A special panel on intercultural dialogue was organized at the Fifth International Congress of Belarusian Studies. The Congress took place in Kaunas (Lithuania) on the 02-04th October, 2015 and united representatives from 18 countries.
“Participants discussed modern approaches to the intercultural dialogues in the aspects of globalization, American and European theory and practice, multiculturalism, Belarusian culture, language, history, literature, and nation building.
It was recognized that intercultural dialogue is not developed in Belarus although this notion is used often enough (most of all in propaganda). It’s necessary to work out a methodology of interdisciplinary research in the intercultural dialogue field. Besides, a special course on intercultural dialogue should be studied at universities.
The panel participants concluded, that intercultural dialogue is extremely important for Belarus due to possibilities for:
1. Development of the Belarusian national culture and language as a fundamental national value;
2. Breaking of provincialism, backwardness, closure, isolation and
the formation of an open, dialogical thinking as a prerequisite for the open society;
3. Balance between cultural originality preservation and opening to other cultural influences;
4. Involvement of Belarus into the West social and cultural context;
5. National and social solidarity;
6. Democratic transformation, human and nation rights, nation building, strengthen of the Belarusian subjectivity.
7. Development of the social science and humanities”,
– said the Coordinator of the panel Liubou Uladykouskaja.