The socio-cultural impact of COVID-19: exploring the role of intercultural dialogue in emerging responses

11 December 2020

This brief was prepared by Professor Fethi Mansouri, UNESCO Chair in Comparative Research on Cultural Diversity and Social Justice, Director of the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University (Australia), and Convener of the UNESCO-UNITWIN Network for Interreligious Dialogue and Intercultural Understanding, with the assistance (for the compilation of examples of the impact and response of COVID-19) of Ms. Rebecca Buys, Doctoral Researcher at Deakin University (Australia).

Through inductive exploration of authentic, local, community responses to the COVID-19 crisis, this brief examines the new context in which the ICD agenda is being pursued, complementing the many existing quantitative analyses of the socio-cultural impact of the pandemic. In doing so, four core objectives are advanced:

1) an exploration of the impact of COVID-19 on ICD and community relations;
2) an examination of the creative community responses to these challenges, in particular online ICD initiatives;
3) the identification of key principles for the design and implementation of effective policy responses;
4) an initial reflection on the potential for ICD to contribute meaningfully to a post COVID-19 context in order to support and further improve intercultural relations and solidarity that have been impacted by the pandemic.

To access the full paper, published online by UNESCO, please click here

Permanent link: http://en.unesco.kz/the-socio-cultural-impact-of-covid-19-exploring-the-role-of-intercultural-dialogue-in