cultural diplomacy skills. This paper aims at enriching classroom practices by presenting two technology-led activities based on a pertinent methodology that can be potentially used in education so as to support teachers in developing their students’ skills by suggesting ‘clear’ views about how to act as cultural diplomats.

References:
[1] AFS-USA (2016). Fostering Cultural Diplomacy in the Classroom. https://www.afsusa.org/educators/lesson-plans/fostering-cultural-diplomacy-in-the-classroom/

Keywords:

Cultural Diplomacy, cross-cultural understanding, educational practices, digital pedagogies.