Zamir Shatz
Habibti – A State of all its Citizens
Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
From diversity to inclusion.
Let`s talk about diversity. When we say “diversity” we speak about nationality, religion, skin color, social class, physical opportunities, political and sports views, etc.
We already have diversity. But is it enough? Of course, no. Perhaps, an acceptance of diversity can teach us how to be tolerant. But being tolerant means putting up with different cultures or different perspectives that exist around you. From diversity, we should move to inclusion. Inclusion is the right path to harmony. Only being inclusive we can understand that we all are different, and everyone has their own mission. Friendship and cooperation of diverse people are the keys to success for building a truly inclusive society, which would enable us to make the world a better place.
Mutual aid and understanding are all we need to create harmony among people. We can’t understand and help each other without communication. We should always work on ourselves and learn to hear, feel and accept each other.
It’s very important to develop communication skills, to use all sources and to be open to a new experience in human cooperation. Proper communication can lead to harmony in our society, which will not only be free from discrimination but will be based on simple human values and love.
We, young people, should never forget that the future of the universe is in our hands. We are hungry to know the truth, we want to see justice, to feel freedom and equality, to radiate kindness. And we are ready to fight for that.
But meanwhile, sometimes we don’t have enough experience to defend ourselves from the propaganda of hate, that is destroying peace and mercy. Sometimes, the same young people as us, became the object of horrible forces trying to spread contention among people.
To defeat it we should educate each other, support and encourage each other to be not only fellows but also ambassadors of our own cultures.
To create a diverse and inclusive environment we should not forget to preserve our identity, to be proud representatives of our countries/cultures/tribes/religions/communities.
It would help us to see that on the one hand, we are different (we speak different languages and celebrate different festivals), but there is something more important that unites us – the same ideas and dreams.
And it doesn’t matter if you say “Salam” and I reply “Shalom”, “Peace” is what matters.
