Why does cultural diversity matter?

Cultural diversity, along with inter-cultural dialogue, has become one of today’s most pressing contemporary issues. Almost no country is entirely culturally homogeneous and two thirds of the world’s nearly 200 countries contain at least one substantial ethnic or religious minority making up at least 10% of the population. Equitable exchanges and encounters between cultures and peoples, based on mutual understanding and respect and the equal dignity of all cultures is the essential prerequisite for constructing social cohesion, reconciliation among peoples and peace among nations. Safeguarding cultures, then, aims to ensure space for and freedom of expression to all of the world’s cultures. Moreover, we are becoming increasingly aware of cultural diversity, an awareness that is facilitated by the globalization of exchanges and the greater receptiveness of societies to one another.

Cultural diversity is a driving force of development, not only with respect to economic growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life. This is captured in the seven culture conventions, which provide a solid basis for the promotion of cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is thus an asset that is indispensable for poverty reduction and the achievement of sustainable development.

At the same time, acceptance and recognition of cultural diversity – in particular through innovative use of media and Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) – are conducive to dialogue among civilizations and cultures, respect and mutual understanding.

In 2001, UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity and in December 2002, the UN General Assembly, in its resolution 57/249, declared May 21 to be the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

Salaam Global Foundation is going to hold a meeting on World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development for discussion and ideas exchange on cultural diversity, peace, dialogue and development. This meeting is a platform for raising awareness about importance of intercultural dialogue which brings experts and scholars from different fields together.

We hear a great deal about innovation these days, and for good reason. Innovation lies at the heart of our social and economic wellbeing.  

Innovation – and the technological progress it represents – makes a significant contribution to economic growth and creates opportunities for new and better jobs.

We often do not take enough time to think about the many ways in which innovation improves the quality of our lives. One only has to compare the way we live today with the way we lived 100 years ago. Over the past century we have seen an extraordinary transformation in the quality of our material lives, thanks to the introduction of countless new and improved technologies and products. And with extraordinary new technologies such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, neuromorphic computer chips, nanotechnology, robotics, CRISPR gene-editing and more coming on stream, the prospects for further progress are very bright.

What, you may ask, does intellectual property have to do with all of this?

Intellectual property is a crucial part of a successful innovation system. It provides a return for those who take the risk to introduce the “new” – in terms of products and services – into the economy. It provides a framework for the rather difficult and challenging journey that any idea has to undertake before becoming a commercially available product or service.

With this year’s World Intellectual Property Day campaign we are celebrating innovation and how it improves our lives.  We are also celebrating all the risk-takers, all those who have dared to bring about positive change through innovation.

This year’s campaign is an opportunity for us all to think about what it actually takes to invent something and the challenges associated with that process. It is also a chance for us to consider how we can make innovation really work for the benefit of the whole of society.

I wish you all a very happy, fruitful and innovative World Intellectual Property Day.

Salaam Global Foundation organized a meeting on April 27, 2017 to celebrate World Intellectual Property Day to raise awareness about how innovation could improve lives. The meeting was held in the presence of Members of the trustee board members, executive board members, committee members and experts in the field of innovation and international relations, engineering and other fields.

At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Moayyeri talked about his experience on Iran relation with WIPO during his tenure as Iran Rep to UNOG and other international organizations in Geneva. He also mentioned that currently IP is thought in some Iranian universities as an academic major.

Dr. Ali Hakimattar saw the meeting in line with SGF and UN goals and informed on upcoming meetings to commemorate international days.

Keynote Speaker Dr. Sara Salimi presented his intervention on Innovation and IP. She explained about concepts like patent, industrial design and structured innovation and role of IP in promoting them.

Saeed Emami said one of foundation goals is proposing policies to decision makers and suggested that result of meeting to be published as a policy paper.

Mahmoud Saneipour delivered a summary of his report titled” Innovation, IP and its effects on Iran culture and economy”.

He counted suspicion about IP as a barrier made by West to prevent development of other countries as one of problems. He believed that promotion of IP in Iran needs an industrial revolution.

Ali Akbar Koohestani as an inventor described his experience in registering his invention briefly and challenges he faced.

Mehdi Saatian also described lack of commercializing cycle as a barrier for innovation.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sara Salimi

Debaters:

1- Mahmoud Saneipour, Member of SGF EB, Former Governor of Tehran Province, Former Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban

2- Dr. Alireza Moayyeri, Chair of SGF TB, Former Deputy FM

3- Mohammad Ali Hosseini, Member of SGF TB, PhD in Higher Education Administration, Associate Professor of Education Management in University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences

4- Saeed Emami, CEO of SGF

5- Eng. Ali Akbar Koohestani, Treasurer of SGF

6- Eng. Mehdi Saatian, Expert in TRIZ and Innovation

7- Dr. Bahram Yegane, Member of SGF TB

8- Yasser Salimi, Vice-Chair of IR Committee of SGF

9- Dr. Ali Hakimattar, Chair of Executive Board SGF

World Intellectual Property Organization which is a self-funding agency of the United Nations has introduced its founding date 26 April as World Intellectual Property Day. Every year a theme is introduced for this day which is “Innovation Improving Lives” for 2017.

As one of Salaam Global Foundation goals is promoting social innovation it is going to study role of intellectual property in innovation by commemorating this day in presence of experts in fields of international relations, international law and innovation.

Mother Earth is a common expression for the planet earth in a number of countries and regions, which reflects the interdependence that exists among human beings, other living species and the planet we all inhabit.

United Nations declared 22 April as International Mother Earth Day to recognize the responsibility we have to promote harmony with nature and the Earth to achieve a balance between economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations.

The impact of our neglectful stewardship is being felt most by the world's most vulnerable people: those who live on the desert margins; indigenous communities; the rural poor; the inhabitants of the squalid slums of the world's expanding megacities. If they are to break out of the poverty trap and prosper, they need –at the very minimum –fertile land, clean water and adequate sanitation.

As a global community, we have the opportunity to make changes. Salaam Global Foundation asks people to do something good for our mother earth and take pictures to be seen by the world.

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